Triptych: parts, types and functions of this document

The triptych is a type of printed document that is divided into three parts (hence its name) and that contains basic information to promote brands, products or services.

Unlike the rest of graphic resources used in marketing and advertising, the triptych contains a relatively great of ideas, data and content in general, and does not appeal so much to the emotions, but responds to the need to synthesize information. In this way, all the available space on both sides of the brochure is used to display data that the person can refer to over and over again, as if it were a small manual.

In this article we will see what are the characteristics that define the triptych, what are its parts and functions, and how it is done. But first, let's start with the basics.

• Related article: "The 28 types of advertising: different ways to advertise a product"

What is a triptych?

As we have seen, a triptych is fundamentally a promotional brochure or with a strong corporate component (except in cases where it is used as a support for a work of art, as we will see), folded in 3 parts (having a pair of pleats, that is, a couple of points where the paper is folded) and printed by both faces.

Normally, the pleats follow a vertical axis, perpendicular to the direction of the text lines. Thus, each of the parts of the triptych that remains between the pleats forms columns of paragraphs separated from those on the other side of the fold.

Since triptychs are actually 6-sided when folded into 3 parts, they can contain a lot of information, which goes beyond the logic of attracting the attention of potential clients (which is the fundamental objective of many conventional advertising pieces) and contributes to the potential client who is actively involved in reading the text and examining the images that accompany the part written.

Types of triptych

This is a summary of the types of triptych that exist.

1. Advertising brochure

This type of triptych aims to convince the reader to buy or continue buying a product or service.

They are normally obtained in reception rooms of entities that have some relationship or affinity with the entity that orders the production of the triptych, since it is understood that those who frequent these spaces are especially prone to being interested in what the user information. This will be the triptych format that we will focus on the most.

2. Propaganda triptych

This is less common than the advertising one, but its objective is similar: it also tries to convince. However, what you want to convince is not the purchase of a product or service, but the adoption of a determined ideological system more or less general.

For example, such a brochure might try to convince people of the need to pressure the government for more funding for public health, or can argue in favor of anarchism in general.

3. Informative brochure

In this case the persuasive component of the triptych loses importance, and the need to inform readers of something gains.. However, normally this document also tries to persuade, even if it is by offering an embellished image of the entity that commissioned its production or of which the text speaks.

These types of services are usually within the facilities of an enclosure that can be visited: museums, art galleries, preserved ruins and exposed to the public, etc.

4. Artistic triptych

This type of triptych can take any form, because as such it is only the material support on which a work of art is made.

This includes both triptychs made on rigid materials associated with the religious iconography of certain confessions (such as the Church Orthodox of Eastern Europe) like some fanzines made in a more or less amateur way in Western societies, divided into vignettes that narrate a story.

• You may be interested: "The 13 types of text and their characteristics"

Parts that make it up

One way to easily understand the basic characteristics of the triptych is to know its constituent parts. These are not very different from those that make up the basic structure of most fiction and non-fiction texts, but in this case they take on certain nuances, since they apply to a material that normally belongs to the world of marketing which, although it contains a lot of text, still relies heavily on the image to please and attract attention.

Thus, the parts of the triptych are as follows.

1. Cover page

The cover is the main visual element used in the design of the triptych to attract attention. Marketers and design specialists know that much of the persuasive power of this brochure will depend on solely and exclusively in the quality of this first component of the triptych, and for that reason they take great care of their details.

The cover should be perceived as a unique piece and easily understood in its graphic and textual parts, in a way that it does not take much effort to know in a matter of very few seconds what type of content is in the brochure. The success of it will depend on whether more or fewer people start reading.

2. Introduction

The introduction is located on the back of the cover, and like this one, it is also intended to arouse the interest of readers; however, here the tool is the text, and not so much the image (although it may also be present).

A writing style is usually used that is attractive, and not just correct or informative. In this way, it contributes to the potential clients or consumers entering the mentality of who is going to spend at least a little time reading what the triptych contains, going one step beyond what was achieved in the cover page.

3. Developing

The development includes all the synthesized information that did not already appear in the introduction. In this case, this information can be divided into sections, since although the introduction tried not to interrupt too much the curd of the reading to "hook" the readers, here it makes more sense to classify the parts of the text according to their subject areas, since there are more ideas to convey.

4. Contact information

Normally, at the end of the triptych (located in the part of the brochure that is furthest from the cover) contact details are added and, many times, a "call to action" encouraging readers to contact the promoted entity or to buy its services and / or products.

In the case of triptychs of a more propaganda than advertising nature, a small text is also usually added as a conclusion, recapitulating the content seen up to that moment and offering a more simplified vision of the ideological position to take on a certain issue of public interest.

Bibliographic references:

• The triptych: what it is, what it is for and what are its advantages. Print Brochures and Posters. On: http://imprimirfolletosyposters.es.
• Landa, R. (2018). Design in advertising. Generate creative ideas. Madrid: Anaya Group.
• Lupton, E. (2016). Graphic design. New fundamentals. Barcelona: Editorial Gustavo Gili.
• Muller-Brockmann, J. (2012). Grid Systems: A Handbook for Graphic Designers. Barcelona: Editorial Gustavo Gili.
• Philip, K. (2016). Marketing direction. Madrid: Grupo Anaya General Publications.
• Poulin, R. (2018). Fundamentals of graphic design. The 26 principles that every designer should know. Barcelona: Promopress.