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

[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.