Crain's Chicago Business Unveils Complete Redesign

A pioneer in local business journalism has unveiled a complete redesign for only the fourth time in its storied 26-year history. Crain's Chicago Business hit newsstands with a new look -- complete with three distinct sections, new columnist, as well as a new logo.

According to Crain's Chicago Business Editor Jeff Bailey, the redesigned publication has a cleaner, bolder and more active and distinctive look, allowing readers to quickly find the information that most impacts their careers and lives. Bailey came to Crain's last November after a 20-year career with the Wall Street Journal.

"Continuing our tradition of providing original content each week through a disciplined approach that our writers use to tackle stories, the redesign promises to be more audience-friendly while showing great respect for readers' time," Bailey says. "Crain's audience is composed of busy people, and the new look and layout will hopefully reflect their priorities."

While the most recognizable change is the new logo, the redesign sets up Crain's Chicago Business in three distinct sections. The front includes concisely written news stories and opinion columns, self-contained with few jumps. A new front-page navigation box will help readers quickly locate information through the issue. In addition, an expanded opinion page will include new columns about politics, government and business.

The middle section serves as a toolbox of sorts with information that Crain's readers can use in their working lives. Included in this mid-section are Crain's Special Reports, a monthly Small Business Section, trademark "lists," and features that have one jump maximum. Meanwhile, monthly focuses on Real Estate, Technology, Enterprise and Finance Mondays will be re-launched and upgraded, while various other sections will be expanded and presented with more in-depth analysis.

The back section, entitled "The Business of Life," offers more lifestyle-related stories and features with suggestions on how readers may spend time and money in their free time. Articles remain local and provide unique content that readers will not see elsewhere.

"The redesign will result in improved editorial for our readers, boosting our overall brand identity that Crain's has worked hard to achieve for more than a quarter-century," adds Bailey. "I'm certain the marketplace will react very positively to our redesign and improved and expanded coverage."

The redesign was conceived and executed by Tom Linden, art director of Crain's Chicago Business. Linden played an integral role in making the new Crain's more pleasing to look at by using a mix of new and familiar typefaces, page layouts and colors and an overall goal of making information easier and more enjoyable to consume for Crain's readers.

Consulting with Crain's on this project was renown newspaper design firm Garcia Media, which has been responsible for re-design projects at some of the most recognizable newspapers in the country including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Crimson, Miami Herald, Newsday and many international pubs including the Sunday London Observer.

Thrust into the role as new weekly columnist is long-time Crain's political reporter Greg Hinz. "Helping make sense of the public sector in Illinois, and how it affects business people, Greg Hinz' column will add his point of view to the sharpest political and policy reporting in Chicago," adds editor Bailey, who noted Hinz will continue to file regular reports online during the week at ChicagoBusiness.com.

Available in print -- and online -- Crain's Chicago Business is the premier source of local business news and information for the area's most influential business executives. Crain's weekly edition (circulation 50,000) delivers a compelling blend of scoop-oriented news and analysis. In addition to its weekly local news roundup, Crain's also features an array of business lists, including Who's Who in Business, 40 Under 40, and The Book of Lists, which consist of more than 50 categories of Chicago's top corporate business listings.

Based in Detroit, Crain Communications publishes Crain's Chicago Business along with 30 other titles aimed at the consumer, trade and business industry. Industries served by Crain Communications include advertising and media, automotive, Crain's city publications, environmental, healthcare, human resources, investments and insurance and plastics and rubber.

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