Time to shake off the cobwebs and recover from that hangover. Miami is just not the Reaper's style as my skin tone does not improve.
Looking back at the wreckage of 2009, it's time to post the magazines which had the largest percentage drops in advertising pages that are still alive, somehow.
Topping the list is one of the Reaper's favorites, Power & Motoryacht, with an impressive 57.3% loss in ad pages, according to Mediaweek.
Take a good look at the cover. Do you know anybody who really wants to show off one of these things in the past 18 months? That is, if they haven't lost a bundle already? The boat shows are coming up shortly. Taking any bets on attendance?
Power & Motoryacht -57.3%
Architectural Digest -49.9%
Veranda -47.7%
W -45.9%
Town & Country -45.6%
Heh. I'm reminded of one dolt here in Dallas who was hyping up a magazine on "The Lifestyles of The Rich In SUVs", with the intent of putting out the first issue in 2002. Right when the economy had gone to hell and most of his expected readership was desperately trying to rebuild their portfolios. Oh, he had lots of idiots willing to invest in it, and he even convinced a buddy to do a big writeup in the Dallas Morning News business section about his grand publishing vision, but amazingly his potential advertisers wouldn't touch it. I always wondered if he just went back to snorting up his trust fund money, or if he's going to try again.
Posted by: Paul Riddell | January 04, 2010 at 11:17 AM
With the local fancyschmancy magazines- real estate, local fashion, hot regional models on the cover- and the minor toy publications- for motorcycles, boats, etc.- mostly gone, the low-hanging fruit has largely fallen from these trees. Now Reaper is chopping the upper branches- motoryachts, Town and Country, etc.
Posted by: tangerine dream | January 07, 2010 at 03:39 PM
Of course the advertisers don't want to touch paper with rubber gloves.
Why should they pay a CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impression) price when Google (or any web site they advertise on,) can give them PPC (Pay Per Click.)
The man's an idiot.
His next venture should fit his lifestyle better.
How about?
"Hobo Weekly, Incorporating 'Road Kill Dining.' A magazine for the poor and stupid."
I can just see the cover of the premier issue.
"Come and eat along West Virginia's beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.
Tail-gate 'Bambi' and run over 'Thumper'." and
"Driving at night from Lynchburg to Roanoke,
more thrilling than a Disneyland roller-coaster."
"See the natives ... and run like Hell."
Posted by: msbpodcast | January 11, 2010 at 12:21 AM
Gary-Anne here, just want to say that magazines are still the coolest way to read a fun article about life, fashion, entertainment, you name it! I know it's controversial, but I'm just sayin'!
Posted by: gary-anne | January 11, 2010 at 09:59 PM
Gary-Anne, that's not controversial at all. It's just that far too many magazines, especially all of the "high society" wannabe magazines, seem to build their business plans after watching "The Producers" too many times. Thinking that publications like these, which are of no interest to them that have and unaffordable to them that haven't, are going to keep going in this economy isn't controversial. It's delusional.
Posted by: Paul Riddell | January 12, 2010 at 09:14 AM
I don't feel sorry for Archetectual Digest. That has got to be the most boring magazine on the planet. I can't even see how it lasted this long.
Posted by: junebee | January 13, 2010 at 06:49 AM