Technical Questions: (408)278-3412
Ad Receipt: (408)920-5014

The Process

1) Fax proof copy of final ad design by the deadline. FAX number:(408) 920-5414
2) Wait for approval from the newspaper before sending camera-ready art.
3) When approved, send camera-ready art in acceptable file format, as described below.

Acceptable file formats

• PDF
• Postscript
• Quark ­ Macintosh Platform Only
• Illustrator ­ Macintosh Platform Only
• Photoshop ­ CMYK, EPS Files Only
• Camera Ready ­ Velox/Negatives
• (call for other formats)

How to Send your Files

Important - All files must have ad number in filename and on any printed proof or fax.

Call (408) 920-5014 to confirm receipt of your ads.

By Mail

• Ads must include organization name, ad number and proof
• ZIP, Floppy, CD, Camera ready
• Marketing Communications
  URGENT: Promotional ADS
  750 Ridder Park Drive San Jose 95190

By E-mail

• E-mail to: promotionalads@mercurynews.com
• Ads must include ad number and organization name
• Use compression software before sending by e-mail.

FTP

• FTP site: ftp://genads:25sjads@ftp.sjmercury.com/ usr/people/getads
• Fax proof with ad number to (408) 271-3690.

Logos

Current San Jose Mercury News product logos are available at: http://www0.mercurycenter.com/mclogos/

All promotional ads restrict the use and inclusion of other logos. No other co-sponsor logos will be included in the promotional ads, except non-competitive reciprocal media logos (radio/TV), when mutually agreed upon. All other sponsor logos/names must appear in typeface only. All promotional ads will include the Mercury News logo and other Mercury News related logos as stated in your promotional or sponsorship agreement. Please refer to your agreement regarding this policy. Any artwork submissions that do not meet the logo standards will be returned to you for revision that may cause a delay in the publication of your ad.

Deadlines

If ad materials are not received by the deadline, we cannot guarantee that your ad will run. If you anticipate missing the deadline, please call the person who arranged for your ad space.

DOCUMENTS

Click to download documents or access online webforms.

Event Sponsorships Introduction PDF
Sponsorship Policies PDF
How To Send A Promo Ad PDF

Sponsorship Applications
Mercury News MSWord

Sponsorship Agreements
San Jose Mercury News PDF

To access and print the PDF files, you will need the free Acrobat Reader(TM) software.

File specifics

Quark (macintosh platform only)

• Include all placed images (in same folder as Quark file)
• Include all fonts used (in same folder as Quark file) NO Truetype fonts
• Make sure document size = ad size
• Under general Prefs, set point/inch to 72.27
• Under General Prefs, set Horizontal and Vertical Measures to picas
• Remove all spot colors and/or unused colors
• Attach a proof

Illustrator (macintosh platform only)

• If you are placing bitmap images from other programs: Save as Illustrator file and include placed graphics
• If you are not placing bitmap artwork: Save as illustrator eps file
• Outline all fonts
• Remove all spot colors and/or unused colors.
• Attach a proof

Postscript

• Embed all fonts in postscript file
• Attach a proof

PDF

1. Inside Acrobat Distiller, find the Xtras folder. Inside will be a folder called high_end. Inside this folder are two files: prologue.ps and epilogue.ps. Place them in the same location as the Distiller program
2. Choose Job Options (Distiller menu) and change the settings to match the PDF settings on the back of this page
3. Drop your postscript file onto Distiller and send us the resulting PDF file

• Attach a proof.

PDF Settings

General

• File Settings>Compatibility>Acrobat 3.0
• ASCII Format is unchecked
• Optimize PDF is unchecked
• Generate Thumbnails is checked
• Set Resolution to 1200 dpi
• Binding: left

Compression

Color Bitmap Images

• Check and select "Bicubic Downsampling at" and set to 200 dpi
• Check Compression and select "Automatic" and set Quality to "Medium"

Grayscale Bitmap Images

• Check and select "Bicubic Downsampling at" and set to 200 dpi
• Check Compression and select "Automatic" and set Quality to "Medium"

Monochrome Bitmap Images:

• Check and select "Bicubic Downsampling at" and set to 800 dpi
• Check "Subset All Embedded Fonts Below" and enter "100%"
• When Embedding Fails: select "Cancel Job"

Fonts

• Check "Embed all Fonts"
• Check "Subset All Embedded Fonts Below" and enter "100%"
• When Embedding Fails: select "Cancel Job"

Color

Conversion

• Select "Leave Color Unchanged"
• DO NOT select the following three options: "Convert Everything for Color Management", "Convert only images for Color Management", and "Convert All Colors to CalRGB"

Assumed Profiles - IGNORE

Options

• Check "Preserve Overprint Settings"
• Uncheck "Preserve under Color Removal and Black Generation"
• Check "Reserve transfer Functions"
• Uncheck "Preserve Halftone Information"

Advanced

Options

• Uncheck "Use Prologue.ps and Epilogue.ps"
• Uncheck "Allow Postscript File to Override Job Options"
• Check "Preserve Level 2 copypage Semantics"
• Uncheck "Save Portable Job Ticket inside PDF file"

Document Structuring Conventions (DSC)

• Check "Process DSC"
• Uncheck "Log DSC Warnings"
• Uncheck "Resize Page and Center Artwork for EPS Files"
• Check "Preserve EPS Info from DSC"
• Check "Preserve OPI Comments"
• Uncheck "Preserve Document Info from DSC"

Ignore Default Page Size (leave at defaults)

Display ads sizes

We measure our ads columns x inches. For example, a 2x8 means two columns wide and eight inches deep (16 column inches). Including the gutters (space between columns), the columns measure:

Editorial

1 column - 10p11 (1.81")
2 columns - 22p7 (3.75")
3 columns - 34p3 (5.69")
4 columns - 45p11 (7.63")
5 columns - 57p7 (9.56")
6 columns - 69p3 (11.5")

Classified

1 column - 6p5 (1.06")
2 columns - 13p4 (2.25")
3 columns - 20p4 (3.38")
4 columns - 27p3 (4.56")
5 columns - 34p3 (5.69")
6 columns - 41p2 (6.87")
7 columns - 48p2 (8.00")
8 columns - 55p1 (9.19")
9 columns - 62p1 (10.31")
10 columns - 69p3 (11.50")

Photos

B+W: 170 dpi
CMYK: 200 dpi
EPS file format

Other Programs

If you are unable to provide electronic versions of your ad under these technical specifics please provide a "camera-ready" version of the ad for us to scan in. Please allow an extra 2-3 days lead time.

Our Presses

B+W: 85 lpi, Approx. 30% dot gain at midtone; 15% in the shadows and high-light. Color: Always CMYK (please convert all sport colors). 100 lpi. Advise you provide extra time for us to color correct any pictures (if there is no time, use SWOP-Newsprint settings). Maximum ink coverage 240%

Help

Regardless how you send us your files, if it is your first time sending to us and you have technical questions, call the Digital Ad Team at (408) 278-3412. We will help. PDF files sent to our FTP site is the safest format, but they also do not offer much flexibility. If there is a last-minute problem with the ad's content, we will not be able to help, so make sure you follow the specs to the letter. The same goes for postscript files, and these also tend to be rather large files, so we would prefer PDFs. For greatest flexibility, we suggest you send your file using Quark or Illustrator.