Kudos to TLCA for having some balls...

[TRT2]

and hosting the Proffitts calendar ad which has women in bikinis!

Doesn't sound like it should be too hard but for those of us around when Land Cruiser connection ran their ad featuring a lovely young lady clothed in only a bikini and one letter to the editor put the kabash to the entire 'skin and cruisers' concept, TLCA has shrunk away from that approach like male genitalia and cold water.

Do not misunderstand me. TLCA is a family oriented association and proper decorum is expected, including nothing but tastefully and appropriately dressed people of both genders.

but in CA, it is common to wear bathing suites. And that's what it is, a bathing suite for crying out loud. Sun, Sand, Cruisers and bikinis! What a wonderful combination.

of course, in CA its also common for folks to wear their birthday suites too...
but that would not be tastefully or appropriately dressed for Trails.

Kudos to TLCA volunteer and paid staff members for allowing it and not caving due to one person's opinion, Kudos to the Ad. manager for securing the ad, and Kudos to Jeremiah to assembling a calendar that has been sorely lacking in the cruiser community! He got my order.

Same holds true for CCoT and their poster/calendars! Another huge success.

(the opinions voiced in this editorial do not necessarily reflect the opinion of management nor the Toyota Land Cruiser Association)

Tony Twiddy
I like Bikinis but seldom wear one and certainly never in Trails.

 

[nuclearlemon]

i'm not impressed, but men don't seem to care.

 

[Chef]

who did what?













I got $50 for the first pic of TRT in a 'kini, no photochops please. Make it real!

 

[nuclearlemon]

who did what?








I got $50 for the first pic of TRT in a 'kini, no photochops please. Make it real!

anybody work for the airlines...we may need a lot of barfbags

 

[CrruiserCCharlie]

Huh?

 

[hatfieldcb]

I guess I could say "Thanks!". The Cool Cruisers ad is similar and has been in the magazine for a while.


We had to turn down a request for a picture of me and Chef in our Speedos. It exceeded the maximum allowable skin-to-fabric ratio.

 

[Mark W]

Actually there were at least six women (members) that I personally know who were offended by that particular ad. Largely because the picture was merely a gratuitous chance to show some skin. Little doubt that there were others who felt the same. I have no idea how many others Henry may have heard from but I know that he did hear from more than just one and he had another letter or two which he did not run because there was no reason to beat the issue any more. AND BTW, the picture was included in an insert which James sent directly to the printer and therefore Henry had no chance to see it or even know what was in there beforehand.

I did not get the impression from Henry at the time that he was "caving" but rather that he agreed that the Trails didn't need that approach. As this post probably makes pretty obvious I didn't feel that we caved. And for the record, no one asked my opinion about running more. Not real big deal in any event, but I would have voted against it.

I fail to see any connection between bikini clad models and Cruisers. I've been pleased to see how over the last few years most of the classier motor enthusiest publications have gotten away from the use of models in skimpy clothing to attract readers. Just take a look at the various mags on the newsstand that do and don't take this approach. And then honestly compare the maturity of the magazine overall and how knowledgable and professional they seem.

I certainly enjoy seeing women in the Trails. But I'd rather see pictures of some of our wives and daughters showing off their rigs and enjoying the trails as opposed to a pinup hopeful earning a little cash for standing beside a rig she knows nothing about (and maybe waving a rifle around too for some unknown reason).

Lots of places to enjoy looking at models showing off the results of their diets and workouts. I don't find ads like these offensive at all. Just slightly out of place.



Mark...

 

[hatfieldcb]

Mark,

Thanks for your thoughtful post. Interestingly enough I have neither received nor heard of any complaints about the ad you are referring to. And Tony seems to be the only one who has publicly voiced approval of it.

We're not using the models ourselves to sell our magazine. And when I solicit for ads I don't beg advertisers for racy content. This is how these two companies choose to advertise and one of the products they both sell is "pin-up" style calendars.

Many of the other 4-wheeling magazines have a little of this style of advertising, too. I don't think we're out of the ordinary. This is only the second one I've seen in the three years I've had the ad sales job. I don't expect there will be a whole lot more.

 

[nuclearlemon]

i'll ditto what mark said...the problem is ...the ho's in the ad's probably can't even drive stick and say "nice jeep". i wouldn't have much problem if there was a legitimate excuse. but i hate the whole sex sells attitude.

 

[woody]

I don't expect there will be a whole lot more.

guess I gotta redo my next 'MUD advertisement......

 

[dd113]

While I see Tony's point on the not caving in to pressure I do not think the ad is proper for a publication like TT. Ads such as this are the same flavor as many of the ads in Peterson's 4WD and similar publications. TT is above that.

