That’s not to say you won’t see examples of conventional forms of self-promotion in this issue. But “that stuff,” as much as we admire and even covet it, is not the theme here. Instead, we chose to explore a more fundamental concept: The best self-promotion is always a direct outcome of who you are as a creative artist.

To some extent, this recognizes a classic dilemma for designers: “Selling yourself” (the act this issue’s cover refers to) is often seen as debasing. When promoting themselves, creative people tend toward the sort of self-consciousness that comes with cleaning fish: You want those tasty filets, but you’re concerned about the smell you know will remind you (and possibly others) of the deed for days to come. Designer/author Natalia Ilyin rises above the miasma and explains why this is so in her article “I Can’t Hear You, You’re Mumbling” on page 48.

On page 52 we turn to a utilitarian topic: How can the practices of public relations and design intersect most successfully? Pam Williams, a founder and partner of the PR firm Williams & House, offers lessons learned in nearly two decades of working with the creative community. Her examples of how more than 30 notable designers have benefited from PR—without an agency to do the heavy lifting—comprise a short course in self-promotion.

Rounding out our coverage are three features on design firms who have, in very different ways, shown a knack for positioning themselves. Tomorrow Partners, profiled on page 62 by Matthew Porter, is a new agency that’s chosen to emphasize issues like sustainability and social integrity in its practice and is already reaping rewards. The least-known of the three firms is Interspectacular, whose story is told on page 70 by Aaris Sherin. Interspectacular’s young principals could care less about being in the public eye, but it is important to them that their clients in television know who to turn to for fresh, irreverent ideas, animation and production.

John Bielenberg and his partners in C2 and other ventures have a high public profile that’s justified by their commitment to employing design thinking for the public good. Their latest experiment, called MavLab (page 78), is no less than an attempt to rethink the entire notion of the creative agency. There’s no better example of how simply being who you are as an artist yields the most effective and longest-lasting self-promotion.

This issue’s cover art is by Luba Lukova, an artist who has distinguished herself in the worlds of both graphic design and fine art. A review of her recent exhibition at the Art Institute of Boston observes, “Luba Lukova’s posters and illustrations have punch, and they are laced with such feeling that they often merit a second look. Her work doesn’t wrestle with the classic riddles of high art. It is, as graphic art should be, strong and pithy, but its messages are not always simple.” Lukova’s mastery of visual metaphor, here demonstrated to fine effect, is among her great talents. Look for another superb example in her illustration on page 49. We are fortunate to be able to include her work in this issue.