Printers' Ink - issue of 1907-01-02 (Vol 58, Iss 1)
The pattern
This still is filed under Lettered cover hook.
Define
The cover is the hook, and the hook is lettering: a title treated as an image.
Mechanism
Type as bait. The words are drawn so they stop the hand before the contents are known.
Verdict
A journal, book, or issue must sell itself on a rack or a feed
Why it works
It leverages a specific, recent, massive success (the Christmas issue) to prove its dominance. By highlighting the sheer volume of paid ads by local merchants, it creates a bandwagon effect for national advertisers.
Steal this when
You have just hit a massive, record-breaking milestone and want to use it as proof that you are the market leader.