This is an ad for one of the directories I work for. Just looking for some quick comments on whether you think it is good as is or what could be improved upon. The stock photo has already been requested by the powers above my office.
I'm not digging the red font. I would try some more standard, less hip sans serif options.
Too many mixed typefaces (or not enough differentiation between them to bother with a second typeface).
Colorwise - it probably makes more sense to better leverage the blue or the yellow, rather than introducing a new color, to my eyes... works better with their branding.
Also, the right hand content is getting buried.
Third - I think that dude has his ladder backwards.
true about the ladder.
Are you writing the ad too? If so, I'd change the headline to "Are your customers in reach?" and then "Bring them closer with Marine Yellow Pages". Two 'your's in the headline bugs me.
The design doesn't grab me either - i'd use a solid yellow or blue for the background - either full bleed or make a panel full width for the logo/contact info, deepetch the guy on the ladder and photoshop the top of the ladder so it looks like one simple ladder rather than an extension.
One typeface for the head and copy too - bold for the head, watch the kerning and a light weight for the body. Ditch the helvetica extended - it looks like you're trying to make the small amount of copy take up too much space for mine.
Also, can you lose the keyline around Yellow Pages on the logo? It looks cheap. Using a solid bg behind that panel night help with that.
Sorry for the harsh critique mate. I think you can do better 
Lol good stuff. I didnt want to sway the comments but I had no part in that ad. My boss saw the one I did (below), called me into his office and told me it was no good and that I need to use more modern fonts instead of relying on sans serifs so much. Then he handed me that one which he did.. I think its crap and really want to make at least changes to that Are Your part and some horizontal element behind the bullets... And remove the actual bullets since they aren't aligned. He did request the photo from our parent company in ny but they haven't sent it yet, maybe if I point out the ladder being backwards that will put an end to this awful ad.
Heres what I had done, I especially like that nats wording is exactly what I did.
Well brought it up with him. He didn't care about the ladder being backwards so then I just asked if I could make some changes. He asked like what and I said just some minor stuff to the text. He said no. Then he called me back in a minute later and said if I made minor changes he'd be open to at least look at them.
This is what I'm going to propose. Its at least better than that red crap heading he had. Of course gotta see if he goes for it. At least I know I'm not crazy thanks to this thread.
Yah, that's much better - I was thinking something like this, if you needed to salvage the art/concept/language
