George Lois And Lauren Conrad

You know those snazzy Target ads that are all stunning graphics and Colgate smiles? Well, in a slightly convoluted but fundamental way, you have George Lois to thank/curse for them. Lois was the mustache-twidling mastermind behind much of the 20th Century's cultural revolution in print. As the designer behind volumes of groundbreaking Esquire covers, he was highly outspoken and instrumental in breaking many of the Norman Rockwell-esque sensibilities that defined the magazine industry until his arrival. Don't believe me, check out this month's MoMA show: The man did these covers in a time when the most in-your-face cultural statement seen on newsstands was a middle-aged white guy in a suit posing with his briefcase. Plus, he did the "I Want My MTV" campaign and revived a dying network in its infancy. Therefore, we have Lois to thank for The Hills and the inevitable brain damage that we've all accumulated from watching Heidi try to think too hard.

George Lois- The Esquire Covers[MoMA] Cover Guy [The New Yorker]