Pentagram Redesigns “The Atlantic”

Industry giants Pentagram recently posted a story on their blog about their redesign of “The Atlantic”. They write a thorough documentation of their thought process during the project which makes for a good read. The new look is solid and I really like the throw-back logo that ties in to the nameplate The Atlantic used during the mid 20th Century. The decision to go that route was also influenced by the appearance of a copy of The Atlantic from that era on the popular TV show Mad Men. The influence that show is having on today’s culture is amazing to me. While looking through the alternate designs Pentagram developed I was very impressed with this one which is beautifully laced with Helvetica: Clean, bold, and straight to the point. This cover would definitely stand out to me on the newstands. I think there could be an issue with maintaining the simplicity from issue to issue because this cover design works best with one to two word article titles, but I love the fact that it’s easy to scan and would be legible from a distance.