Printers' Ink, Feb 11, 1926 (Vol. 134, No. 6): "We Can't Always Prove the Sum, Mr. Hopkins" (Advertising Is Not Yet an Exact Science) by S. Roland Hall
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
The cover ad uses a character-driven story (the creation of 'Aunt Ellen' as a brand persona for Griswold Mfg. Co.) to demonstrate the agency's ability to create relatable, response-driving advertising.
Steal this when
You need to show how you humanize a brand through a mascot or character.