“POLITICIANS
REALLY WANT TO BE IN
Dag Allemaal”
What no print medium dares to hope for anymore, Dag Allemaal has achieved. “The magazine is holding its own and has even grown over the past year.” content that gets people talking, a top team of journalists and designers, and a revamped design, creative director Christelle Lucats and head of the editorial team Peter Dirix share some insights into the success of Flanders’ BFF.
“POLITICIANS
REALLY WANT TO BE IN
Dag Allemaal ”
What no print medium dares to hope for anymore, Dag Allemaal has achieved. “The magazine is holding its own and has even grown over the past year.” content that gets people talking, a top team of journalists and designers, and a revamped design, creative director Christelle Lucats and head of the editorial team Peter Dirix share some insights into the success of Flanders’ BFF.
With newspapers paying more attention to showbiz and famous Flemish figures using social media to share their own news, a lot has changed in showbiz journalism. “It used to be that every milestone in the lives of the rich and famous was claimed by Dag Allemaal,” says Peter. “Today, more people are fishing in the same pond.
Nonetheless, we manage to catch fish that nobody else sees, such as the interview in which Paul Magnette pointed out that Walloons are lazy. Then you know you’ve struck gold.” Getting a scoop is one thing, keeping it is trickier. “Let’s just say that on Tuesdays, when our magazine appears, newspapers aren’t too worried about filling their showbiz section,” says Peter. “Dag Allemaal will never simply rehash the news. We make our own news, which gets people talking. As it should be, when our magazine hits the stands.”
Dag Allemaal <3 ANIMALS
A love for animals is also in the DNA of Dag Allemaal. “All reader surveys and responses show that our readers are great animal lovers,” says Peter.
“Our annual animal calendar continues to be a great success and Veronique Puts’s Miauwkes column has even sparked an entire community. Our animal section touches people and is often the first thing they read. Should we ever decide to get rid of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if they marched on DPG Media’s office.”
IN PEOPLE’S HEARTS
Dag Allemaal is and will remain a showbiz magazine, but it uses familiarity to sway readers. “When a famous Flemish person tells us he’s not getting any jobs, we try to make that relatable to our readers,” says creative director Christelle Lucats. “Dag Allemaal is of the people, from celebrities to the man in the street.” The second part of the magazine tells touching personal stories that could happen to anyone. “From illnesses to disastrous holidays, these are stories that make people feel emotional, happy or supported,” says Peter. “We always start from the question: what is on the minds of our readers? For a long time, for example, we didn’t pay much attention to politics, but our readers did. We don’t run hard-hitting political interviews; instead, we spotlight the person behind the politician. Politicians today really want to be in Dag Allemaal.”
LAYOUT GUIDES READER THROUGH TEXT
Journalism is constantly evolving and design cannot be left behind. “The layout of Dag Allemaal was already good, but could be more contemporary,” says Christelle. “In rebranding, we focused mainly on clarity. Crammed pages are no longer necessary, as the new design guides our readers through the text.” Even the logo got a subtle makeover. “In the old logo, the G looked like a Q. The challenge was to adapt this without changing our DNA. Readers see that something has changed, but can’t immediately put their finger on it. So that means our rebranding was a success.”
CREATED WITH CARE
With 800,000 Flemish people reading the magazine every week, no one can come close to Dag Allemaal. “In the old days, we didn’t have to make an effort to sell,” says Peter, “but today we work very hard for it. Our journalists live for Dag Allemaal. They’re genuinely angry when we’re criticised and proud of every piece they create. I don’t even think everyone within the company realises just how much dedication goes into making this magazine.” Christelle agrees. “Our layout team is among the best in Belgium. They’re professionals, who work quickly and with an eye for detail. We’re playing in the Champions League. That gives you a lot of adrenaline and the will to perform superbly.”
WHAT WERE THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT COVERS ACCORDING TO CHRISTELLE AND PETER?
CHRISTELLE’S TOP 3
WHAT’S TO BECOME OF HUGO?
In the shop, we only have a few seconds to convince potential buyers. The visuals are the most important part when designing the cover. You can’t look at this cover and not feel the emotion.
THE CHARGES AGAINST MELVIN KLOOSTER
This gripping cover was formatted according to the new layout guidelines. Note the logo and horizontal structure, which make for better navigation.
THE DESPERATE ACT BY BART DE PAUW
Striking visuals to go with a poignant title. Although this cover dates from before the revamp, here we already chose a horizontal structure that brings out the main story.
PETER’S TOP 3
TOM WAES SINGLE AGAIN
Tom Waes is currently spoken for and making headlines in other ways, but we pipped the competition to the post back when we announced that he and Mieke were no longer a couple after having been engaged for a decade.
POMMELIEN THIJS IN LOVE
Rumours had been going around for a while that Pommelien Thijs, star of the popular drama series High Tides, was together with Bram Spooren. Dag Allemaal managed to piece everything together and get the scoop.
FIEN GERMIJNS LIVES AT HOTEL
Fien Germijns shot to fame like a comet. However, her success weighed on her relationship and Fien temporarily chose to live at a hotel. Dag Allemaal was the first to report on this news that had everyone talking.
