ANR offers a fresh look at a topsy-turvy world

All one has to do is watch the news these days to feel like the world has gone a little topsy-turvy. So, in that spirit, this week’s ANR leans into the idea, just with a bit more intention, and hopefully a few more smiles.
Three years after debuting our first “Topsy Turvy” edition, we’ve brought it back, though on a smaller, more reader-friendly scale. The goal hasn’t changed, which is to shake things up just enough to make you pause, look twice, and maybe spend a little more time with the pages of your hometown newspaper.
Back in 2023, we got a little… creative. Ads moved to the top of the page instead of their usual home at the bottom. That alone did the trick. Readers told us they were momentarily confused, occasionally thrown off, but they also admitted they spent more time reading. The ads got noticed. The paper got talked about.
Mission accomplished.
Then we pushed it a step further. Some headlines and photos showed up sideways. Others were upside down. Let’s just say… you noticed. Loudly and clearly. And that feedback mattered. It reminded us there’s a fine line between clever and cumbersome and we might have tap-danced over it just a bit. Lesson learned.
So this time around, Topsy Turvy stays mostly in its lane as an advertising promotion. You’ll still see ads perched at the top of many pages, flipping the script on what you expect. But the news, the heart of what we do, remains right where it belongs, right side up and easy to follow.
Still, even a small shift can make a difference. It challenges the brain a bit, asking us to reassemble something familiar in a new way. And maybe, just maybe, it’s a gentle reminder that a different perspective now and then isn’t such a bad thing.
We’ll admit, there’s always a bit of a gamble in trying something like this. But hearing from those of you who took it in stride, and even enjoyed the ride, made it worthwhile.
And yes, if you happened to notice a certain familiar green guest popping up on the front page this week, don’t adjust your glasses. He’s been keeping an eye on things around the ANR front lobby.
Of course, there’s one more detail worth mentioning. Check the date.
It is April 1, after all, which means if things seem just a little out of place, a little unexpected, or a little, topsy-turvy, well, for one day at least, that might be exactly the point.
KURT JOHNSON can be reached at kjohnson@ hamilton.net