Unqualified statements and magazines' claims

First off, here's some news about Kallah Magazine. The fall issue was just printed and distributed. So you can pick up your free copy in the 5 Towns and Queens. It should be in Brooklyn and possibly Teaneck by the beginning of next week iy"H. Note the qualifier "should." I don't like to make absolute statements unless I can be absolutely -- that is 100% -- sure of the fact. That is why I didn't give the actual date for the magazine to come out until it actually was delivered. But such is not the thinking of others. Another magazine was also just distributed --its premier issue. That's right the very first issue of C----Magazine. Actually, based on the cover, I felt quite secure that it is intended for people, for whom, shall we say, finding an appropriately modest wedding gown is not a concern. It also has a website which extols the virtues of this new publication with the following:
C ---Magazine is the definitive guide to events, living, society, religion, culture, style, entertainment, dining, art, philanthropy, literature, business, technology, health, real estate, jewelry and the political scene. For this reason, C--- Magazine"s [sic for quotes used as apostrophe] enviable reputation became the strongest source of information for its audience.
C-----Magazine provides you access to the most prominent and hard-to-reach consumers. By advertising in C------ Magazine, you can connect with our exceptionally affluent readership. C -------Magazine delivers to an audience that is affluent and influential like no other national, international, or general magazine.

You know, though Kallah Magazine goes to some of the very same locations -- and more of them in the areas I saw today -- I don't boast of having an "exceptionally affluent readership." Not everyone in Queens, or even the 5 Towns, who would have access to the magazine is really rich. But that is really a minor point as far as rhetoric goes. A slightly less minor point is the confusion over the focus of the magazine. Though its title and cover picture actually conveys a particular direction, it claims to cover just about anything you can think of as "the definitive guide to events, living, society, religion, culture, style, entertainment, dining, art, philanthropy, literature, business, technology, health, real estate, jewelry and the political scene."

What is far more astounding is the claim that this publication -- which just came out now with its premier issue -- has already won an "enviable reputation" and has already come to be "the strongest source of information for its audience." Right. You know, even after over 3 years, I would not claim that Kallah Magazine is established as "the strongest source of information for its audience." I could only claim that it is a solid source of good, useful information, as well as inspiration, ideas, and insight. The magazine's shopping component is clearly not only for the affluent. Not only affluent people get married, and even those with the money to spend usually have it because they also seek to save money. Check out Rich Dad, Poor Dad for that truth about those with truly "rich" habits not blowing their money on conspicuous consumption.

Comments

Commenter Abbi said…
I think whoever publishes the magazine subscribes to the view that marketing is all about what you tell the consumer, which is not necessarily the truth.

I think they are trying to appeal to a certain wealthy segment of the community and they think that by putting this laundry list of things they seem to write about (although truthfully, how could they possibly provide all this extremely important info in the 3 tiny paragraphs they have stuck in between the million plus pics?

The magazine is just laughable. I think they are just trying to make a quick buck from a crowd that loves to see itself in pic. I can't imagine that any company would seriously advertise in such a poorly edited magazine (the writing , as I said, was simply hysterically bad. I didn't think that type of English could possibly appear in some that purports to be a magazine.)
Ariella's blog said…
Clearly, their selling point to their advertisers is that the magazine is aimed at those who are both affluent and status-seeking, so that they will pay top dollar to have their celebration be considered the most impressive one of the season. Obviously, they did get some advertisers to buy that argument, but I don't think the photographers paid to have their name appearing in all the photo credits for the many pages of photos that are the bulk of the magazine. I suppose they were attemtping an OnlySimchas in print, and as the cost of print is just so much greater than the cost of webhosting, they felt that they can only make the venture pay if they aim for the high end.

Good writing, I can tell you, is not appreciated by most advertisers. No one I approach about advertising ever asks me about the articles. They ask about the circulation. When they say they want to see the magazine to decide about advertising, they are not looking at the featured articles but who is already advertising. Chagigah claims to print a huge amount and to distribute 2000 in each area, like the 5 Towns, Queens, etc. The thing is that they have very immodest pictures (I don't mean in terms of money) that they brazenly place right on the front cover, so it would be considered an inappropriate publication for seforim stores and other frum establishments., so I don't see how they can get 2000 in the 5 Towns or Queens when I only see it at a handful of places like the restaurants owned by someone who admits to being a friend of the publisher, and of course, it is at the photographer's studio which is featured through the magazine's pages.

Popular Posts