The loss of a loved one leaves those left behind in a very confused state. Apart from arranging for the funeral, they have to deal with the visitors coming with condolences and simultaneously inform as many as possible over the telephone. But, to reach distant relatives, friends, associates and well-wishers, they must put advertisements in select newspapers.

Before putting the ad in the papers, the ad must be prepared. This is a task that needs to be done with a calm mind. The layout and words must be appropriate to the occasion. They should convey who the person is with relevant particulars in brief. There must also be information about where and when the usual service will take place, and who are those left in grief. The overall style of the wording should convey the heartfelt sense of loss and homage to the lost one while maintaining dignity of the family.

To make this difficult task easier – especially as most people have no experience in writing obituaries – the online facility, Myadvtcorner provides guidelines on how to proceed. This includes choosing the newspapers. If, for instance, a Tamilian who has spent much of his life in service in Chandigarh, passes away, his heirs may want to place the ad in Chandigarh’s English newspaper The Tribune, and Punjabi Ajit, besides Chennai-based newspapers like The Hindu in English and the Daily Thanthi in Tamil which may not be known to the Chandigarh family.

To know about these dailies or how to reach them and what their rates are would be a Herculean task for this suddenly bereft family who are already in turmoil dealing with all the social, legal, medical and ritualistic requirements that have suddenly come upon them. That is where the above single-shot obituary ad booking service becomes a boon.

Remembrance ads

But the big question is of the layout. Take the following steps with the Obituary Ad Booking process:

• Make a digital (or soft) copy of the image of the deceased person. To avoid any last-minute problems while uploading the image, make sure that the image is in the JPEG/TIFF/EPS or PDF format.

• When you reach the Compose Ad section, select the Design Template with the option to upload an image for Classified Display or Display types of ads.

• Because you are in the “Edit Template” section, you can select an image file in the template’s upper where there is the option ‘Upload Image’.
• Having selected the file, click the upload button to make the image appear in the “Space for Photograph” of the template.
• Next, add the text matter, information and contact details besides edit the colours and content of the header and footer sections of the template.
• Finally, click on the “Preview Ad” button for a better look at how the ad will appear in the newspaper
• After that, you can either ‘edit the ad matter’ if required or go to the Dates & Payment page to confirm the release dates and clear the payment.
• NOTE: Since there is no difference in the rates for ads with images and without images is same, it is always better to upload an image for the ad.

Once the ad is composed, check out which of three formats of obituary ads will suit your budget:

• Classified Text: These run-on text ads usually convey important information in a brief manner along with the contact details of a family member, as well as when and where funeral ceremonies will be held. These are charged by the word or line subject to a minimum of five lines beyond which extra charges are levied. At additional cost, one can add eye-catching enhancements like ticks, colour highlights, screen borders and letter emboldening besides language translation in the case of regional newspapers.

Classified Display: This is the more expensive but most common form of obituary as it enables one to upload the image of the deceased and provide the intended the message.

• Such ads are charged on the basis of their size although they usually occupy only one column and have more of length than breadth. These ads are also published in the specific classified Obituary section of all newspapers.
• Display: There are not restricted to the classified section and can be published in any page and in any size or colour. Being big – and therefore the most expensive ads – they often include much creative work so as to attract the most attention of readers.

After a year, when it comes to placing remembrance advertisements to commemorate the deceased’s date of birth or death, exactly the same guidance can be followed with the help of the same online facility.

There are some 200 papers in which obituary and remembrance ads can be placed. These range from The Times of India, Punjab Kesari and Dainik Jagran in the north to Anandabazar Patrika in the east to Malayala Manorama in the south to Loksatta and Gujarat Samachar in the west. Just take your pick with the help of Myadvtcorner.