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Titles join Extra as Archant strengthens brand

The Extra free weekly in Glasgow has expanded to reach more than 180,000 homes in and around the city following the rebranding of three other Archant Central Scotland titles under its masthead.

The Bearsden & Milngavie Courier, The Renfrewshire Weekly News and the Lanarkshire People have all joined the Glasgow South and Eastwood Extra to form a five-edition paper than now reaches from Hamilton and Motherwell in the east to Paisley and Renfrew to the west of Glasgow.

The company took the opportunity to modernise the papers, strengthen the brand identity of its most successful title and create a new ‘Extra’ series.

Glasgow editor Allan Hodge said: “The most controversial proposal was for a radical change in the look and colour of the masthead.

“Instead of the traditional cyan blue, red was to be the colour of the new-look Extra. The proposal to change the masthead colour sparked a free and frank exchange of views, but the reds won the day, with the convincing argument that red is the classic ‘stop me’ colour.”

The masthead was also changed from Garamond to Swiss 721, to modernise the look.

Allan edits three editions while Martin Clark in Motherwell is responsible for another two.

Allan added: “Despite the changes in look and design, our commitment to our readers will not change and our content will remain the same award-winning blend of local news, views and pertinent features.

“The bottom line is if there’s something of interest to the reader, they will pick up the paper. Early indications suggest the rebranding is going down well with readers and advertisers, but change is an ongoing process and we remain open to new ideas.”

A rebranding working group was established with representation from every department and every level to thrash things out.

In-house designers – operating under Raymond Brindle – and Archant Regional West group editor Richard Thomson provided some mock-ups of a new front page.

All existing editorial, sales and production staff will continue to work on the new-look papers from offices in Glasgow and Motherwell.


  • Extra Glasgow editor Allan Hodge with the first of the new-look papers fresh off the press.
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