Shady Marketing

Menstuff® has compiled magazines that have run a variety of covers for the same issue at the same newsstand. Rodale Press (publishers of MH-18 and Men's Health, amoung other publications) is the primary publisher that uses this technique, obstensibly to test which cover works best. However, selling the same magazine but different covers at the same location leads to customer confusion not remembering the date on the issue last purchased but knowing that the cover looks different. Boosts sales of newsstand editions as the consumer loses out.


MH-18 is at it again for Fall, 2001. At least two different covers and stories for the same issue. Be for warned. They did it last quarter also. See below.



Watch out when buying the April, 2001 issue of Gear magazine.
We got caught again. Gear is a pretty good men's magazine. However, their marketing tactics suck. Once again the April, 01 issue has two very different covers. So, if you buy the issue early in the month and return later to see a different cover, you, like us, might spend another $3.50 ($5.50 in Canada) for the same thing. Bob Guccione, Jr. is Editor-in-Chief, Gear, 450 W 15th St, New York, NY 10011 212.771.7000, editorial fax to 212.627.3168 or edit@gearmagazine.com We did hear back from Bob. MORE


Rodale Press, publishers of MH-18, print different covers for the same issue which may include different teasers on cover articles. The three different covers for the Summer, 2001 issue we show here may not be what you see on the newsstand. Be very careful to note what issue you are looking for, i.e., Summer, 2001, etc. versus issues you may already have purchased.

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