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Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Now the ONE AND ONLY bear magazine in the UK!
It's now official. TBCI is the only magazine in the UK for bear lovers.
Our only competition has stopped publishing this month
________________________________________
I'm a little upset at the gloating tone of this online emailed post.
In their heart-of-hearts, many ppl would be glad to have their competition drop by the wayside, but this 'broadsheet' announcement just seems out-of-place.
Is it me? I'm one of the featured Yanks this month (biting the hand tha....) but this upsets me.
How do you Brits feel?
Bears by EdieI think it is a bit tacky too, Bobbie - I would think they would be a bit more careful as who knows if they will be next! I don't think being the only magazine is necessarily a good thing if it shows a downward trend!
White Forest BearsThat is a beautiful 4 page article that TBCI did on you Bobbie. It's very well written and they used beautiful photos. I'm sure you'll get a huge response if you haven't already. Congrats!
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Thx Erin, you & I were Lucky Ones!! I don't mean to bite the hand that feeds, (it was LOVERLY to be amongst so many TT friends!!) but I was upset that they would post something like that in public. It sounded more like an inter-office note that went astray...
I did screen captures of their i-mag (first time I've heard ezines & webzines called that) in case no one will offer to buy copies for us!! It's supposed to be in W H Smith's "in every high street."......
I really would like a 'live' copy & will pay the postage too. Pretty please? (I'll leave off the 'w/Sugar on top.' as that may be a Yank-only saying and I've offended!!
Back Road Bearshttp://www.ashdown.co.uk/
Bobbie - they have a US office... and you can call them and buy a copy from them. It seems to take a while for them to get the current issue but if you want a copy bad enough and are willing to wait.....
Many of us have gotten copies that way.
The magazine is lovely. I got that announcement too though and also found the gloating very unprofessional.
puca bearsI'm with you there, Bobbie - UCK, bordering on offensive! It's hardly going to endear them to those of us who were/are very sad over the demise of our favourite mag................I for one won't be rushing to take out a subscription.
huggies
Maria
p.s. - sorry, can't help you with a hard copy - the mag isn't available here, as far as i know
Bobbie, like you I found this gloating approach distasteful and far from appropriate given the nature of our bear world, which is after all, primarily nurturing and supportive in ethos.
A big thumbs down for TBIC from me.
White Forest BearsHmmm....I didn't see it as gloating at all. I saw it as simply a factual statement, which it is. I'm totally bummed that TBS stopped publishing, it was/is a great mag, but from a marketing standpoint their competitors that are still going strong should be all over it. They ARE the only UK bear mag now. JMHO.
Sorry, but I also found it rather unneccessary and gloating in tone. When other teddy bear magazines have folded in the past, none of the other publishers have felt the need to dance on their graves, so to speak. It has really put me off ever wanting to advertise with them - that and their tiny circulation!! A few more tacky stunts like this and that will be down to zero.
Chrisx
Posts: 8,574Bobbie,
I couldn't agree with you more, its sad about the competition, and there is room in the bear world for everyone.
However, if any of the editors lurk on TT maybe they will see your topic and realize the impact of their headline!
Meanwhile I am delighted that they did such a nice story on YOU! Thats grand!
hugs
dilu
Bobbie,
I couldn't agree with you more, its sad about the competition, and there is room in the bear world for everyone.
However, if any of the editors lurk on TT maybe they will see your topic and realize the impact of their headline!
hugs
dilu
I DO hope so!! 
Although I very much doubt the editor had anything to do with this. Kirste, if you read this thread - none of the ire is directed at you, just at the ad/marketing dept!!
Hugs,
Chris
Dilu wrote:Bobbie,
I couldn't agree with you more, its sad about the competition, and there is room in the bear world for everyone.
However, if any of the editors lurk on TT maybe they will see your topic and realize the impact of their headline!
hugs
diluI DO hope so!!
Hugs,
Chris
Ditto that Chris!
I think that whilst it is a factual statement, it is a totally unnecessary and carelessly made one.
