Here are the 3 comprehensive AARP magazine cover redesigns, along with the original AARP cover of Cyndi Lauper, and a critique by 50 (yes 50!) mostly senior citizen members of the Southern Tier Bicycle Club – most retired professionals (doctors, lawyers, architects, psychologists, professors, teachers, IBM managers, engineers, programmers, artists, entrepreneurs …), some of whom were the subject of this cover.
Summary comments on bike club critique
Two of the magazine covers got nearly all the votes – 30 (60%) for the Taylor Valley Forest group ride magazine cover, and 17 (34%) for the four cyclists without the background. The third magazine cover – the solo cyclist – got only 3 votes (6%), and is being set-aside today.
The bike club cover critique was very insightful and interesting – while a significant majority (60%) prefer the Taylor Valley forest group ride magazine cover, the 34% who preferred the 4 cyclists with no background cover had very sound reasons for doing so, making it a very strong runner for the cover.
Tentative choice (plans) for draft magazine cover redesigns
My thoughts at this point are to present the two magazine covers that got nearly all the support from bike club members, and pitch them as a package – one for the cover, and the one that doesn’t get chosen for the cover being included in the magazine with the article.
Original AARP cover:
Taylor Valley forest group ride AARP magazine redesign – preferred by 60% STBC critiquers
Here is the magazine cover redesign that got the majority of support from STBC bike club members (60%, 30 of 50):
This look is VERY different than their usual ‘famous person over 50’ cover, and might be better received by AARP as a photo that would be integrated into the article in the magazine on ‘Cycling for fun and fitness’.
Take a good look at the bike club critiquers comments below – sound reasoning for their preference, with a few concerns emerging.
But I still want to pitch it as one of two possible covers because it was so strongly received by bike club critiquers, and most represent typical AARP readers.
4 cyclists AARP magazine cover redesign preferred by 34% of STBC bike club critiquers:
Here is the magazine redesign that was preferred by 34% (17 of 50) of the bike club critiquers:
This cover is ‘closer’ to the current look of the AARP magazine cover, and might be better received by the publisher than the forest cover. I would present this too.
Take a good look below at the reasons why 1/3 of the bike club critiquers preferred this cover – they are sound, as are the few concerns listed.
Solo cyclist magazine cover redesign – preferred by very few bike club critiquers
Here is the final AARP magazine redesign – a solo cyclist.
This cover was preferred by only 3 critiquers (6%), and the concerns of the reviewers are significant and clearly stated below.
I am setting this cover redesign aside despite it being closest to the typical AARP magazine cover (single person on the cover over 50).
STBC bike club critique of AARP magazine cover redesigns
The summary below was compiled from 50 emails received mostly from bike club members in response to me soliciting their critique and cover preferences on our club listserve and FaceBook page.
Photos and discussion of cover models recognition
I took all of the photos included in this project with my iPhone during September and early October on Southern Tier Bicycle Club Wheels-2-Meals rides at the Cannonsville Reservoir, Taylor Valley State Forest, and in the Brooktondale – Speedsville area.
The models in all of the cover photos are very active cyclists and members of the Southern Tier Bicycle Club Wheels-2-Meals group, a very social group of around 50 mostly retired professionals who cycle all day together on Tuesdays and Thursdays near and far, and have a great big social lunch together in the middle of the ride. They typically ride 25 – 45 miles each day, and they are 55 to 85 (yes 85) years old. This group moves… they range from 12 to 22 mph on a typical ride, with the faster riders waiting at key points for the slower ones to catch up. A number of the cyclists have ridden across the USA in the past 10 years.
Cover photo models recognized:
Taylor Valley forest group photo: Jay Kimmel, Bonnie Davis, Greg Laskowski, and three others who have not stepped forward yet
4 cyclists photo: Don and Lonnie Gillespie, Pastor Rich Barons, Carolyn Gilligan
Solo cyclist photo: Pastor Rich Barons
Essay
The magazine cover redesign essay is presented in a separate blog, and will be available on October 23rd. Much of what is being included in the essay has already been written about in the blogs below, and will be pulled together in one place.
ART 125 - Introduction to Computer Graphics 