Question: When did stickers stop being fun? Answer: They didn’t, we just stopped using them for fun things. This is the first thing that hit me when I came across this recent issue of Novum devoted to exploring packaging around the world. Using a simple concept, clean design, and a new line of colorful labels, the German magazine reminds us that print can be, with just a dab of creativity, every bit as interactive as digital media. And in this case, it also enables you to make your magazine cover as quirky and as unique as you are.
Right out of the gate printer Letterjazz shook things up by dividing the 10,000 copy print run into three runs, letterpress printing the cover on three different varieties of 270 gsm (100 lb.) Colorplan: Pale Grey, Real Grey and Cool Grey. That wraparound cover features the always-charming artwork of regular Letterjazz-collaborator Dirk Uhlenbrock, who also designed the cover and the labels.
Already this is an arrestingly tactile experience, with the bold debossed impression of the letterpress printing subtly bringing the illustration of the truck and its contents to life. But hang on – Novum and Letterjazz are only just getting started.
Simply remove the stickers from the sheet and place them wherever it feels right for you on the front or back cover, and voila – an issue of Novum that is uniquely your own! (This is just the cover of Novum – I cannot wait to enjoy the fabulous packaging projects featured inside Here’s a peek below.)
Of course I don’t just love this piece because it encourages interactivity, but also for the simplicity of the idea, which you can easily “borrow” for a wide variety of projects. (For another take on the customizable magazine cover, check out our video featuring Experimenta Magazine 66.)
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