DATE: 03/01/2007 18:31:13 / MOOD: full of life
Who wants to hear the sound of his own voice day in and day out? Well, some people might, but not me. It gets b-o-r-i-n-g right quick.
The same is true of Jeeps. Don't get me wrong...I love my Jeep, but I want to see more, more, more! And we think
J Rations magazine readers would agree. We try to get as many models as possible into each issue, but alas, resources are limited.
This is where our readers come out and play. Not only can you help us get a broader mix of Jeeps on the pages, you might give your Jeep the editorial ink it deserves. So, are you ready to see your rig inside the magazine? We hope so.
All you have to do is email us a few hi-rez images and a complete description of you and your Jeep (name, address, model year, engine, tranny, transfer case, axles and all modifications, inside and out). If your friends would also be interested in seeing their Jeeps in print, please invite them to submit their photos and info as well.
Obviously, we may not be able to use all submissions, but we'll do our best. Just send the goods in an email to "editor at jrations dot com" (spelled out to thwart spambots; please use the "at" symbol and the dot).
So, don't be shy. Come and show us your Jeep, and have it immortalized in the pages of J Rations, because readers keep their magazine collections forever!
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DATE: 03/01/2007 14:27:38 / MOOD: full of life
Bringing Jeep enthusiasts back to a genuine Jeep magazine written and published by Jeep enthusiasts has been a tougher undertaking than I imagined. Bright ideas, big plans, lots of intel on the inner workings of the Jeep market made me drop back and punt when the Jeep community said, "Wha?? Another Jeep mag?" This is the challenge that lies in front of J Rations, a multimedia Jeep publication launched in December 2005 by myself and a handful of partners.
The keyword of the day was "disillusionment." Readers of Jeep and off-road magazines register their disappointment all across the Web—blogs, forums, emails, you name it. Why are they so disappointed? Well, as far as I can tell, corporate buyouts, drastically cut budgets (for a lean, mean bottom line) and editorial content that focuses more on dreams than reality have alienated many readers. And now that they feel disenfranchised, how do I win them back?
Our concept has remained steady: Give readers what they want, information they can use, and do it with an abundant amount of respect for the audience. This has been our mission, and we've not strayed from it. We faithfully work 'round the clock creating articles, features, columns and departments that speak to us, average everyday Jeepers, and so we believe it will speak to the rest of the pack, too. And it is.
It's taken more than a year to convince Jeep enthusiasts that there really is a magazine for them, one that is not owned by some mega-corporation who cares only about how much ad revenue came in last month. Our task is clear: keep publishing quality content and keep it on schedule. Communicate with other enthusiasts as much as time allows, send them whatever swag we can afford (when they've earned it :o) and stick to the job at hand.
It's challenging, to say the least. I am one person doing the job of many, as are my partners. But we do it, even when we haven't eaten in hours, haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks when we're on deadline, can't tell you what's going on in the news (who has time for TV!), and we get the occasional complaint, "I'm an advertiser in your magazine...why didn't you mention me in the Q&A column?"
We press forward because, first and foremost, we are Jeep enthusiasts. And because publishing is what we do. We enjoy it, even with all its demands, because it's fun to share information and observations with people who enjoy the same things we do.
So, what does it take to bring disenfranchised readers back into the fold? Commitment, honesty and a magazine that is worthy of their money and time. That's what we do...every day. And I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the world.
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