I admit it, I love art director George Lois! He was the brains behind the sometimes shocking, always provocative Esquire covers back in the 60's and 70's (he did 92 for them). He's outspoken, sometimes grouchy, always thinking.
Years ago I was able to score an interview with him for my tiny "Brainstorm" newsletter when I was in New York and he's still around and in a guest post on the Just Creative Design blog, Ana Paula Rodrigues recounted attending an event at which he spoke recently:
Lois touched upon the state of editorial design by noting that 95 out of 100 magazine covers look alike each month and, “that’s fucking stupid,” he said. “Anything you work on should be a shocking surprise.” Lois believes today, “every design director and art director are handcuffed” because of the restrictions placed on them. “You don’t create a magazine for the readers or advertisers – you create it for yourself,” he advised. By following that mantra, Lois was able to increase Esquire’s circulation from 500,000 to 2 million during his 10-year reign. He also expressed he was, “sick of hearing magazines are dead,” and that he continues to enjoy his interaction with a magazine. “If you put a magazine on your lap, it’s like a lap dance.”
The lecture as in conjunction with the publication of a new book, "George Lois - The Esquire Covers @ MoMa." I thought his earlier books, "What's the Big Idea?" "George, Be Careful" were great for any creative person to read as well. They're both out of print but you can find used copies online.
(I can't guarantee it'll make you as creative as George, but it couldn't hurt to get my book "Creativity Now!" It's published by Pearson and you can get it from Amazon or your other favorite online or offline retailer.)
