Autosport and Motor Sport -- The Issues at Issue....
#1
Posted 18 August 2004 - 07:01
I have my reservations about this - any other opinions?
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#2
Posted 18 August 2004 - 07:39
I found the green quite serene but distintive at the book stand. Maybe red makes it harder to find among other flashing, sensational front covers.
#3
Posted 18 August 2004 - 07:49
#4
Posted 18 August 2004 - 07:50
#5
Posted 18 August 2004 - 07:57
Maybe they should have gone for a dayglo orange or lime green top - not too many of them around.
I presume the next move will be to have a bikini (or even less dressed!!!!) female on the cover draped over a body kitted Ferrari 250 GTO with lowered suspension and a 25,000 Watt stereo system fitted.
#6
Posted 18 August 2004 - 08:05
This is a magazine about history,and its colour is 80 years old. If its going to become a monthlly digest of what has already been in weekly Autosport/MSN I shall cancel my subscription now.
#7
Posted 18 August 2004 - 08:09
When did the green covers start? Seems like they had different colours in the pre-picture years.
The worst of it is, though, that the distinctive title style is going.
#8
Posted 18 August 2004 - 08:09
#9
Posted 18 August 2004 - 08:12
I find it very hard to imagine your typical "Max Power" laaads buying Motor Sport simply because it's red, so it's all a bit sad. Johnny Marketer has made another pointless fortune here methinks. :
#10
Posted 18 August 2004 - 08:29
It struck me too that they seem to be pitching at "Octane" now. It's actually all a bit ironic. When "Motor Sport" changed to a more "historic" stance in 1997 there were loads of letters complaining about the change. It looks as if they are reverting to a slighltly more contemporary brief - which is not bad in itself actually - but the "red top" idea is just plain misguided, in my opinion.
#11
Posted 18 August 2004 - 08:41
#12
Posted 18 August 2004 - 09:33
As long as the content remains roughly the same (although Simon Taylor's Modern Times column will stop talking in my sleep) I'll remain a subscriber.
#13
Posted 18 August 2004 - 09:34
Originally posted by Eric McLoughlin
I think green has featured as part of the cover right back to The Brooklands Gazette days. I have a huge collection of "Motor Sports" dating back to 1950 and they have certainly been green since then.
It struck me too that they seem to be pitching at "Octane" now. It's actually all a bit ironic. When "Motor Sport" changed to a more "historic" stance in 1997 there were loads of letters complaining about the change. It looks as if they are reverting to a slighltly more contemporary brief - which is not bad in itself actually - but the "red top" idea is just plain misguided, in my opinion.
Octane isn't a bad mag, some of the content's very readable, but it's expensive for what it is, and a bit too "up itself" and designery.
#14
Posted 18 August 2004 - 09:52
#15
Posted 18 August 2004 - 10:00
Quite so.Originally posted by Vicuna
I believe I will get over this...
Although I do decry any reduction in the use of BRG....;)
#16
Posted 18 August 2004 - 11:42
#17
Posted 18 August 2004 - 12:00
Over the years there were various hues of Blues and Greens and even a Purplish one in November 1948 and a Silver one in August 1949.
Someday I will go through all my copies and see if any readers were upset at the new colour and format change in October 1949, November 1951, or October 1953 which is when the familiar Green Striped cover first appeared.
Incidentally, the August 1939 issue is when they added "Incorporating Speed" and omitted "Land-Air-Water" to the logo. November 1952 is the first issue that does not have "Incorporating Speed" printed on its cover. The last issue of Speed I have is April 1939, Vol. 4 No. 46.
The cover has changed more than a few times over the years so I suspect the new one is just another change to keep up with the times, although it does seem a bit unseemly, but after 50 years...
