A Study In Denial - A Foolish Campaign Draws Attention To A Failure
Dear Friends (and Earnest Detractors):
I excerpted (ripped out a page from a magazine in the gym, took it home, and scanned it) the above campaign ad from Rolling Stone Magazine. Since it was a full-page, serious-looking ad, I simply had to read it.
The ad is an attempt, by the print media industry (the magazine and non-newspaper segment), to show that printed magazines are here to stay. The ad even uses a wickedly critical metaphor comparing the internet to "instant coffee," and printed magazines to "the real, fresh-brewed caffeinated steaming ambrosia" that gets us through the days, especially where business meetings are involved.
An audacious comparison. Also, an irrelevant one.
After reading this ad, with its inappropriate metaphor and its "methinks thou doth protest too much" bravado, I came away with the impression, even more so than before, the the magazine industry is absolutely scared to death of the internet; is already feeling the losses; anticipates increasing losses; and is screaming a shrill victory cry even as a sword is plunged into its belly.
This ad speaks of a desperate competitor anticipating the loss of most of its market share and whilstling in the dark.
Any reader with a modicum of intellect and some experience in human interaction will perceive it as such.
Instead of placing this ad in a print magazine, they might have done better (ironically) by advertising and buzzing it up over the internet and through internet-driven social media. They might have reached a wider audience with their message -- and the message shouldn't have contained either the false bravado or the wacky metaphor -- it might have said something about the utility of magazines; perhaps something about their unique tactile quality, the caliber of some of their better, more in-depth research and writing...or maybe that they are easy to read while you are on the stationary bike or treadmill.
Sadly, they didn't think of any of these things. They should have looked into TNNWC Group's NEWS RELEASES, PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Services. Kent Martin and some of the crew might have prevented them from inadvertently shooting themselves in their collective foot with a weakly defensive message. Our BUZZWORKS TEAM might have gotten the word out through our plethora of of social media channels.
If they had, you might have been reading a magazine (at least while perched on the porcelain throne) for a bit before you read this blog entry.
Doesn't this whole thing just break your heart?
Faithfully,
Douglas Castle
TNNWC GROUP, LLC
http://www.tnnwc.com
Tags, Key Words and Terms for This Article: print media, poor campaigning, foolish metaphors, showcasing weaknesses, the importance of creativity, designing a campaign, trends and trending, messaging, the futility of bravado, Kent Martin, TNNWC Buzzworks, TNNWC News Release Publicity and Public Relations, Rolling Stone, media planning, buzz, product differentiation, accentuating positives, Articles by Douglas castle, Daily Burst Of Brilliance, Mad Marketing Tactics, stealing things from the gym, persons who rip pages out of other people's magazines, tactile desire...
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