New York Times designs imagine yesterday's stars using social media

Date
30 June 2015

Designer Ashley Stephenson seems to be a shy chap, perhaps explaining why he prefers to go by his creative pseudonym G/tr, and why it took a friend of his to get in touch singing his praises. We’re not sure why, as Ashley’s certainly talented: this project was created while interning at the New York Times, and looks to show the publication’s prestigious heritage while also celebrating its move into the digital era. For each of the images, Ashley has imagined what the stars of yesteryear might get up to if they were as preoccupied as we are today with the likes of Snapchat, Vine, Instagram, Periscope, Twitter, Facebook, What’s App, Club Penguin, Habbo Hotel…you get the picture.

“It was just a fun way of imagining how icons of yesteryear might digitally access the NYT,” Ashley tells us. “I think the interest comes from how much the publishing industry has changed in the digital era, and how many publications have struggled with it. Certainly with Facebook’s new Instant Articles, it seems as though we are heading towards accessing all our publications and news simply via Facebook.”

What’s so disarming about it is how readily we accept a picture of James Dean or Marylin Monroe hunched over a Mac – it took me two looks to even realise what was wrong with that picture. It’s a simple idea executed well, and perhaps Ashley shouldn’t be so backward about coming forward in future.

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G/tr: New York Times project

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G/tr: New York Times project
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G/tr: New York Times project

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G/tr: New York Times project

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G/tr: New York Times project

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G/tr: New York Times project

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About the Author

Emily Gosling

Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

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