Dolls N DreamsI don't really see it like you guys, they are the only magazine now and they want that to be known .........(to advertise)
They are a business trying to make money, you can't take it as a personal attack...........
I have followed the magazine for sometime now and I am very excited to be featured in this latest issue.
Posts: 1,836Perception is everything, right? I can see where it's being viewed as tacky by those who loved TBS and then I can see where like Tami said it's a business that's got to survive now too.
Most times it's one person in an office with that "duty" who make a judgement call on wording and sadly most just don't think about all of the possible ways what they are writing can be perceived. Take the large mortgage company I worked for back on 9/11. Here we all were standing stunned watching 9/11 live on small conference room TVs, most of us with family commuting to work in NYC. We're working next to one of the last active naval bases in the east (no one knew what was coming next), making calls about family, and our brilliant HR department sends out a 2 line memo stating it's "business as usual". Some took that one way and many others took it to heart.
For TBCI it's business, for so many here it's personal.
:hug:
~Chrissi
Swan Valley BearsYes, it seemed negative to me too. They could have said something like,
"We're sorry to hear that the only other magazine dedicated to bear lovers in the UK has stopped publishing. We are happy to say that we are still going strong and appreciate your support."
Bear lovers are a warm fuzzy bunch, afterall. It would have seemed a kinder way to put it.
Lol, yeah, it is kinda tacky... lol. but take it at the fact that they can now say "come shop with us". I'm sure they don't mean any disrespect. Think of it this way.. at the place I work.. if our competition closed it's doors I'm sure we wouldn't say, awe, bummer, how sad.... No we would be more along YES our competition is gone.. more business for us. I know Teddy Bear people don't think like that because we are just happy to have different magazines... and everyone is sad to see TBS gone... but for TBCI it will more than likely mean more ad's more subscriptions... more business... which will make their mag bigger and better.
Hugs!
Melanie
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)I thank you all for your input - and I can see valid points in every response: especially in a cold hard look from a strictly financial aspect.
The wording is my objection: choice of words, Font size, colors chosen, UPPER CASE..... THOSE are not the financial presentation choices; that came from the heart of ad/marketing ppl.
I couldn't quite get the coloring right and the Font size was HUGE for an email (I couldn't figure out how to make it appear the same) - but it fairly screamed these comments. This is the first email I've ever rec'd from them as an ad to subscribe. Besides the low $ - £ ratio now, I wouldn't put advertising $$ into it.
I'll read it online. (And why would they put the whole magazine online for free and still expect revenue from subscriptions. I know that sold ad space brings in a much larger proportion of any mag's revenue than does subscriptions.)
Do they (does any mag) really feel that each country is so insular that the readers don't read and/or subscribe to other country's publications, especially in a collector market? Wake up - you're not THE ONE AND ONLY!
This was truly dancing on a grave. Whichever Dept had the final say, they made a very poor choice in using a gloating tone. Sad.
puca bearsjust one point, Bobbie - the imag isn't free - there is a yearly sub. Used to be ten pounds, but I noticed it had gone up to twenty.
And yes - we all have to make MONEY, unfortunately..........but the "dancing on the grave" aspect, coupled with really HARD sell for advertising just put my back up.
huggies
Maria
Posts: 8,574Dilu wrote:
Bobbie,
I couldn't agree with you more, its sad about the competition, and there is room in the bear world for everyone.
However, if any of the editors lurk on TT maybe they will see your topic and realize the impact of their headline!
hugs
dilu
oops, I didn't intend for my words to be taken like this, so for this I apologise. On re-reading what I wrote, OUCH!! I was terribly wrong. I think it is sad, that another business devoted to
teddies has gone into closure.
I shouldn't have been in such a hurry and should have taken the time to phrase my words more sensitively. And to reread.
so I apologize to the board and the editors of this magazine as well, I was more excited for Bobbies good article and wasn't thinking about the pain the owner must be feeling as he or she closes the doors..... :redface:
Another example of unintended consequences of being in a hurry. Not thinking through what one is typing and so on. Nevertheless, I own my culpability and apologize. As I am sorry and truly did not mean to cause any more pain. It is sad to see such loss to the entire Teddy world.
dilu
Posts: 1,836I thank you all for your input - and I can see valid points in every response: especially in a cold hard look from a strictly financial aspect.
