I just got off the phone with the customer service of the only one magazine that I subscribe to - BusinessWeek. The purpose? To cancel my subscription to the magazine.
Don't get me wrong - I love the magazine. I love reading it week after week after week. I thought it had pretty good thoughts and viewpoints about current socio-political and economic issues in the US and around the world. I was not perfect - I still read a few more other magazines that I could get my hands on. But I thought it was a good starting point.
But then, I realized after having gone through several issues - "paper" and online - there was no significant difference. In fact, when I tried to check out the latest paper-issue against their online-issue, I didn't see a big difference between what I wanted to read on-paper versus those that were online.
In fact, the one online was a lot more updated. Perhaps, not as deep as I wanted the discussions to be - but still, good enough.
So I cancelled by BusinessWeek subscription.
Did BusinessWeek lose me as an audience? Of their magazine, yeah. But of their brand? Nope. I still will read their articles. I am just going to do it online - and well, free.
I know some would think that this is no longer an issue - this thing about 'paper versus digital' media. But I think one has yet to win over the other. And in fact, it is possible for a brand to never lose in this battle.
If only media-publishers would treat their businesses as brands - real brands - in the same way that Coke, Pepsi, IBM, Dove, and Pantene are brands.
