Ads ‘n’ Ends From Yesterday’s Boston Dailies

July 13, 2017

Wednesday wasn’t hump day for the local daily newspapers – it was Exceedingly Strange Advertisement Day.

Start with this ad that ran in the Boston Globe Sports section.

Kind of odd, eh? Especially the placement. Sure, divorce is a contact sport, but Globe Sports still seems a bit of a stretch.

Then again, that ad seems downright normal compared to this earlier Globe ad from Pro Vobis (translation: For You, as opposed apparently to For Themselves, which is comforting, at least theoretically).

Now that’s truly bizarre. But, as it happens, not nearly as bizarre as this ad in yesterday’s Boston Herald.

In a former life, the hardreading staff worked at a local ad agency and the above is what we used to call a concept with a capital K.

Here’s the genesis of the problem: Diamonds are priced on the basis of the 4 Cs (Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut) that were brilliantly invented by the De Beers Group in one of the greatest ad campaigns of all time.

But dental implants don’t slip on as easily as diamond rings. (The hardwincing staff can painfully attest to that.)

So that ad is a bit like turning a kidney stone into a necklace.

Ouch.

Finally, the headscratching staff has seen nine or ten full-page ads in the Herald like this one over the past couple of months.

Music Drives Us describes itself as “a registered 501(c)(3), New England nonprofit organization supplying grants to music programs designed to effect positive change for people of all ages. We seek out organizations and individuals interested in using music as a tool to better the lives of people in all segments of society.”

The driving force behind the group is Ernie Boch Jr., who presumably has spent a lot of money running those ads in the Herald (but not, as far as we can tell, the Globe). Let’s hope those bracelets are selling as well as Boch’s cars do.


Friends of Jack Connors Unfriendly to Boston Herald

June 12, 2017

Saturday night marked the 10th annual Beach Ball to benefit Camp Harbor View, a pet project of Boston macher Jack Connors.

Yesterday’s local dailies, however, featured very different versions of the shindig.

Start with this full-page ad that friends of Jack ran in the stately local broadsheet.

 

 

Oddly, there was no actual coverage of the Beach Ball in the Boston Sunday Globe.

Crosstown at the Boston Herald, there was of course no such ad-ulation from the FOJs. But there was this coverage of the event by the ubiquitous Erica Corsano.

 

 

(To be fair graf goes here)

To be fair, today’s Globe does have this day-late-nine-million-dollars-short item in the Names column.

That’s a lotta jack, eh?


Boston.com(merce) Shmushes Advertising & Editorial

June 7, 2017

From our State of the Cuisinart Marketing desk

In response to the hardreading staff’s post the other day about the Boston Herald auctioning off its editorial content to advertisers (and in the process conscripting its freelance writers into some sort of lend-lease program), splendid reader MM sent us this.

 

 

The Boston.com article in question: 

15 can’t-miss concerts in Boston this June

From Kiss Concert to Dead & Company, Hall & Oates to Megadeth.

An annual summer pop staple and pioneering jam band at Fenway are just two great music events hitting Boston in June.

Guitar gods

Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Flamenco guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela is celebrating 10 years of performing together with a U.S. tour that will stop in Boston. The Mexico City natives are acoustic guitar virtuosos, and bring intricate soloing and and an unrivaled dynamic to a genre that’s not often given the spotlight. The two have collaborated with many famous composers and have even performed at the White House for President Barack Obama. (Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m.; House of Blues; $39.50-$59.50; all ages; tickets available here)

 

And etc. – for 14 more events.

Every tickets available here links to a ticket-buying site such as the House of Blues or MLB.com or AXS.com.

And what MM points out as “the italicized line at the end”?

Boston.com will receive payment if a purchase is made through the article.

 

As MM notes, that might be the first such partnership for Boston.com, but it’s emblematic of the monetizing efforts newspaper companies like Boston Globe Media are scrambling to initiate as they battle dwindling circulation numbers and plummeting ad revenues.

(The New York Times Co. has been the hands-down leader in this mash for cash, as our kissin’ cousins at Campaign Outsider have dutifully chronicled.)

But Globe Media has been ramping up the money chase as well. In addition to the Boston.commerce gambit, there’s the Globe Live storytelling event last month, the ongoing Boston Globe Travel Show, and who knows what else to come.

(To be sure graf goes here.)

To be sure, the hardrooting staff is all for anything that keeps newspapers alive and well – and keeps the separation between advertising and editorial alive and well at the same time.

‘Nuf sed.


Boston Herald Auctions Off Editorial to Advertisers

June 1, 2017

Stop the presses! The Boston Herald has gone native again!

As the hardtsking staff has previously noted, the sneaky local tabloid has occasionally dabbled in native advertising in its print edition, but now the ads in sheep’s clothing seem to be appearing with greater frequency.

Last week there was this full-page marketing massage “presented by Primark.”