The wording is my objection: choice of words, Font size, colors chosen, UPPER CASE..... THOSE are not the financial presentation choices; that came from the heart of ad/marketing ppl.I couldn't quite get the coloring right and the Font size was HUGE for an email (I couldn't figure out how to make it appear the same) - but it fairly screamed these comments. This is the first email I've ever rec'd from them as an ad to subscribe. Besides the low $ - £ ratio now, I wouldn't put advertising $$ into it.
I'll read it online. (And why would they put the whole magazine online for free and still expect revenue from subscriptions. I know that sold ad space brings in a much larger proportion of any mag's revenue than does subscriptions.)
Do they (does any mag) really feel that each country is so insular that the readers don't read and/or subscribe to other country's publications, especially in a collector market? Wake up - you're not THE ONE AND ONLY!This was truly dancing on a grave. Whichever Dept had the final say, they made a very poor choice in using a gloating tone. Sad.
That cold hard financially piece is why so many bear things are getting hit (from Merrythought almost folding, to shows packing up, to magazines closing shop, to artists taking big enough hits to leave bear making), it's just the facts of our world/economy. Good wishes, fuzzy thoughts and featuring artists won't keep them afloat. It's just a true blue reality for them, especially since they are now the only bear magazine in the UK. Did they jump at the opportunity to make that "one and only UK" point, sure. TBCI didn't use advertising techniques to kill the competitions existence. Instead they seem to be focusing on doing what TBS' publishers felt they couldn't in today's marketplace. If TBCI was to go under 6 months from now (leaving zero UK bear magazines and another gaping hole in our industry) we'd all be asking why they didn't take advantage of the wide open marketing opportunity! Could they have been more tactful, sure...we all can be most times. Me personally, I'm not perceiving this as dramatically as some are, but I can totally understand where others might be more passionate because of a personal connection with TBS. We're a passionate bunch 
:hug:
~Chrissi
I don't think this is a personally biased thing at all, I think it was a misplaced statement, more likely to do harm than good, given the nature of the magazine's target circulation. All in all, I think it was totally unnecessary to make such a statement, in such a way and I fail to see how it was intended to achieve anything productive.
Lol, it's true.. You have to think too.. I'm sure not everyone who works for the magazines is a Teddy Bear person. ...heehee, and yes we sure are a passionate bunch
Hugs! Hugs! Hugs!
Melanie
Back Road BearsSome how I doubt a marketing student would be taught that this sort of tactic is GOOD Public Relations. Nor does it set a positive 'tone' for the company..... and the demographics and personality types that teddy bear magazines cater to DO have to be considered in any sales or marketing efforts. Whether the employee who wrote that is a 'teddy bear person' or not doesn't matter. It's their JOB to do whats best for the company they work for. And although some may not be offended by the announcement that is the object of this discussion, others will be... and the magazine could very well loose readership, never mind advertising money, over it - BECAUSE of the sensitive, emotional bunch that the majority of their readers likely are. Kinder more respectful words could have gotten the same point across. Patty - loved your alternative!
I've been published in TBCI a couple of times now... and I have NOTHING against the magazine's content.. and in fact have a sub. to both the paper mag and the imag... and I think it's editor, Kirste, is a wonderful and compassionate person who is trying to do good for the bear community. Some of the others who work "behind the scenes" seem to be a contradiction, IMO.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Their latest email notification is Reeaalllly toned down. I wonder if mine was the only backlash...
Teddy Bear Club International, the ONLY UK Teddy Bear Magazine, wants to treat you like royalty with a hamper from the Queen's grocery store. FREE with our compliments!
puca bears??????????????????????????????? - can't find a suitable emoticon, with jaw dropping!
