Official Luthiers Forum!

So... I am cruising through UDF today to buy my favorite elixir (diet soda) when the 2006 Guitar Buyers Guide jumped off the newsstand and hit me in the head.

... It is a cover with a bunch of scantily clad hot women fondling guitars.....

And, I thought... "Please tell me no.... Guitars CAN NOT be going the route of mechanics tools and beer!"

So after doing a little Googling .... I find out that these are PORN STARS!!!

Is it just me, or doesn't it seem to be a really bad idea for major names, PRS, Fender, Breedlove, and lots of other GOOD production brands to be resorting to this kind of marketing... And inside the magazine they are nearly naked...

Don't get me wrong... I am no prude. I believe in using sex to sell (some) products... and I am not offended by the images..... but to sell guitars?? THAT is crossing the line...   

Forget degrading women ... they are big girls who presumably know what they are doing (and this is clearly tame by their normal professional responsibilities) .... but what about degrading the instruments, the brands, and people who buy them?

AND really solid brands are buying in on this!!

You can see that I rarely make it to the newsstand.... It looks like this has been going on for some time.....

But PORN STARS!!!! Egads!! Talk about endorsement deals run amok!!

Somebody needs to talk to a brand consultant...

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Somebody must have heard the term "guitar porn" an not understood what we were talking about....

[.. walking away shaking my head ]

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Brock,

I have not seen the the buyers guide, but I am not surprised. Did you say Breedlove!    Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

Anyway, my 1st thought is, if they resort to that kind of marketing, then their bottom line is just the bottom line (yes, another possible pun there). Whatever gets product out the door. A sad statement.

Jeff

Yes.. ok... it is one thing when it is just hot girls. While I don't think a finely made guitar (production or otherwise) needs that kind of marketing, I can sort of understand how those really pointy shredder axes might resort to that kind of marketing, but Fender, PRS, Gibson (well.. Epiphone anyway).... No.

But to find out that these women are not only PORN STARS but the magazine is openly using that as part of the hook, tells me that someone has wandered very far out into the weeds -- namely the marketing geniuses at the big companies. Would Leo Fender be excited to see his brand pitched by by a porn star --- I think not....

This is just marketing insanity.

I am not "offended" in the moral way, as much as I am offended that anyone could be this STUPID!!

Trust me, this is NOT selling guitars. It probably * is * selling magazines, but I am sure it is hurting the guitar brands.

Brock Poling38553.5661921296

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

The publisher wants to sell a LOT of these. Why? Because, as I understand it, manufacturers are charged to be included in the issue, and the more "guides" sold the previous year, the more the publisher can charge for the current year. Essentially, it's a magazine with nothing but advertisements...and at an inflated consumer price. It's not the break-even public service information the guitar magazines should be providing. So why the cheesecake? So large numbers of teenage boys will shell out the big bucks, and pad the sales so the ad rates can go up next year. It must be working.

I have to fight my way through a crowd of those babes just to get into my
shop. Women get really aggressive when they hear you are a luthier. The
porn stars are actually the most polite of the bunch, in my experience.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

[QUOTE=CarltonM] So large numbers of teenage boys will shell out the big bucks, and pad the sales so the ad rates can go up next year. It must be working.[/QUOTE]

I understand... but my point is... once the big guitar companies learn that their guitars are going to be pitched by porn stars... you would think they would run for the hills and not want anything to do with the guide.

I can (sort of) understand small no name companies being ok with it, but the big brands ... that was a real surprise.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=Howard Klepper] I have to fight my way through a crowd of those babes just to get into my
shop. Women get really aggressive when they hear you are a luthier. The
porn stars are actually the most polite of the bunch, in my experience. [/QUOTE]


Cool...   Ahh... the fringe benefits.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Hrrmmmm . . . I thought it was all about Sex Drugs and Rock n Roll nowadays. Or did I miss something?

I won't let my 14yo daughter watch MTV or any of the rest of that smut.

Best,

Michael

_________________
Live to Play, Play to Live

This is why I like building classicals. When Classicals builders start resorting to these tactics then we'll truly know that it's the end of civilization as we know it!

Notice these are all production line companies, granted Breedlove a a couple other are not quit what I would call old style factories, but most have to report earnings to a board of directors and investors and what they care about is units sold and profit per unit.

Could this be a windfall for independent luthiers? Well I could see the maybe some of the Christian music artist walking away from endorsements if this becomes an issue. They should anyway

How tacky

O.k. Brock...now you did it! I am offended by your use of the word "porn" and "big girls". Just what is it you are trying to say...huh...just what do you mean by "big"? I'm a "big" guy does that make me a porn person? Yea right...o.k. Now I know just how you think...you know what you are... you are a "big-a-phobe" and "anti-porn-o-tic".... And you wanted to be my latex salesman?...

