First, let me say that I spent quite some time pondering whether to reply or not. I see little chance of anything positive, but I still feel compelled. Second, please note the following replies are mine alone, and do not represent the current TLCA BOD. I was on the TLCA BOD as WIR for all of 2006, and the first few months of 2007. I can not speak for anyone else, so please do not construe it as anything but the opinion of one man, unless otherwise noted. Having said that, let me respond inline....
Ross, I have to respectfully disagree here. I have no idea what you mean when you say I tried to "position myself against Trails."
What I mean is -- you've printed things that I feel could erode the advertising revenue that Trails is receiving. As mentioned in my previous post.
You correctly note that I attended several TLCA events and that is key: is that the sign of someone who is "positioned against" the TLCA? Of course not. 4WD Toyota Owner magazine has devoted dozens of pages and scores of photos that lets people from outside the TLCA base learn about the association and its events. As a member of the TLCA, I covered TLCA events starting all the way back with our Premiere issue (the Rubithon, which I sent an editor on).
Let's visit that for a moment. First up, I believe you joined just a short few months prior to your first issue. You or your reps attended events without notifying the organizers that you were attending. This was noted on 'mud back in '06. While it is by far NOT a requirement that you let people know, your lack of communication prevented accurate photo captions (specifically Rubithon). By not working with the organizers, you allow people to speculate what your motives really are.
I don't disparage Trails and in fact if you ask vendors or random people I talk it up! I have raved in print and in response to email queries about the folks at Rising Sun/Cruise Moab. GSMTR. Rubithon. "Ya gotta join TLCA if you want to go," I tell people.
Do you subscribe to or are familiar with 4WD Toyota Owner? Anyone who reads it will know TLCA events are published in issue after issue after issue.
No, I don't. You haven't sent me one. If you were wishing to work with TLCA, certainly a complimentary copy to the BOD would have helped people understand your publication better. All of the BOD's addresses are published in every issue of Trails. Since you are a member, I presume you had the information available.
On your point about exclusivity, unfortunately but respectfully you are wrong. 4WD Toyota Owner absolutely did have an exclusive in that we had Toyota test driver Joe Bacal write us a 100% exclusive account of his drive across the Rubicon in the then-new FJ Cruiser with Bill Burke spotting. No one else had a story written by the actual factory test driver except us. We never claimed to have been in the truck or wrote that we were there--it was from Joe all the way.
This is where you put your spin on what happened. However, if you look back at your spam on 'mud, or even the cover of that magazine, you'll notice that you claimed "exclusive photos and drive report from the Rubicon". You seem to have forgotten that Trails had already published virtually identical photos. To me, as a Board member, I felt you tried to undermine what we had already published.
Finally, the thing about claiming to being superior to Trails...Huh? Where? When? We are two totally different beasts. Trails is probably one of the best club newsletters in the form of a magazine out there, on par with the high-dollar Porsche club newsletter mags. Key here: it's a club publication. 4WD Toyota Owner is a independent commercial magazine made for a newstand audience and subscribers.
Again, this is from me, and not from the Board, but let me ask you -- back in late 2005, and early 2006, I seem to remember that you had wanted to swap ad space with TLCA. You were asked to provide distribution numbers (total paid subscriptions, number of retail outlets, etc). To the best of my knowledge, you weren't able to present those numbers.
There's nothing superior about either mag, we are different entities, with different looks, audience, and different purposes. Also, soliciting ads from the same vendors is NOT the work of an enemy, either.
FACT: 4WD Toyota Owner magazine has put the TLCA name in front of many, many thousands of people in a very positive light. I resent being depicted as somehow hurting the TLCA.
Relating to Josie'sLandCruisers original post, I think it's clearly a good business idea! As TRT2 said, it is symbiotic.
In responding to the original poster, I gave reasons that I knew of as to why it hasn't happened in the past. I have no idea if either party has approached the other, so I can't answer that. There were many BOD members who felt that ad swap would be beneficial. There were others that felt differently.
By the way, I'll be at Cruise Moab, as usual. Driving my FZJ80 1100 miles from Washington to wheel and cover the event for 4WD Toyota Owner. I'd be happy to meet you and chat then. You'll be there too? Ben will be at the Calico Cleanup which we are helping sponsor. If you go there, look for a tall guy with tattoos driving a blue 1979 FJ40 on 37" PitBulls and say hi.
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Dave -- I have no idea who you or any of your contributors are. I have been at several events where you have had coverage, but I don't remember anyone introducing themselves. I am at every Rubithon, I was at the last two Surf -n- Turfs, I'll be at Cruise Moab.
There was a post a year or so ago, where a few people suggested that you have a knowledgeable outsider proof read your trip reports. In the past, they had several names wrong, and a couple of "foot in mouth" comments ("fl45lv least desirable").
I wish you no ill will. Honest. I only offered the original poster an explanation for why things hadn't occurred in the past. That doesn't mean that it is still the case, or that 4wdto and tlca can't work with each other. I think you should.
. It's time for them to move onward and upward!
See ya at Cruise Moab!
