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Universal Magazine Specs

Universal ad specifications make your marketing life much easier by allowing you to use the same ad in lots of other media of the same type. For example, your ad created to universal ad specs can run in GQ and in People without any changes. 95% of all magazine ads available on Addy fit these specs—the full list can be found here.

The image below is provided for illustrative purposes only. Please design all ads to the Document Size provided and keep all of your important information within the Live Area.

Trim Lines are provided for your reference but please note that we cannot accept files designed to the trim lines so please do not include them in your document setup.

Please Note:

  • Ads cannot mention the publication name or national brands.

  • Text heavy and advertorial style ads will need to have ADVERTISEMENT slugged at the top/center and within the live area. Slug needs to be 10 point bold and ALL CAPS.

  • All text intended to be black needs to be composed as 100% black.

DOCUMENT SIZE (INCLUDES BLEED): 9.5" X 11.75"

This is the excess image area that must surpass the trim dimensions to ensure that your image will flow over on all sides.

LIVE AREA: 6.875" X 10"

Any elements of your ad that should not be cut off in the trimming process must be within the live area.

Set inside and outside margins to 1.31" and top and bottom margins to ..875" (and remember to keep ALL live matter within the margins).

PUBLICATION TRIM: Varies by publication

Please use the trim sizes as guides only when designing your ad. Your file must be set to the Document Size dimensions noted above.

Instructions

1. PREPARE

  • We recommend using InDesign to create your ad.

  • You can download a pre-set InDesign template here.

  • Note: we will not be able to accept files with trim lines—please do not include them in your document setup.

2. EXPORT

  • Ensure all images and artwork are CMYK and 300dpi in resolution.

  • Select PDF/X-1a in the Adobe PDF pre-set dropdown.

  • Select Acrobat 4.0 in the compatibility dropdown.

  • Do not include crop marks or trim lines.

3. UPLOAD

  • Go to your Orders .

  • Select the order that pertains to your ad.

  • Select Upload Your Final Design or Select a Previous Design.

  • Follow the instructions to select the file from your desktop and upload your ad!

Key Settings

LIVE AREA: 6.875" x 10"

DOCUMENT SIZE: 9.5" x 11.75"

TRIM LINE: Varies by publication. See table below for title-specific trim lines. Note: trim lines are provided for your reference only—please do not include trim lines in your document setup.

RESOLUTION: 300dpi

COLOR: CMYK

FILE FORMAT: PDF/X-1a

InDesign:  Click  here  to download a pre-set template for our Universal Magazine Spec.

Photoshop:  Click  here  to download a pre-set template for Universal Magazine Spec.

Magazine Trim Lines

Please use the below trim sizes as a GUIDE ONLY when designing your ad. Please do not include trim lines in your document setup; your file should be set to the bleed dimensions noted above.

Magazine                                                Trim Lines

All Recipes                                            8.25" x 10.875"

Architectural Digest                            8.375" x 10.875"

Bon Appétit                                           8" x 10.875"

Bloomberg Businessweek                   7.875" x 10.5"

Better Homes & Gardens                   9" x 10.875"

California Home + Design                  9" x 10.875"

Country Living                                     8.25" x 10.875"

Condé Nast Traveller                          8.375" x 10.875"

Cosmopolitan                                       7.75" x 10.875"

Elle Decor                                             8.25" x 10.875"

Elle                                                         8" x 10.875"

Entrepreneur                                        7.75" x 10.5"

Esquire                                                  8.25" x 10.875" 

Food Network                                      8.5" x 10.875"

Food & Wine                                        8.25" x 10.875"

Forbes                                                  8" x 10.5"

Fortune                                                 7.875" x 10.5"

Good Housekeeping                           8.25" X 10.5"

GQ                                                        8" x 10.875"

Harper's Bazaar                                  8.875" x 10.875"

HGTV                                                    8.5" x 10.875"

House Beautiful                                   8.25" x 10.875"

Men's Health                                       8" x 10.875"

People                                                  7.875" x 10.5"   

Private Air Luxury Homes                  8.375" x 10.875"   

Private Air New York                          8.375" x 10.875"   

Real Simple                                          9" x 10.875"

Smithsonian                                         7.875" x 10.5"   

Sports Illustrated                                8" x 10.5"  

TIME                                                     7.875" x 10.5"   

The New Yorker                                  7.875" x 10.75"  

 The Week                                            7.875" x 10.5"   

Town & Country                                  8.75" x 10.875"   

Travel + Leisure                                   8.25" x 10.875"   

Vanity Fair                                            8" x 10.875"   

Vogue                                                   8" x 10.875"   

Wired                                                    8" x 10.875"

Woman's Day                                       7.625" x 10.5" 

Women's Health                                  8" x 10.875"