MarkLives.com runs a regular slot featuring the best local and international magazine covers every week. We recognise well thought out, powerful and interesting (and hopefully all three in one) magazine covers and celebrate the mix of pragmatism, creativity and personal taste that created each of them. By media blogger MediaSlutZA.
INTERNATIONAL
The Big Issue (Scotland), 4 June 2012
Queen Elizabeth in her best ‘party dress’ walking through confetti and banners after ‘a big party’, and the coverline “Party’s over. Now What?”. That’s a win in my book. Great concept and execution, and an appropriate question to ask for a publication like The Big Issue Scotland (trust the Scots! – ed).
VPRO gids, 9 June 2012
According to CoverJunkie, no one on the editorial team liked the cover, so they shredded it. And then decide to go with THAT for the cover. Whether it was purely coincidental or actually planned, I’m not too sure, but it actually works.
The Village Voice, 30 May – 5 June 2012
Bullying and abuse happens on a daily basis in our schools and gay kids are often targets. What I love about this cover is that I saw it and immediately knew what the cover story was about -especially because of the crossing being painted in the colours of the gay pride flag. Simple. Effective. Important issue to get to the masses.
VOGUE Collections, Fall/Winter 2012-2013
Now doesn’t this look familiar…? It seems like fashion magazines are all (once again) doing the same thing on their covers. ELLE Collections (Summer 2010) was first out the starting block with this concept (see below, right), and made a big impression world-wide for their attention to detail. Everyone I know studied this cover, admiring the detail, and looking for a mistake.
Next up was VOGUE Collections Paris (Winter 2010/2011) with a similar concept but not as effective. But I’m sure the fashion designers appreciated the VOGUE cover more because you could actually see the clothes. For VOGUE Collections Paris (Fall/Winter 2012/2013) the design team copied their 2010/2011 cover concept. Everyone is trying to be unique but still the same. Still striking.
The (for now anonymous) blogger behind MediaSlutZA knows way too much for his own good about media in South Africa. Magazines in particular. His mission is to show when South African magazines might fail, but most importantly, succeed. If you’re looking for a library about South African magazines and news, your one-stop pitstop is MediaSlutZA. #MagazinesForTheWin
– Find a cover we should know about? Tweet us @marklives and @mediaslutza
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The simple covers are always the ones that pack the most punch. The Big Issue cover is fantastic.