The Obama team was not happy with The New Yorker folks. And while I don't think this cover will do much harm to their campaign, and I do think that they should probably lighten up a bit, maybe they have a point.
Had it been inside the magazine, they probably wouldn't have had a problem. It would communicate with New Yorker readers who would get the joke, understand that it pokes fun at the suspicion that Obama may be a scary Muslim. It's an ongoing bit on The Daily Show.
But what if on the newsstand it catches the eye of some burly racist? In that half-second, the cover reinforces his prejudice. If you've ever sat in focus groups you know that there are a whole lot of literal people in the world and someone is going to say, "So Obama IS Muslim! That sum-bitch!"
Fortunately, its placement is not next to Guns and Ammo, where more burly racists would see it than next to The Atlantic Monthly. Even still, if you're on the Obama team and thinking that every single solitary vote counts, then you might get a little testy.
So I wonder about our responsibility to those outside a target audience. What about an ad for Grand Theft Auto that adults find disturbing? What if an ad is loved by the consumer, but stockholders detest it?
I suppose there are times when we should simply try to find another solution, however tempting it would be to go forward with something that we're almost certain would meet our primary objective. No doubt it would be a tough decision. Like, what if you're the illustrator and you're an Obama supporter? Do you pass on the opportunity to be on the cover of The New Yorker?
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