This latest magazine cover for The New Yorker imagines a 2020 U.S. election where rapper Kanye West comes out on top in the race for the White House.
The illustrated cover by Barry Blitt pays homage to the classic 1948 photo of President Harry Truman. In the original image, Truman can be seen holding a misprinted newspaper headline declaring his opponent Thomas E. Dewey the winner of the election. In this case Dewey has been replaced with Donald Trump, who is not only is currently campaigning for the 2016 Republican nomination, but has recently stated that he hopes to run against West in the 2020 election.
The cover's concept comes hot on the heels of the media storm that followed when West recently declared, in a speech at the 2015 MTV 'Video Music Awards,' that he intends to run for President in 2020.
What's Driving This Trend
- Presidential Rapper
- The emergence of famous musicians like Kanye West running for president sparks opportunity for new non-traditional candidates to potentially revolutionize the political landscape.
- Illustrative Magazines
- Magazines like The New Yorker continue to use their unique platform to spark dialogue about hot-button issues, setting trends and influencing the cultural conversation.
- Celebrity Politics
- The continued involvement of celebrities in politics is an ongoing trend worthy of monitoring closely, as it potentially disrupts the established norms and opens up opportunities for unconventional political campaigns.
Who This Affects Most
- Publishing
- The publishing industry can seize on the opportunity presented by publications that take a stand on politically charged topics to capitalize on audience engagement.
- Entertainment
- The continued intersection of celebrity culture and politics remains an emerging trend that could have far-reaching implications for the entertainment industry.
- Political Advertising
- As campaigns stray from the traditional mold, advertising firms that specialize in political messaging should explore innovative and creative ways to market a non-traditional candidate in order to maximize engagement with voters.
