Printers' Ink, Jan 12, 1928 (Vol. 142, No. 2): obituary and appraisal of John E. Kennedy
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 issue serves as a retrospective on Kennedy's legacy, highlighting how radical his ideas were at the time and how universally accepted they eventually became.
Steal this when
You are researching the evolution of advertising thought and the historical impact of the 'salesmanship in print' philosophy.