Does Esquire's 75th Anniversary' e-ink cover matter?

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Permalink Reply by Marcus on September 25, 2008 at 10:13am

I think it's significant only because it's a well defined first step: the first time a major magazine used E-paper. This might be analogous to the first monkey in space - a lot was learned even though not very much was accomplished.

When better e-paper devices come to market in the coming years, those who were exposed to this early cover will have some frame of reference, however crude it was.

Michael Turro said it best:

In raising the awareness of e-ink not only among the traditional magazine set, but among the digerati, they have kept traditional media on the map. With this ugly, bulky, unimaginative use of an emerging technology they have engaged a new medium that actually highlights the old guard’s core competency. This blinking image is a beacon - a signpost pointing to a possible future that may be distant and dim, but is visible to the astute observer.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Turro on October 1, 2008 at 6:21pm

Marcus: Thanks for the plug - you're too kind. And yes folks, this cover was important.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Trombetto on September 25, 2008 at 10:16am

Don't know if you've seen our coverage on this or not, but here are some links for you...

http://www.foliomag.com/2008/technology-behind-esquire-s-electronic...

http://www.foliomag.com/2008/revolutionizing-way-we-read-magazines

The response seems to be overwhelmingly negative - mostly due to the overhyping and the fact that subscribers felt disrespected by not receiving the e-ink version of the cover. I've seen the issue here in our office. I think it's a gimmick that generated some buzz, but I do not think it will really change the future of magazines.

I bet C2 was an easy sell.

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Thomas on September 25, 2008 at 10:44am

It definitely generated a bit of initial buzz and may have boosted single issue sales, but I'd be hard pressed to believe it did much more than that ... of course, I'm only speculating.

The only credibility I see in it, Marcus summed up well when he said:

"...those who were exposed to this early cover will have some frame of reference, however crude it was."

I definitely had something much different in mind when I imagined what it would be — both the product and the design.

I was expecting something much more compact and less obtrusive to the end user. And the overall lackluster of the design and integration of the e-ink elements (on both the cover and the interior ad) was rather disappointed, as well.

And I'm usually a big fan of Esquire's covers...

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Permalink Reply by Richard Michem on September 25, 2008 at 12:47pm

I think it cool. To me magazine have always been some kind of art.

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Thomas on September 25, 2008 at 1:25pm

Here's a couple other popular blog posts about Esquire's e-ink cover:

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/09/08/esquire-eink-cover-a.html
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/09/24/the-environmental-co.html

And yes, I'm throwing in a link referencing the carbon footprint concerns. If anything, as hot as "green" is this day an age, it definitely makes Esquire's decision all the more interesting.

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Permalink Reply by Kathryn Lymburner on September 25, 2008 at 10:41pm

I haven't seen the actual magazine yet, but just doing some quick reading and researching into e-ink it will most definitely affect the future of magazines. A press release on Ford's website (which apparently has an ad in the inside cover) indicates that they are using e-ink to showcase the Ford Flex:

"FORD FLEX PARTNERS WITH ESQUIRE AND E INK TO PRESENT FIRST-EVER DIGITAL MAGAZINE COVER
* The 75th Anniversary issue of Esquire magazine makes history with the first-ever digital cover. The inside front cover also uses moving electronic imagery to showcase the new 2009 Ford Flex.
* With its futuristic design and advanced technologies, the Ford Flex connects perfectly with the theme of Esquire's 75th Anniversary issue, "The 21st century begins now." "

That's right folks! MOVING ADS, on PAPER, in a MAGAZINE. This is mind blowing and although it will hopefully take time before everyone is demanding e-ink, I definitely think it will be more than a passing fad.

Ad sales people rejoice!

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Thomas on September 25, 2008 at 10:54pm

I think at some point, e-ink will become so engrained in our culture and everyday lives that we won't even give voice to it anymore.

I've been acting like a small child waiting for Christmas since I first heard the news about the upcoming Esquire cover ... unfortunately, it just didn't measure up to all the hype.

A colleague commented today that it kinda' reminded him of the old 1-bit Tiger games you grab while checking out at Toys R' Us. I don't think it was nearly that bad ... just disappointing.

Now, if they could figure out a way to compact all of the circuitry into the spine, then we may definitely be on to something!

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Permalink Reply by Kathryn Lymburner on September 25, 2008 at 10:59pm

Hmm yes...like I said I haven't seen it in person yet, but now having seen the youtube links...perhaps it does look a little gimcky (Pepsi Clear anyone?) although I still think it's the start of something that advertisers demand magazines supply.

I think you're on to something Joshua with the circuitry in the spine....

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Thomas on September 25, 2008 at 11:02pm

We rushed out and bought a copy the first day. It didn't last long, though ... we couldn't resist cutting it open and seeing how everything worked =)

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Permalink Reply by Richard Michem on September 27, 2008 at 10:18am

I just found out that some subscribers, did not get the E-ink cover. It was a different cover. Does anybody know why Esquire is not sending their new cover threw the mail?

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Permalink Reply by Kathryn Lymburner on September 27, 2008 at 8:20pm

I've been looking for the E-ink cover and have not found it. It is a different cover from the one shown on YouTube videos. It probably cost too much to do the full print run with E-ink, but if some subscribers haven't received the e-ink version either, who got them and how was it decided who would and wouldn't get them?

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