Arrival of mysterious publication

[bunn]

The Oxford History Faculty has just sent me a shiny printed magazine all about themselves. I don't know why. It is over 10 years since I studied History, and my college - I presume that's where they got the address from - knows that I'm not an academic or anything historical at all, and nor do I have bags of money. I'm almost sure that I didn't request or pay for the thing (not even in a moment of lunacy).

So, why the glossy mag? I thought Universities were supposed to be short of cash, historians particularly so? Why have they paid to print upon dead trees and post, this thing riddled with colour photos of historians and turgid content? (I'm afraid historians are not particularly decorative, and they aren't in amusing poses either, which would at least have lightened the whole thing up a bit).

I note that the PPE fac has not sent a shiny mag to Polo.

Comments

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I've just come home to find one of those, too! I was just as puzzled as you were. I was especially intrigued to see that this claims to be issue 3. Why have they suddenly decided to send me this now? And why wasn't I considered worthy of getting the first two?

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I wondered that as well!

Though I suppose I do now know that poor Patrick Wormald is dead, which I might not otherwise have found out. I hope Jenny and her kids (known to us then, most unkindly, as The Worms) are OK.

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

It's a marketing ploy. The first two issues go to people who've signed up for it, or are considered really likely to want it (academics, grad students) then they start on alumni.

The idea is to bring in money from advert sales based on the large dedicated and presumed wealthy (graduates get paid more so the myth goes, and academics get all their books free so they have cash to spare :-) !) market. The English Heritage mag is full of ads for expensive things that few of its members would actually want let alone afford.

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I don't think the history faculty is as organized as you suggest - we simply didn't have all the addresses to start off with, and we don't have the staff to gather a full list straight away. Should anyone want issues 1 and 2 I can happily supply them... :)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks, but... ;-)

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Bluntly - the faculty needs money and the shiny magazine that you receive is actually pretty cheap to produce, from what I gather. Colleges get most of the money from alumni appeals, while faculty posts go unfilled. I loathe the whole business but university life seems increasingly dependent on passing round the begging bowl.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

It's a terrible marketing ploy! There is no advertising that I can spot (by issue three surely they should have sold some?), and the call to action is tucked away at the back, and presented as a followup to an initial contact that never happened, leaving the recipient feeling all sad and small and unwanted.

Have you *read* the introduction? It's like a 'look how vague I can be' competition! (I haven't read it. My reading skills have atrophied outside the academic world. Now I only read bullet points.)

We have a sample audience of 2 here (OK, that's a crap sample size) and so far I would describe the customer reaction as 'puzzled' rather than 'wallet-waving'.

Still, maybe our sample is abnormal. I'd be interested to know if it is causing the cheques to come rolling in.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Hey, I take exception to the "abnormal" word. I can't think of anything I've ever done that is not entirely normal for a female of my age.

Now, you must excuse me. I'm off to giggle evilly as I hack up little Lego Star Wars characters in a game designed for 5 year olds, and then write a Morris dance inspired by the ritual slaughter of barley.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

That seems like a very normal activity for an Oxford history graduate of our vintage. At least, the ones I'm still in touch with ;-).