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

This isn't the first buyers guide featuring porn stars.. The last 2 years have featured porn stars too..

I really don't care who is modelling in the mag. I wait all year to get this guide so I can see what everyone is building and whats new for the year..

Maybe we should get the OLF to submit some headshots of members for consideration next year?? Maybe get Lance in a swimsuit?    

_________________
CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

I've got a leopard print thong to match some of my leopard figured koa. Would this class things up a bit Colonial Tonwds38553.8820023148

It true a 32" scale wouldn't be for everyone, but it's enough to make some luthier's have a 5 year wait list...


Had to do it..

_________________
www.handcraftinlay.com

Remember guys, our form of avaricious capitalism has to continually increase bottom line. Sellers would cover them in s*** if they could sell more units.

[QUOTE=Dave-SKG] O.k. Brock...now you did it! I am offended by your use of the word "porn" and "big girls". Just what is it you are trying to say...huh...just what do you mean by "big"? I'm a "big" guy does that make me a porn person? Yea right...o.k. Now I know just how you think...you know what you are... you are a "big-a-phobe" and "anti-porn-o-tic".... And you wanted to be my latex salesman?... [/QUOTE]


Shhhhh... you weren't suppossed to tell...   

Incidentally, I suppose you don't know this, but my company built the web site(s) for Lane Bryant during their tenure as a Limited Brand. So I am pretty sure you can't "label" me as a "big-a-phobe"... but thanks for trying....   

The fashion shows were a blast.... dead serious....

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=bob J] Remember guys, our form of avaricious capitalism has to continually increase bottom line. Sellers would cover them in s*** if they could sell more units.[/QUOTE]

Not true!! I am the ** purest ** form of capitalist. Born and bred for it. Straight from the school of Rand.

But ** capitalism ** is not squandering your good name for a quick buck. That is poor planning and IMO borderline insanity.

Again, I am not outraged by the use of *** porn stars *** to sell magazines. I find that perfectly acceptable -- sure, it is tacky, but I know and understand why they are doing it.

What I am dumbfounded by is the big brand instrument companies who are willing to attach their names to it. They have hundreds of years of history, some of the most famous musicians of all time playing their wares, music that inspires us.... and the geniuses think it is a good idea to let PORN STARS be the "spokes person" for the brand? (at least temporarily...)

Again, what would Leo think, Loyd Loar, any of the guys who built the reputations of these companies....

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I agree with you Brock, but this is an annual buying guide. The big companies simply can't afford not to be in it. Maybe a few well organized and questionably legal CEO phone calls could arrange a boycott of the publication, but it would be risky to try to break out of the cycle.

What is a little more surprising is that this doesn't provoke a competing guide, maybe one with more wood and less plastic.

My question is "can they play?"...if it has nothing to do with Luthierie than it doesnt really sell any more past the first attention grab.

I could get a "big" pro football player who may not be able to play a lick to hold one of my classical guitars but then again I live in the Washington DC area and I dont think that at the moment a Washington Redskin endorsement sells much of anything...but there is always next season

Steve

I think just the pictures of the wood will be fine !!!

Brock,

     Look at the statisitcs - a huge majority of the guitar buying public is male, under 21 yrs old, and shops at the "big box" store nearest them. A major fraction of them plays a solid body instrument in the under $500 range. That is EXACTLY the market the big guys want. It is, in their opinion, the future of guitar retailing, and sex is a very apt way of reaching their target.

     Don't get me wrong - I agree wholeheartedly with YOU, but I have no trouble whatsoever in understanding the tactic being used, and why.

     Remember that "we" seek a different level of customer - an older, more experienced and educated buyer, but that our market segment is tiny - comparatively speaking.

     Bill

[QUOTE=Brock Poling] [QUOTE=Dave-SKG] O.k. Brock...now you did it! I am offended by your use of the word "porn" and "big girls". Just what is it you are trying to say...huh...just what do you mean by "big"? I'm a "big" guy does that make me a porn person? Yea right...o.k. Now I know just how you think...you know what you are... you are a "big-a-phobe" and "anti-porn-o-tic".... And you wanted to be my latex salesman?... [/QUOTE]


Shhhhh... you weren't suppossed to tell...   

Incidentally, I suppose you don't know this, but my company built the web site(s) for Lane Bryant during their tenure as a Limited Brand. So I am pretty sure you can't "label" me as a "big-a-phobe"... but thanks for trying....   

The fashion shows were a blast.... dead serious.... [/QUOTE]

So I guess this means you will be my Latex Salesman?

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

On another serious note...
Are you going to Brune's FP class?

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"