Posted on 10/28/2008 5:25:58 AM PDT by Perdogg
To our readers:
In the weeks since the November issue of Men’s Health hit mailboxes and newsstands, there has been an extraordinary outpouring of mail concerning our choice for the cover: Barack Obama. Some of you were excited to see a man you admired, some were grateful to learn about the presidential candidate from an MH perspective, and some of you felt betrayed by what you saw as a politically charged choice for the cover of your generally a-political magazine. Our selection of Senator Obama for the cover was based on two things: 1) he’s a man in the public eye, and worthy of a profile in Men’s Health, and 2) he’s a man squarely in our readers’ demographic who embodies many of the health, fitness, and success practices this magazine espouses. So, in placing him on our cover, we were endorsing a lifestyle, and a record of achievement, not necessarily a candidate. That choice, ultimately, is every voter’s, alone. But as the profile clearly states, you don’t have to vote for Barack Obama the politician to learn something from Barack Obama the man. If you don’t agree with that choice, we invite you to enjoy the other 206 pages in the magazine, and take the usual measure of “useful stuff” from them. If we’ve caused you grief, our apologies. That’s not our usual approach to reader service. The December issue, we pledge, will be quite Obama-free.
Best regards, The Editors of Men’s Health
Those are interesting details and it clearly points out just what marketing is. And exactly why I no longer wish to be part of that domain!
On the back cover of the November Men’s Fitness a competitor’s magazine, there seemed to be a NIKE ad with Obama. That is what it appears to be and if anyone can confirm that, I’d like to know if that is definitely what that is. On the cover is Strauss Zelnick who seems to be involved in computer games. The magazine we receive is subscription (subscriptions to help out kids) so the magazine rack at the store could have a different back cover. It made me think of boycotting Nike. Has anyone else seen this advertisment?
Now, I will attest that Runner’s World, from Rodale magazines publisher of Men’s Health had Pres. G.W. Bush on the cover running, I saved that magazine.
Those magazines like Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness are too self-centered, they have struck me and then, quite a few “better” sex articles. Has turned me off a bit.
At least he isn’t Billy Mays.
I wrote to the editor and called to cancel. A magazine like this can’t afford to lose subscribers. The editor made a big mistake.
2) he’s a man squarely in our readers’ demographic who embodies many of the health, fitness, and success practices this magazine espouses.
Men’s Health mag must cater to chain smoking ex-coke heads....
Excellent quote, thanks for posting it.
Hi Perdogg. Thanks for posting the letter. Where was it originally posted?
..., and 3) choice of hair and skin creams.
For the love of Pete, America's this close (holding thumb and forefinger a quarter of an inch apart) to putting a commie statist metro sexual in the Oval Office!
BINGO!
What achievements??? Being the sock puppet of America-hating leftist radicals is an achievement?
Yes, it’s called voting with your feet. The left and its enablers really do believe conservative, traditional America is dead. Therefore, the staff of Men’s Health really had no clue they were stepping in a big pile of horsey poop.
It’s what happens when you insulate yourself from opposing or different points of view. Drinking your own koolade can be painful.
I was at Penn State this weekend. The school rag, The Daily Collegian, was “suggesting” that the Marxist Onada would win by a landslide. Almost nothing about McCain except when words like “failed”, “failing” or “outdated” could be associated with his name.
On the other hand, I did not see many Marxist Onada pins, buttons or signs. Wasn’t much McCain stuff either. My point is that that the euphoric rhetoric of the University newspaper did not seem to match the apparent lack of campus enthusiasm for The Messiah.
I was also at Williamsburg last week. It abuts William and Mary University. Same situation there as at Penn State. Not a lot of campaign buzz for either candidate. I can understand that conservatives do not want to advertise themselves at or around university/college campuses because these institutions tend to be leftist in political orientation. Moreover, they do no tolerate very well people who do not agree with them.
But one would think that there would be a strong show of support for the Marxist Onada.
My subscription is up for renewal and won’t be renewed.
I would have thought NO ONE in Kanab, Utah would support Obama!
And I cannot imagine Obama touching a dog. The only picture I’ve seen looked photoshopped. Dogs are like Christmas - soooo beneath the Obamessiah.
What was the ad? “My daughters brought home this filthy beast - get him away from me!”?
I was going to cancel my subscription, but I’ve never been interested in a magazine that features scantily clad men flexing their abs and pursing their lips...
don’t forget to take all those postage paid cards out of the magazine and mail them back
then they have to pay for the privilege of hearing you tell them to pound sand
My husband has been receiving this magazine and his Obama issue came with a renewal notice. I ripped off the cover, stuffed it in the prepaid renewal envelope and sent it back to them on their own dime. Thankfully, it was his last issue and we won’t be seeing any more of their garbage.
Record of achievement? Wow, with all the background I've read on Barack Obama, I cannot fathom what they came up with to list as his "achievements". LOLOL Please note they didn't say "NOT (endorsing) a candidate", they said NOT NECESSARILY (endorsing) a candidate, how truly forthright of them. <---sarc
The Catalog of Cool recommended (in the early 1980s) reading Advertising Age for a different perspective on the day’s events in the world (even war).
And while some people say that Obama is the Orwellian candidate, I say he is the Warholian POP candidate. His politics are Stalinist, but he’s been marketed as an icon (in name and graphic).
Your remarks are spot on. And what a sad commentary for America.
P.S. Are you watching Mad Men?
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