Gary Hall, art director, Garden Making:
It occurs that what this cover is really trying to do is be a tabloid cover. It falls prey to the classic design trap of ‘faux tabloid’ style. Tabloid design is not easy, it’s a delicate balance of content and design—it has rules and rigors. This cover demonstrates that tabloid without the requisite content and design rigors, tempered with restraint or taste usually miss the mark.

The breadth of content in the skybox suggests the editors were concerned about the narrow appeal of the main cover sell. To me—it feels too narrow a focus for newsstand.

City and regional magazines like New York magazine and Texas Monthly excel at highlighting the merits of broader aspects of the community, and Toronto Life is no exception. Historically their ‘Where to get stuff cheap’, ‘Best (and worst) of the City’ and ‘Best Restaurants’ covers excel.

Brinda Luckoo, consumer marketing director, Chatelaine:
I think the image is not very strong — she is not a recognizable face and seems to be looking at some distant object. Also find the supporting line of 'because she's a woman' rather lost. The red background is arresting though and should stand out on the newsstand.

I like the lines above the logo about weekend escapes - it should appeal to a lot of people especially coming up to the summer months.

Kat Tancock, senior web editor, Reader's Digest, instructor at Ryerson University, Masthead blogger:
Personally, I find the red of the Toronto Life cover a turnoff - but I’m just not that into red. I’m sure for most people it’s appealing, and I can see it standing out on newsstands. It definitely strikes an angry tone, though, which might be overkill when paired with the main coverline.

As a longtime subscriber, I have to admit I don’t often pay attention to the covers, but I find it curious that they’re focusing so much on political and travel coverage as opposed to restaurants, reviews, etc., which I would think would have much broader appeal. I find the font choices on the top two lines overdone, as well, and not at all easy to read - or scan.		 Gary Hall: 
In contrast to the Toronto Life cover this is a classic city/region magazine cover that serves the broader readership. Vancouver Magazine has a good track record with type covers and packages them well. This one feels like they were distracted (perhaps the winter Olympics).

Overall there is too much small detail action going on, and no discernable contrast. The icons and the individual letters of the main headline fight with each other for attention. The type in the sky bar is jammed in and the ‘special double issue’ sell is hidden. The sells at the foot of the page are the weakest part of the cover—there’s too much of it and its too hard to read—and those line breaks!

With some more careful layering of content and elements and attention to detail the black, white and red palate could have been a very stronger cover.

Brinda Luckoo: 
Interesting use of just two colours on the cover - I do find it a little retro. The subject matter is typical type of coverage for a city magazine so it should do well for them. I find the lines at the bottom of the cover rather lost and seem to be almost an afterthought.

The cover lines above the logo regarding the unforgettable meals is effective in providing further entry points to entice the reader to purchase this issue. 

Kat Tancock:
The Vancouver Magazine cover definitely focuses on city living - not surprising as it’s the “best of the city” “special double issue.” I like the service-oriented problems/solutions coverline, and if I lived in Vancouver, I’d probably pick this up and flip through it just to check out the unforgettable meals.

The problem with this cover, though, is the black-and-red-on-white approach - I get the feeling that I’d have a hard time finding it in a store even if I were looking for it specifically (don’t you hate that?), and I find white covers somewhat dull. But overall, the Vancouver Magazine cover looks much more fresh and modern than Toronto Life - and aimed at a younger, hipper (and less concerned with Bay Street and lawyers) audience.

 
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