I found this image on the magculture.com blog. Esquire's December issue is a flashback to the covers we saw in class yesterday with Bill Clinton and Halle Berry. Each time Esquire replays this image it becomes more distasteful.
The December issue with Robert Downey Jr. implements a few different pieces, but still conveys a similar message as Clinton's cover. To start, the current cover gets rid of the blue tie. The blue tie stood out in the previous covers by being one of the bold colors standing out in the all black clothing. Instead of using the blue tie again, the December issue relies on the sitting position to refer back to the previous covers.
Something that I found distracting is the overuse of headlines on Downey's cover. Esquire goes from no headlines with Clinton, to a few large headlines with Berry, to headline overload. This cover is too busy.
The positioning of Downey's hands is a different move from the previous images and personally I found this in poor taste. At first glance it seems as though he is pointing to the white box, but on closer inspection this is not the case. Esquire has taken the initial message Clinton conveyed and overtime has turned into a not so subtle sexual reference.
Hate to break it to you, but that actually is Robert Downey Jr. on the cover. He looks an awful lot like Topher Grace, though! I'm sure Downey would take that as a compliment!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the cover gets more and more distasteful as Esquire continues to reuse the image. The cover with Bill Clinton was strong and memorable with specific characteristics (such as the tie) that made it stand out. It didn't need headlines to get its message across. But now, as you said, the cover is too busy and distracting and it just doesn't live up to the original cover with Clinton.
ReplyDeleteIT IS Robert Downey Jr! Too funny I was just so confused as to why they wouldn't refer to Topher Grace on the cover. Ok I will have to edit this ...
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand why they keep referencing that cover...It's almost like it's an inside joke to Esquire readers now, if that is what they were going for...? Either way, I feel like they are mocking Clinton, who they shouldn't be if he was on their cover. At the same time, unless the other 2 celebrities were talking about politics, or were Democrats at that, it would make more sense. (BTW I don't really care about politics, I'm just trying to make a point.) Also, for new readers or people who do not usually read Esquire, the pose and overall photos are not appealing enough to purchase...or atleast for me.
ReplyDeleteI get that Esquire needs the sex appealing pose, but it is so mainstream and over-the-top to continue using it throughout numerous issues. Nor do I feel like it matches the great articles that are inside. It is definitely information overload on the cover. Although I disagree with the continuous use of the pose, I do think his position on top of the box is somewhat clever and different than a stool like in the other two. I think the red color could've also been tied in better as it was in the first two as this cover is kind of grey and bland.
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