These images show how greatly magazines have changed in the last century, including Seventeen, GQ and Time covers. Changes have occurred not just in media, visual and digital design but also in culture, interests and values.
Among the juxtaposed images curated by Karen Cheng and Jerry Gabra is Cosmopolitan's 1947 and 2015 covers. The first has a drawing of a woman with her horse by her side while the current issue has a half-naked Nikki Minaj posing seductively. The TIME covers showcase Charlie Chaplin in 1925, while 2015's copy has social media executive Mark Zuckerburg plastered across the front.
The takeaways from comparing these images side-by-side are society's shift to shock-value images and the reliance on sex to sell, while interestingly, global interest in celebrity entertainers has largely remained unchanged.
Comparative Magazine Covers
These Juxtaposed Cosmopolitan, Vogue and Time Covers Span a Century
Trend Themes
1. Shift to Shock-value Images - Opportunity to create bold and attention-grabbing magazine covers that shock and captivate readers.
2. Reliance on Sex to Sell - Opportunity to explore alternative and more inclusive approaches to selling products and services without relying on sexualized imagery.
3. Global Interest in Celebrity Entertainers - Opportunity to capitalize on the enduring appeal of celebrity culture and create content that resonates with a wide audience.
Industry Implications
1. Magazine Publishing - Opportunity for magazine publishers to reinvent their approach to cover design and content creation.
2. Advertising and Marketing - Opportunity for marketers to rethink traditional advertising strategies and find creative ways to engage consumers without resorting to sexual imagery.
3. Entertainment and Media - Opportunity for entertainment and media companies to leverage the popularity of celebrity culture and create compelling content that resonates with a global audience.