When this month’s issue of Esquire arrived in my mailbox the cover didn’t Immediately grab my attention, it felt like a predictable modern cover design. However as I read through the issue something caught my attention. It turns out that the cover was designed to be printed using a revolutionary new feature “Electronic Ink”.”.

Electronic Ink? Yes Electronic ink!

A limited number of Esquire’s 75th Anniversary issue will feature an experimental cover that is printed with electronic ink. The electronic ink cover displays moving words and flashing images all on a paper-thin sheet know as “e-paper”. 

Esquire is the first publication to utilize this ground breaking technology that is sure to change the way we view and read paper magazines in the future.

The technology for “E-Ink’ has been around for over 7 years but until now the logistics and cost of using it for print media have been to high. We are still a few years off before we start seeing “E-Ink” on newsstands but this initial move is very exciting.

From a graphic design and marketing stand point electronic ink opens up a whole new avenue of design and message flexibility. This application would allow advertisers to provide customized adds to specific consumers quickly and easily. It would also give readers a chance to customize the content of their publication. No longer will we be forced to wade through irrelevant ads and content. Or at the least bad adds will be in bright flashing “E-Ink”.

The future applications are endless but until the cost of “E-ink” comes down we are still left to dream.

Check out a video featuring the cover! Esquire\’s E-Ink Video 

Tags: Electronic Ink, Esquire, New Media.