How headlines and graphics can work together seamlessly

November 28th, 2005

This set of jaws was an opportunity, not a problem!

I'm sure you've heard the aphorism "many hands make light work." What's true in life is often also true in headline writing. When you can get aspects of your story - the writing, the photo, the caption, the headline -- working together, you make reading lighter (which is to say easier), for your readers.

Today, I saw a terrific illustration of this in the business section of the National Post. The arresting photo, which showed a shark, mid-lunge, with mouth agape and sharp white teeth ominously glinting, contained the attention-grabbing caption: "Your company's name could go here." The caption was in the shark's mouth.

The headline was: Hostile bids bare teeth. And, of course, the story focused on the issue of hostile takeovers. All elements worked together, seamlessly and eye-catchingly, to make this story a must-read for anyone interested in business.