USPA'S "Advertising Department"

[donjumps 0]

After nine years in the sport and over 1700 jumps, I, for the first time, feel the need to voice my opinion publicly.
I am extremely dissapointed with the folks that publish "Parachutist" magazine. A dear friend of mine was fatally injured in a freak canopy incident last summer. As a tribute to my friend, I recently inquired about having a memorial page dedicated to my friend. I was told that Parachutist considers this as "advertising" and that a full page would cost $1280!
I was stunned and very dissapointed. Aside from that being alot of money for family and survivors to raise, it is just plain wrong!
The publishers need a lesson in marketing. Advertisments are placed by companies that sell products and/or services and profit from such sales.
I have no product to sell. I offer no services. I am not trying to make a profit (unlike Parachutist magazine). I am simply a friend who wanted to do something to recognize the memory of a great man.
My friend was a husband, father, grandfather, and one of the best friends anyone could ever hope to have. It is truly a shame that Parachutist feels the need to profit from such a request! I view this as nothing more than greed.

By the way, no need to revisit this policy, as we have changed our minds and have decided to raise as much money as possible, and to give it to his widow!
At least SHE will appreciate it!!

Parachutist will get what they deserve in this case, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

Sincerely,

donjumps

[jlmiracle 7]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Do you know how much it costs to create and print those pages?

Obituaries cost money to put in news papers, I don't understand why you think Parachutist should do it for free.



J

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[DShiznit 0]

You also have to look at it from their point of view. Why should they discount something when they could have advertisers on that space paying the same amount?

Sorry to say it, but at the end of the day it's all about the $$.

[hisgoofyness 0]

I work in the printing industry. I can vouch for a large portion of that cost is in the set up, print production, finishing, & distribution of the magazines. Full color "ads" are especially more expensive to produce than black & whites. Parachutist's monthly quantity is almost certainly considered a small run for most magazine printers.

I don't think they are really making much money by charging $1,280.00. What do you think a full color ad would cost to run in a magazine like Time, Cosmo, or Maxim? I can guarantee you it would be much more.

The best thing to do is take up a donation just for the ad. I think they are a great remembrance idea, but they do come at a substantial cost...

Blues...

Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me!

[cpoxon 0]

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Why should they discount something when they could have advertisers on that space paying the same amount?

Do people who write articles for the magazine get paid for them, or even pay to have them printed? They are for the benefit and interest of the members, as is a memorial. It is not for the financial interest of those who are remembering those who have passed. As members we pay subs that contribute to the production of the magazine. I feel that should include obituaries (although they are different from memorials). I wrote an obituary for a friend last year that was printed free of charge in the British skydiving magazine. However, with the American magazine, lots of people have already paid, so I guess that makes it difficult to change.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[Hooknswoop 19]

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I don't think they are really making much money by charging $1,280.00. What do you think a full color ad would cost to run in a magazine like Time, Cosmo, or Maxim? I can guarantee you it would be much more.

And that is how those magzines make money. Parachutist is a membership benefit for it's members, a completely different tpe of publication.

Derek

[DrunkMonkey 0]

They'd need to recoup the money they would've made on an advert if they published your memorial. You pay to bump the advert. You have no justification for being offended.

[SkydiveJack 1]

Besides the reasons listed above, there is another reason Parachutist couldn't/shouldn't do it. If they gave you a free page they would have to do it for anyone else who lost a loved one. See where I'm going? I think the best idea is to collect the money and give it to the family of the deceased. Please don't hold a grudge against Parachutist because they couldn't help you with your request.

I am sorry for your loss. When it hits close to home it can really be an emotional roller coaster. I've been there.

Jack

[flyingferret 0]

First and foremost, I am sorry for your loss.

And second, I agree with Derek. This is often cited as a msssive super duper perk for USPA members. Personally, I wish I could cancel it and save money. Skydiving magazine covers every bit that parachutist does, is under $20 a year, and has much better articles in my opinion.
If this was the first complaint, I might not buy in. But Parachutist and USPA have so many gripes against them right now, things like this do add up.
In their defense, I have no idea what would be 'fair' but representing the average skydiver is something parachutist does not come close to doing.

Check out http://www.skydivingmagazine.com/ Their rates are similar and it is a for profit magazine. Whether they would deal for memorials, I don't know. but I can say their 'full' page 77 square inches bigger than parachutist's 88

--
All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI.

[donjumps 0]

Thank you to those of you who acknowledged our loss. I really do appreciate it!

If you re-read my post, you will not see anything about me asking or expecting that they print a memorial for free. Please don't put words in my mouth!

I simply don't think that they need to profit from it the same amount as though it were an advertisment! I'm enough of a realist to not expect anything for free.

Sincerely,

Don

[jlmiracle 7]

okay then, what do you think you should pay? What do you know to be the the bottom line cost on a full page in Parachutist?

Judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Hooknswoop 19]

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okay then, what do you think you should pay?

The membership dues, which pays for the magazine and more. If USPA can't afford 30-odd memorial pages a year (if every fatality resulted in enough interest in a page, say 50 signatures on an application), upping the dues (again) would easily cover it. The magazine is for the members. If the members want a memorial page or 2 every month max, then that is what they should get. It’s not like USPA is doing their job anyway, they could at least do this.

Derek

[donjumps 0]

Publications set their advertising rates based upon their readership, or the number of people that will see your ad.

It is completely unrealistic to compare Parachutist with Time, or Cosmopolitan, ect... I don't know how the actual numbers would compare, but I DO know that Parachutist reaches a fraction of what those magazines reach.

Sincerely,

Don

[hisgoofyness 0]

I am in total agreement if it were presented this way. I would gladly pitch in an extra buck on my dues to support 1 additional double sided page for memorials or special acknowledgements. If every member contributed 1 extra dollar per year that would cover it and then some.

Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me!

[donjumps 0]

Thank you Derek!

It's nice to see that someone see's things the way I do!!!

Don