Nope. Not us this time. This time the culprit is magazine advertising.
The question posed by Chris Anderson, editor of the super successful tech/media mag (my fave) Wired and author of the best-selling business book: The Longtail.
“When is my industry going to stop lying?
I love magazines, but the way we treat our readers is infuriating. I’ve already explained the perverse economic incentives that result in us carpet bombing the world with “blow-in” subscription cards. Now I want to highlight the subscription offers that magazines send through the mail. They’re full of lies…More here.
I once subscribed to a magazine at a very reduced rate. It was a lame publication.
After the subscription period ended, I got about six “this is your last issue” magazines, asking me to renew for uninterrupted service. (And the subscription rate they quoted was full price — $119 a year!)
And after they stopped sending me the magazine, I got mailings for OVER A YEAR saying that it was my last chance to renew at a “very special” discounted rate of $119.
It was sheer dishonesty all the way.
The name of the magazine was “Inside Photoshop”.
Walter Reade (from Wisconsin)
Actually, thinking back, it was more dishonest than I wrote above.
The renewal letter came as a $119 invoice to be paid.
Still makes me mad to this day . . .
Walter Reade (from Wisconsin)
Looking at Chris Anderson’s critique of this magazine ad reminds me of my #1 peeve in marketing too…
If something costs $20.00 it’s advertised for $19.95, and if it costs $100.00 it’s advertised for $99.95.
Are we so conditioned, that we don’t even notice how we are being spoken too in this way?
Please, don’t talk to me like I’m stupid. I know it’s going to cost me a twenty, or a hundred.
THE NICKLE DOESN’T MAKE IT LESS EXPENSIVE!
I don’t know about you, but I have little use for ridiculous discounting…and for nickles too, come to think of it.