The 10 Rules of Lois

For anyone who works in magazines, George Lois’s Esquire covers from the 1960s are both an inspiration and a rebuke. The art of the magazine cover—especially the mainstream version—has been in decline for the better part of 20 years. Everyone talks about doing “George Lois–type covers,” but no one really does them. Recently, the Museum of Modern Art installed the iconic designs into its permanent collection. On the occasion of the ongoing exhibition celebrat ing that event, we invited Lois to give us his “rules” for creating memorable covers. The legendary ad man provided not only a graphic road map but also some colorful context.

Click here for Lois’s insight into these iconic covers.

Find out more facts about this story on the Reference Page: April 2008