Magazines

I love to read, books, magazines, newspapers...anything with words. In my bed, in a bath, outside, in my car, any moment I have spare...I like to read something. A few spare dollars means another book for me. I don't go to the library because I have collector's disease and love to collect and horde books on every subject you can imagine so there is always reading material in my house.

I have though, become very disenchanted with magazines. Especially women's magazines! Truly, if I see one more cover boasting one more article on "How to have great Sex"...." Guide to Bad Girl Sex"...."Secrets to Making your Guy Feel Good".....ARRRRGGGGHHHH! PLEASE! Is there no other subject out there for magazines to print?? Do humans truly need nine zillion, billion, jillion articles to tell them how to do something which should just come natural?? Truly...ladies...if you do please just become a nun!

Because I am also in the clothing business, I do occasionally buy these magazines. I bought one the other day. The cost was $3.99, which was relatively inexpensive in today's market. The page count was 162. Of those 162 pages, 92 were full page advertisements! This did not include the ½ page and ¼ page ads. So basically, out of 162 pages, the reader gets 70 partial pages of information. Actually, another 20 pages of those 70 were in essence clothing advertisements masked in a fashion spread.

I have actually called a magazine before to question the amount of advertisement I had just purchased, confused as to why I would purchase advertising when it is EVERYWHERE I go. I was told the revenue was important to produce the magazine. I am sure this pat answer would be acceptable to some...but I am if nothing else a complete pain in the behind! With today's ability to design magazines in digital computer programs and the advances in printing technologies, magazines are able to see more profit than before. Yet cost for advertising has not shown a decrease. Much of the cost for producing the magazine...is for the advertisements! By cutting down the number of advertisements, one could cut the cost of production significantly.

The truth is...why should they? If you ever want to run an ad in a well known magazine...be prepared to pay almost your entire years profit to do so. These spots garner enough revenue overall to make your eyeballs wiggle over the amount of zero's on the end. Even though magazine advertising revenues were reported down by 7.8% for 2008, as per whattheythink.com...the year closed at $23,652,018,533. On top of the advertising dollars, people actually pay to read the advertisements!!! Where else can you get people to pay you to smother them in brainwashing materials?

Don't get me wrong. I actually worked in advertising years ago. And as a business owner, I understand the desire to draw attention to your business and your product. But...as a person spending money on a magazine...I would like to see articles on fresh subjects instead of a zillion on how to be fresh. Magazines could improve their content, by being more accepting of content from freelance writers. This is one of the reasons Associated Content and other online sources are becoming so popular. Variety. New perspectives. Unfortunately, last I knew taking a computer into the bath was considered a bad idea. And falling asleep on a book or magazine is way more comfortable than on your laptop (I must admit to having keyboard face more than once!) So traditional printed reading material is still a must.

I would like to have at least half of a magazine... be informational and entertaining. I have no need to pay to read advertisements. They are everywhere I go. On the internet, at the movies, on my radio, on my cell phone, on my regular phone, in my snail mail, on my store receipts, on signs, on my toilet paper (just kidding!).....all at my favorite price... free.

You can read many different opinions on the key to having a successful magazine. But the bottom line is - if customers do not buy magazines, then advertisers will quit advertising. If you do not keep your customer happy they will eventually stop buying. I have essentially; I am down to only a couple magazines a year unless I accidently abscond with one from the doctor's office. So, why should magazines cut down on advertising content? Because in essence, Magazines are murdering themselves...with their advertising revenue gluttony.

The initial success of any magazine was because it appealed to customers and advertisers responded by utilizing that publication as part of their marketing strategy. When sells decline, advertisers go elsewhere to find the best method to hit as many potential customers they can. Before this happens...I am calling on all magazines....appeal to me again...before I just start printing all my reading material off...Associated Content!

Sources:
Magazine Advertising Down, Whattheythink.com