Ron Scoma
Badge Number 41
#18
Posted 18 August 2004 - 13:26
IIRC ten, maybe twenty years ago the British traffic authorities made a research seeking the best car's colour to stand out at dawn and dusk. After some months - and much more quids - they said definitely yellow was the best colour to avoid accidents and make cars more visible. Then - after the research was made public - someone pointed out something like "but if all the cars are yellow, how could a single yellow car stand out from the others?"...Originally posted by Eric McLoughlin
Another red top in a sea of red tops - how can that make it stand out? I fail to see the logic here.
#19
Posted 18 August 2004 - 13:46
T54
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#20
Posted 18 August 2004 - 14:17
Originally posted by panzani
IIRC ten, maybe twenty years ago the British traffic authorities made a research seeking the best car's colour to stand out at dawn and dusk. After some months - and much more quids - they said definitely yellow was the best colour to avoid accidents and make cars more visible. Then - after the research was made public - someone pointed out something like "but if all the cars are yellow, how could a single yellow car stand out from the others?"...
An interesting aside, after being "post-office red", GPO/Telecom's vans were painted bright yellow to stand out by the roadside. Then, with the next pointless rebranding as BT the vans were painted.... pale grey. The same colour as the British sky. Very good for something that spends most of its time stationary by the roadside.
#21
Posted 18 August 2004 - 14:22
At least MS keeps its masthead in a constant position, unlike Lowflying!
#22
Posted 18 August 2004 - 16:10
Simon Taylor's column confirms that the change of colour was thought up by the marketing "experts". I think it is just daft, the green cover gave Motor Sport far more recognizability. No doubt the contents will be acceptable, with the fabulous LAT archive on hand, it would be difficult to serve up an issue without something of interest. Long articles seem to be going out of fashion though.
#23
Posted 18 August 2004 - 16:32
Originally posted by ghinzani
The Green 'un red? travesty. and I was thinking of a subscription! pah!
The only thing I will subscribe is to your words, ghinzani. I decided to postpone sine die my intention to subscribe to Motor Sport. Obviously this is not about the color of the cover only.
I worked for more than ten years for the world leading company in its business, and one of the decisions that most propelled me to quit was the culture brought in in recent years by management and marketing (external) consutants. Such a company, more than 100-year old, had always had its own culture, that not only made it stand out from the rest but also - in my opinion - was a significant reason for its long standing success and self-supported growth.
But the company decided to follow the advice given by the consultants and now it became "just another one". Before, employes would takle much pride in working there, were very committed to its initiatives and would introduce themselves as "My name is Sal, and I work for X". Today it is a matter of "My name is Sal, I am an engineer and I just happen to be working for X". This slight change is quite symptomatic.
I have sensed an interesting trend/approach in marketing and management consultants which I call "the golden march towards idiocy", as companies are less and less willing top risk, producing products that shape and disguise themselves as commodities and are all pitched in similar way.
Motor Sport needed to enhance its identity - what absolutely does not mean becoming "more elitist"; this is a stupid co-relation which has been made more than once by managers of its parent company (recently one of such "luminaries"popped up at a thread at Ten Tenths where members were complaining about recent changes to Autosport, and his comments were quite pathetic).
C'mon Motor Sport, you should be different thanthe rest - and not yet another car magazine. Why should I buy it instead of getting another publication, or not getting anything at all?
Sadly, the latter of this three choices is the one I most exercize nowadays.
Muzza
#24
Posted 18 August 2004 - 16:46
#25
Posted 18 August 2004 - 17:03
#26
Posted 18 August 2004 - 18:25
Originally posted by BRG
Quite so.
Although I do decry any reduction in the use of BRG....;)
Of course you know there's no such thing as British Racing Green!
#27
Posted 18 August 2004 - 19:20
It looks cheap and nasty, not classic and stylish like the present logo.
As someone said - 'Hello' magazine. Why could they not just duplicate
the black/white 'MotorSport' logo and place this on the red?
As the magazine has historical content, the cover should reflect this.
I know which banner would look best trackside at the revival and the new one it ain't!
But - I suppose after a few months we will get used to it although I am sure we will
look back at our present collection and realise that yes it was better.
#28
Posted 18 August 2004 - 19:37
But I did enjoy the last two - especially the Lotus 76 article.