I have always thought that the TLCA, and especially TT, catered to a more family oriented crowd that did not need bikini clad women to pimp a product. Ads such as these bring down the overall quality of the magazine and offend some readers.

As for the comparison to CCOT ads I can only say that the CCOT ads, while just as bad, as certainly more professional and avoid the "Snap On Calendar" look.

If ads like these begin to dominate TT I will no longer be able to advertise as I do not wish to have my business linked to things such as this.

Having said all of that BS I think the calendars are great and cant wait to get mine; I just don't want to see it in TT.

 

[hatfieldcb]

You know, I'll have to retract my earlier statement. Dave did express his concerns to me over the phone a while back and I had forgotten. I appreciate everyone's considerate feedback and will keep it in mind for any future ad business.

 

[Mark W]

Chris, don't mistake all of my comments as applying to our current adds. The fuss Tony refered to in his post and which my specifics were aimed at occured a couple/several years ago and was centered around a James Asti insert for the now defunct Cruiser Connection.

As for myself and people I interact with, no one is particularly bothered by these current ads. Impressed? Nope. Encouraged to buy from the advertiser? Nope. Upset though? Nope.

I certainly don't think that the Trails is overpowered by a couple of ads, and you are right, there is still a little bit in most of the other publications out there, even the ones which don't depend on skin on the cover and in the pages to sell their rags. I just don't think that the fact that we happen to have some of this ourselves is anything to brag about or celebrate as if it is some sort of victory for the publication. It's not that big a deal, and I am NOT asking for any sort of censorship or change of policy, but I don't see it as a positive.


Mark...

 

[hatfieldcb]

I understand. Thanks Mark!

 

[Bodean]

Looks like I need a calendar. Dave, you almost had me going there!

Later,

 

[nuclearlemon]

As for myself and people I interact with, no one is particularly bothered by these current ads. Impressed? Nope. Encouraged to buy from the advertiser? Nope. Upset though? Nope.

it bugs me enough that i won't buy from ccot

 

[Ratpuke]

A club member said she was going to write in to complain that there weren't any scantily clad men lurking about Trails.

I'm not too offended. I've seen worse. Don't really think they need to be on the same page at the front of the mag though. Maybe Kaderabek just wants to keep 'em close ;p

 

[KOWBOY]

Ya'll done hit on a right touchy subject for me .... and ya just can't have a decent dee-bate without hearin' equally from both sides ... and I ain't never been short on opinions.

I don't par-tic-ularly care for havin' half-nekkid chicks in TT ads neither ... I think they should be BUCK-nekkid By Gawd ... and .. on every page.

But with that said .... I ain't buyin' nuthin' from CCoT neither ... cause I ain't got no Ty-ota parts left on my junk .... and their floozy's got clothes on. Now ... if'n she was buck-nekkid ... I reckon I'd find me some little somethin' to buy from 'em. Yessir.

But if we gonna be talkin' 'bout ads that are offensive ... I gotta refer ya'll to the current back cover of TT. Mud offends me .... it's nasty. Yet here's a normal little truck shamelessly splattered with it. I assure ya I ain't gonna be supportin' them Toyota Motor Sales folks .... least they coulda done was put a buck-nekkid chick on the hood.

Reckon these here are just my own personal-type opinions ... If'n ya want more .... just holler.

Carry on. (Ain't America a wonderful place?)

 

[65swb45]

Ya'll done hit on a right touchy subject for me .... and ya just can't have a decent dee-bate without hearin' equally from both sides ... and I ain't never been short on opinions.

I don't par-tic-ularly care for havin' half-nekkid chicks in TT ads neither ... I think they should be BUCK-nekkid By Gawd ... and .. on every page.

But with that said .... I ain't buyin' nuthin' from CCoT neither ... cause I ain't got no Ty-ota parts left on my junk .... and their floozy's got clothes on. Now ... if'n she was buck-nekkid ... I reckon I'd find me some little somethin' to buy from 'em. Yessir.

But if we gonna be talkin' 'bout ads that are offensive ... I gotta refer ya'll to the current back cover of TT. Mud offends me .... it's nasty. Yet here's a normal little truck shamelessly splattered with it. I assure ya I ain't gonna be supportin' them Toyota Motor Sales folks .... least they coulda done was put a buck-nekkid chick on the hood.

Reckon these here are just my own personal-type opinions ... If'n ya want more .... just holler.

Carry on. (Ain't America a wonderful place?)

With convictions like this, there's no telling how far the influence of the White Trash chapter will spread. Maybe it'll be the next avian flu! ;p CARRY ON!

 

[Rock Taxi]

It's people like Kowboy that make my momma say I can't go meet people I find on the internet.



Ed