April’s Esquire cover featured Jessica Simpson, face half covered with shaving cream, razor in her hand. The caption reads, “We shot this image to catch your eye so you will pick up this issue.”
The cover effectively breaks through marketers’ version of the fourth wall to wink at its audience and say,
We know you’re on to us, and we’re not even going to try to sneak this one past you.
It may be one of the most flattering and honest and ironic magazine covers I’ve ever seen.
It’s as if the Wizard decided he couldn’t possibly deceive Dorothy and the Tin Man and all the rest, pulled back his curtain, and gave them all the grand tour.