New look, same mission: A newspaper of a different color

The AMNews masthead color changes from green to the signature purple of its publisher, the American Medical Association.

Editorial. March 27, 2006.

To our readers:

You might have noticed a change at the top of our front page this week. The AMNews masthead -- the large and distinctive type that announces our name -- is purple. The new design also incorporates the modernized staff of Asclepius symbol of our publisher, the American Medical Association.

Design matters are a much greater newsroom obsession than most readers might think. Our masthead design is critically important to us, because it is the symbol that helps you find this newspaper on your desktop. Other visual elements make AMNews easier to navigate and our coverage more understandable. We never treat redesign work lightly. Nevertheless, it is time for a change.

Green, in one shade or another, has been a consistent part of our masthead design for more than 35 years. Before that, our masthead was a riot of color that changed weekly: pink, orange, green, blue (purple, too). No one knows for sure why green stuck, though it's thought to be a nod to the use of the color by the AMA at the time.

Purple became the AMA's signature color last year, and now we making the switch as well.

The AMA's new color replaced a green of sorts, a utilitarian teal the AMA adopted in the 1990s. Purple is a striking departure and a fitting one.