Over the last two decades, The Times of India group has earned plenty of flak for its marketing and advertising gimmicks that have erased the difference between what constitutes editorial and what is supposed to be advertising.
But what about its glorious competitors?
On top is the front-page wraparound of Monday’s Hindustan Times, with a full-page advertisement of the German automaker Volkswagen.
In italics is the punchline, “Anything that’s specially crafted by hand…”
Clearly as part of the ad campaign, which includes a 16-column ad for the Phaeton on the centrespread of the newspaper, every headline on every multi-column story on every page of the 24-page main section of HT is specially crafted by hand in the same italics font that adorns the Volkswagen ad.
Innovation? Or intrusion?
Does the reader care? Should she?
Also read: A package deal that’s well worth a second look
External reading: Volkswagen India road block: blitzkreig
IJR 
As usual, I skipped the ad and was wondering why the hell did HT use such a shitty font.
Now I know.
I think it was a huge stretch to equate a machine generated font to the idea of handcrafted luxury. And a sell out. My two bits here: http://bit.ly/9B8Er4
Almost went for an eye checkup. HT forgot the basics of what fonts should be used in printing in their haste to play catch up with ToI, make money. About the Agency the less said the better.
Disgusting.
Innovation ? Intrusion..How about desperation ?
It was pain for eyes..i wonder how the editors reacted to this sell away..