"This is where the boys are," Time publisher Kim Kelleher told the New York Times, adding, "This is a great way to connect with millions of people we might not have otherwise connected with." According to the piece, both Time's editors and executives agreed to allow the use of the magazine's iconic cover wrapper after realizing that the pre-order bonus would be seen by many millions of Time's most elusive demographic -- young American males.
If that justification weren't enough for your journalistic sensibilities, managing editor Richard Stengel adds that the faux use of the cover for this promotion was "a similar idea in a different medium," comparing it to the various "Person of the Year" covers for fictional characters or concepts. He also points out that the medium involved in this case -- video games -- is part of "one of the biggest entertainment franchises of all time." Now that was a necessary detail, Mr. Stengel!
