Vanity Fair has recruited Annie Leibovitz to shoot 20 covers of prominent figures, including Pitt, Clooney, Winfrey, Obama, Ali and Madonna, in what is described as a 'visual chain letter', with the celebrities engaging in a conversation presumably about Africa.
It is a distinctive concept to shoot a magazine cover on such a large scale, and with the people involved, it truly represents the stature and standing of the magazine in the marketplace as well as the global support for the African plight. It also allows the consumer to buy an issue with the celebrity of their choice on the cover, while the collectors among us can snap up all 20.
The covers represents Leibovitz's high-profile status and talent, while the content inside continues to inspire conversation about Africa, without trying to 'sell you guilt' as to why you should be involved.
My only criticism is that it would have been nice to see some real people featured in the publication engaging in the 'conversation' on the covers. It could also have made clearer how much, if any, of the money made from sales of the issue will go to support (RED) in Africa.
Media owner: Conde Nast.
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