#29
Posted 18 August 2004 - 19:43
Originally posted by petefenelon
Looks more like Autosport, doesn't it? : - I assume C&SC will get the cover redesigned to match too.
As long as the content remains roughly the same (although Simon Taylor's Modern Times column will stop talking in my sleep) I'll remain a subscriber.
Didn't quite follow you at first Pete with your reference to Taylor. Now see what you mean having looked at his "final" column which, needless to say, I couldn't even finish without feeling the urge to nod off. Dear God, let's hope he disappears once and for all.
Nigel Roebuck's piece - ostensibly on Jochen Rindt's performance at the 1969 Grand Prix was good. But as usual at this time of the year the magazine (yet again) seems overwhelmed by pictures, articles and pages and pages of ads on Goodwood.
Unlike Muzza, Don Capps, et al, I still subscribe, but it will be very interesting to see what we get in a month's time...
MCS
#30
Posted 18 August 2004 - 19:49
Originally posted by MCS
Unlike Muzza, Don Capps, et al, I still subscribe, but it will be very interesting to see what we get in a month's time...
Actually, one shows up, as if by magic, in the mailbox each month.....
#31
Posted 18 August 2004 - 20:46
I'm only buying them still because I'm a completist - I'll continue my collection until the magazine dies because of it's own boredom.
#32
Posted 18 August 2004 - 21:15
Originally posted by Don Capps
Actually, one shows up, as if by magic, in the mailbox each month.....
I wonder why why ;)
MCS
#33
Posted 18 August 2004 - 21:16
Count the number of 'Ferrari' front covers since 1998, and you'll start to see my point...
Twinny
#34
Posted 18 August 2004 - 21:29
#35
Posted 18 August 2004 - 21:35
#36
Posted 18 August 2004 - 21:39
#37
Posted 18 August 2004 - 22:41
I'll continue my collection until the magazine dies because of it's own boredom.
What's the alternative?
#38
Posted 18 August 2004 - 22:52
#39
Posted 18 August 2004 - 23:21
Originally posted by T54
What's the alternative?
Whilst obviously assuming that you can continue to keep your "head above water" then there may be an alternative here within TNF...
MCS
#41
Posted 19 August 2004 - 00:02
Originally posted by T54
Yes indeed, but what do we do for tall stories?
Oh, hoo, hoo
Come on lads, some suggestions - I'm at a party on somebody else's PC - yikes!
Quick, quick...
MCS
#42
Posted 19 August 2004 - 01:03
Originally posted by T54
What's the alternative?
Easy, TNF's Track Record: The Journal for Motor Racing History......
#43
Posted 19 August 2004 - 01:05
Originally posted by Don Capps
Easy, TNF's Track Record: The Journal for Motor Racing History......
........................if only!!!!!!!
#44
Posted 19 August 2004 - 01:58
Table of Contents for the first issue please!!!
#45
Posted 19 August 2004 - 02:04
Who won the 1939 Driver's Championship? p1
When did Grand Prix racing get replaced by Formula One p10
The Tasman Series--Best Racing of All Time ! p11
Historic Racing--Is it Historic, is it Racing? p20
The year of the four--1964 Auto Racing p21
Doug Nye on Whatever He Likes p31
The Connew--the Untold Story p44
Last Bits--Where are they now
#46
Posted 19 August 2004 - 03:59
And Buford could do his autobiography in a series of monthly installments.
#47
Posted 19 August 2004 - 04:00
Originally posted by Mac Lark
David McKinney should have a column.
I meant 'must have' a column.
#48
Posted 19 August 2004 - 04:03
Originally posted by Mac Lark
And Buford could do his autobiography in a series of monthly installments.
........
And we need Twinny in this heady mix too.
With Luc (Pedro917) as photographer extraordinaire
#49
Posted 19 August 2004 - 04:34
#50
Posted 19 August 2004 - 06:48
Does my copy take the ferry or what? (Now I've turned red as well!)