Today there’s this puffery, “presented by The Lawn on D powered by Citizens Bank” – a twofer.

Both writers – Brett Milano and Miriam Schwartz – appear to be freelancers, although a piece she wrote last year referred to her as “the Herald’s Miriam Schwartz.” (Both, interestingly, also share the link bostonherald.com/users – which sort of feels backward given what the stingy local tabloid pays for freelance work.)

Anyway, that’s not as egregious as using staff reporters to produce advertising content, but even so . . .

C’mon, Heraldniks – at least have to decency to get actual copywriters to produce this stuff.


Globe Backs Wrong Horse in Belmont Stakes Preview

May 28, 2017

The hardreading staff is a longtime fan of thoroughbred racing’s annual Triple Crown bakeoff, although we prefer fewer rather than more threefers.

So, as we gallop toward the Belmont Stakes, chalk this up as a good year: Always Dreaming won the Kentucky Derby, then finished eighth in the Preakness to Cloud Computing.

Except in Boston GlobeWorld.

From Saturday’s edition:

 

 

Thankfully, the Boston Herald had the real racing form.

 

 

Hey, Globeniks: Saddle up, eh?


Boston Herald Jacks Up Newsstand Price by 33%

May 8, 2017

As the hardreading staff has previously noted, we’re one of roughly 17 home subscribers to the Boston Herald, which means that virtually all of the feisty local tabloid’s dwindling print circulation comes from newsstand sales.

So it’s no surprise that this Notice appeared on page 2 of today’s edition. (Note the reverse typeface, which is harder to read, especially for us elderly folk.)

 

 

Close-up (sort of):

 

 

The sneaky local tabloid does say that the price increase “will not affect home-delivered copies of  the Boston Herald,” which has up to tens of subscribers issuing a sigh of relief.

Still, that’s a one-third newsstand hike from Saturday . . .

 

 

. . . to today.

 

 

Which means the pricey local tabloid now costs the same as the Boston Globe.

 

 

The Herald’s newsstand price is also now double that of the New York tabloids, which, to be fair, are constantly waging price wars. Rising above the fray, the New York Times newsstand price is $2.50.

Two and a half times more for the broadsheet? That seems closer to the natural order of things, no?


New Inside Track Gal Finally Gets Some Trac(k)tion

April 29, 2017

The hardreading staff is first to acknowledge that replacing the Boston Herald’s longtime Inside Track diva Gayle Fee is a daunting task. And, all due respect, new Track Gal Olivia Vanni has gotten off to a largely undistinguished start.

But she kicked ass today.

 

 

Local Festers Shireena El Gallal and her sister Lamann dished all the gory details about the Bahama drama to Vanni, who totally scooped the Boston Globe.

We’re sure the Namesniks at the Globe will do their usual clip ‘n’ paste job in tomorrow’s edition. Maybe, instead of their usual M O, they’ll actually credit their sources.


Boston Globe ‘Names’ Column Stiffs Boston Herald

April 28, 2017

From our No Credit Where Credit’s Due desk

It’s one thing for the Namesniks at the Boston Globe to rip off the hardreading staff. It’s quite another to xerox the Boston Herald without attribution.

From today’s Names:

 

 

Only one thing missing from the piece – acknowledgement that the firsty local tabloid’s Jessica Heslam had the story two days ago.

New honcho at 5 generates static

‘Move it’ mandate miffs on-camera staff

There’s a new “move it, move it” mandate being preached by Channel 5’s top newsroom honcho — but some miffed reporters don’t want to dance along.

Paige Harrison, who took over as WCVB-TV’s news director in January, has laid down a harsh edict demanding reporters get expressive during every TV live shot and stand-up.

 

Hey, Globies – maybe you could be more stand-up, eh?


Jet Blue Promotion Leaves Boston Herald at the Gate

April 18, 2017

From our Local Dailies DisADvantage desk

Jet Blue has come up with a timely campaign  to chase the Income Tax Blues: the Jet Blue Tax Return Flight. Here’s how it works.

 

 

Locally there’s also this ad in today’s Boston Globe.

 

 

But there’s no such ad in – that’s right – the Boston Herald. So the hardtsking staff posted this on Twitter:

 

 

We’ll let you know if we get a #TaxReturnTweet.


Mayor Marty Walsh Advertises One Boston (Daily) Day

April 15, 2017

From our Local Dailies DisAdvantage desk

Be of good cheer, splendid readers! Today not only marks the return of the swan boats to the Boston Public Garden, but it’s also #OneBostonDay, as Mistah Mayah declares in this full-page Boston Globe ad.

 

 

There is, however, no One Boston Day ad in today’s Boston Herald.

Could that be because of Herald headlines like Mother of shot child says ‘Marty Walsh is a liar’? Or Liz Warren and Marty Walsh need to grow up?

We’re guessing inquiring minds at the thirsty local tabloid want to know.