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The world is a weird and wonderful place...
While reading through Smithsonian magazine today, I was surprised to get a treat of strangeness from the universe. Now I consider (as I think most of the rest of the world does) this magazine to be a respectable, reputable one. It’s always educational for someone historically-challenged like myself. Articles like, “The Dying of the Dead Sea”, “Matisse and his Models”, and “The Glory That is Rome” absolutely reek of white upper-class snobbery disguised as compassion & interest. You would think with it being so hoity-toity, that the advertisers would be absolutely top shelf, and that’s true, up to a certain page. Initially, its filled with full page ads from major drug, car, and credit card companies. With the exception of one cheesy “Where Are They Now?” article about Buffy Sainte-Marie, it continues on in this dignified, Sam the Eagle kind of way.
That is until about page 80. The first sort of “off” ad is for “The World’s Greatest Books- Exclusive Miniature Collector’s Edition!”, a set of all the classics in books that are about 2 inches big (with a handsome custom-designed mini wooden bookcase FREE!). After page 100, it gets so much more interesting. Previous color travel ads for exotic locales are replaced with b&w’s beckoning you to come to “Croatia, The Pearl of the Adriatic”. This is followed on the next page by an ad for “European Beret $10" featuring the best looking weird-ass French guy they could have ever found. This, I guess, is aimed at the reader who would like to look more worldly and European, yet can’t quite ever make it to the local hatter. In addition to other odd menswear ads (Beau Ties Ltd. Of Vermont, anyone?), the next thing that caught my eye was the poorly written headline, “HOW SHALL WE LIVE OUR LIFE? Brother Lawrence Responds, Written 300 Years Ago, Relevant Today”. This is the one that forced me to look up what sort of advertising standards and rates this magazine utilizes. From their website:
2006 Rates
Black & White 2-Color 4-Color
Page $77,610 $96,145 $113,715
Spread $155,220 $192,285 $227,430
2/3 $62,090 $76,925 $90,980
1/2 $46,560 $57,700 $68,250
1/3 $31,050 $38,450 $45,475
1/6 $15,525 $19,235 $22,745
So essentially, Brother Lawrence must be doing ok to have at least $15,000 to drop on his advertising budget.
The best one, the one that prompted me to write, was DeadMenTellNoTales.com- the world’s best selection of “pirate flags, music, toys, books, jewelry, treasure, posters, vices, games, sodas, party supplies, coins, clothing, and glow-in-the-dark boxer shorts.” Sodas??? I think this honestly made me like the magazine even more. And you know that I totally want some pirate vices for my next birthday. Anyway, this is what happens when I get a day off.
While reading through Smithsonian magazine today, I was surprised to get a treat of strangeness from the universe. Now I consider (as I think most of the rest of the world does) this magazine to be a respectable, reputable one. It’s always educational for someone historically-challenged like myself. Articles like, “The Dying of the Dead Sea”, “Matisse and his Models”, and “The Glory That is Rome” absolutely reek of white upper-class snobbery disguised as compassion & interest. You would think with it being so hoity-toity, that the advertisers would be absolutely top shelf, and that’s true, up to a certain page. Initially, its filled with full page ads from major drug, car, and credit card companies. With the exception of one cheesy “Where Are They Now?” article about Buffy Sainte-Marie, it continues on in this dignified, Sam the Eagle kind of way.
That is until about page 80. The first sort of “off” ad is for “The World’s Greatest Books- Exclusive Miniature Collector’s Edition!”, a set of all the classics in books that are about 2 inches big (with a handsome custom-designed mini wooden bookcase FREE!). After page 100, it gets so much more interesting. Previous color travel ads for exotic locales are replaced with b&w’s beckoning you to come to “Croatia, The Pearl of the Adriatic”. This is followed on the next page by an ad for “European Beret $10" featuring the best looking weird-ass French guy they could have ever found. This, I guess, is aimed at the reader who would like to look more worldly and European, yet can’t quite ever make it to the local hatter. In addition to other odd menswear ads (Beau Ties Ltd. Of Vermont, anyone?), the next thing that caught my eye was the poorly written headline, “HOW SHALL WE LIVE OUR LIFE? Brother Lawrence Responds, Written 300 Years Ago, Relevant Today”. This is the one that forced me to look up what sort of advertising standards and rates this magazine utilizes. From their website:
2006 Rates
Black & White 2-Color 4-Color
Page $77,610 $96,145 $113,715
Spread $155,220 $192,285 $227,430
2/3 $62,090 $76,925 $90,980
1/2 $46,560 $57,700 $68,250
1/3 $31,050 $38,450 $45,475
1/6 $15,525 $19,235 $22,745
So essentially, Brother Lawrence must be doing ok to have at least $15,000 to drop on his advertising budget.
The best one, the one that prompted me to write, was DeadMenTellNoTales.com- the world’s best selection of “pirate flags, music, toys, books, jewelry, treasure, posters, vices, games, sodas, party supplies, coins, clothing, and glow-in-the-dark boxer shorts.” Sodas??? I think this honestly made me like the magazine even more. And you know that I totally want some pirate vices for my next birthday. Anyway, this is what happens when I get a day off.
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