Almost every evening I spend a little time reading a magazine. I call it "relax and refresh" time. Often, I read them in a big cushy chair, with my feet up. Sometimes, the reading doesn't start until I jump in bed about 11 PM. My feet are up then, too. But I never read them on a computer. Heaven forbid -- especially after staring at a screen all day long at the office. That would be torture.
I subscribe to, and read, many magazines -- including National Geographic, Wired, ADWEEK, Ad Age, Creativity, One, Fast Company, Inc,The Ensign, Time, Journal of Advertising Research, Communication Arts, Archive, ADNEWS, Community, Dwell, Graphis and several others that I can't remember at the moment.
So when my eye caught an ad headlined, "We surf the Internet, we swim in magazines," I paused, nodded, and began to scour the body copy. Here's what I read:
"The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping. The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you. The Internet is impulsive. Magazines are immersive. And both media are growing."
After all the hullabaloo about how all mediums are dying due to the Internet, I was surprised and rather comforted to note that fact. I continued reading.
"During the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased by 11 percent. What it proves, once again, is that a new medium doesn't necessaily displace an existing one. Just as movies didn't kill radio. Just as TV didn't kill movies. Which is why peoople aren't giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing."
I say Amen, and Amen. I spend a fair amount of time on the Internet, but for a more luxurious, relaxing, comfortable, enjoyable, learning experience, I prefer the good, old, pages-in-your-hand magazine. Too bad you have to read this blog on a computer screen.
4 comments:
i like that you displayed the adweek with your picture on the front cover. :) hmmmm...
that is a great ad. i get one of my magazines digitally sent to my email inbox and I have only "flipped" through a few pages from one of about 8 issues I have now. Luckily, the digital subscription was free but I used to read really enjoy the magazine when I had a hard copy. It does feel a little tortuous to sit and read online. I think digital magazines are only for people who take the subway to work and read on their tablet.
Did you know you have the same background as this ezwriter blog?
http://ezriderwriter.blogspot.com/
Wow, I had no idea you read that many magazines. Amazing. I liked this post and definitely agree that I love "real" magazines as well.
We've been away and I just read your new post. I too love holding, feeling, touching and smelling actual magazines and books. The surf/swim comparison is spot on, and I love the way you expanded on it. Don't wait so long to write again, okay?
Great post, and great comparisons. I agree totally. None of my Avon customers ever wanted to thumb through their brochures online, and I don't like it either, now that I'm the customer instead of the sales rep. Hope you don't mind if I pass this post on to others that I know.
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