Insights Hidden in Plain Sight
Dublin City University
“Paratexts are doorways into understanding the text and contextualizing it in a particular way.”
—Dr. Garrick V. Allen
The Opportunity
From the title of the book to the size of its pages to the color of the text and the selection of images, paratextual features are “at the service of a better reception for the text and a more pertinent reading of it.” The text is made present through and mediated by these paratextual features. It is framed and shaped by its surroundings. And those surroundings influence how the book is read and understood.
But this insight has not yet been sufficiently understood with reference to the wonderful ancient scriptures. We toil over texts and translations, rarely taking account of paratextual features, but are we as a result missing out on insights hidden in plain sight?.
The Approach
Every time we pick up a book, we encounter paratexts — all the features of a book beyond the main text itself. Paratexts change the way we absorb new information, but we rarely pay attention, ignoring clues and insights that could lead to greater understanding. For the modern reader attempting to study ancient literature, these important clues provide context that is vital to an accurate and credible understanding of the text.
The success of this campaign relied on the tightrope between informational and educational paired with visual storytelling. The result was a campaign supported by a suite of highly visual elements.
Storytelling
Campaign Strategy | Copywriting | Video | Photography and Visualization | Social Media Graphics | Infographic | Public Relations
Project completed as Chief Strategy Officer at Grey Matter Group
