An advert has been running on Sky television for the last few days for a new magazine called, “Build a model solar system”. Not the most catchy title I have ever heard, granted, but I suppose it is pretty unlikely you will buy it in error.
“I’d like to return this magazine, as upon closer inspection it appears it has absolutely no bikini-clad models in it. None whatsoever. Not even that racist scouser from Celebrity Big Brother and she’s got a contract to be in every magazine produced in the next five years.”
Magazines about making models of the solar system are not my cup of tea, what with me not being a nerd, but I paid attention after seeing the advert highlight the cover price of £1.99 over half of the screen. This is quite cheap for a magazine nowadays. Even more so when you consider that you get some free model parts with each magazine.
Then I noticed the on screen small print.
“Normal price £5.99″
Hmm.
It seems to me that what they are doing is luring you with cheap tasters in order to get you hooked on making models of the solar system. Just like the crack dealers.
I am not suggesting that making models of the solar system is as addictive as the delicious heroin, but surely using the same tactics is at the very least, morally questionable?
What next? Cut price Hubba Bubba for sale at the school gates? Buy one get one free from Threshers for all Alcoholics Anonymous members? Or maybe even the promise of a lower tax burden in order to secure your vote at a general election?
Oh.
No tags
12 comments
<< A favour
jon · March 10, 2008 at 9:07 am
it gets better if you look at the actual magazine in wh smith the small print at the bottom tells you its a weekly publication so that £1.99 for the first week and £5.99 every week after that who would be mad enough?!?
Lin · March 10, 2008 at 9:38 am
I remember making one of these years ago, utterly boring!
keef · March 10, 2008 at 9:40 am
It’s hardly surprising that it’s so expensive since in order to build yourself a model of the solar system you need a fairly sizable country estate to put it in.
On a scale of 1 inch per 100,000 miles you can represent the Sun with a bowling ball which puts Earth 26 yards away and Pluto a good half mile away.
We took the kids to Jodrell Bank years ago and they’ve got one there, the Sun is a pedestal in the car park, the outer planets are at the end of a nature trail through the garden, The kids insisted on finding them all so we ended up traipsing all over the place (in the rain I might add).
Any nerd who can afford to buy himself a country estate can buy some real bikini clad models to put in it never mind buy a magazine and hope for just a few pictures.
Glammer · March 10, 2008 at 9:45 am
No, you’re not a nerd. You just write a blog religiously every day on the internet about quantum mechanics and trains. Not nerdy at all.
Salvadore Vincent · March 10, 2008 at 10:46 am
Something about Uranus.
GH · March 10, 2008 at 11:06 am
What’s even more annoying having been caught out by this sort of thing many years ago as a small child with limited pocket money, is that you have to buy every single issue for about 4 years just to be absolutely certain you’ve got all the pieces. Woe betide going on holiday for 2 weeks and missing an issue or two. And at the end of tthe day, whatever it is that you’re building is shite. You could have bought a better model, from a proper model shop, for a quarter of the price.
Fuxk ‘em all. I hope their dog gets rabies and goes all Cujo on them.
GH.
Vikki · March 10, 2008 at 11:10 am
I love the fact that they call it a collectors item – it is, but only because you have to pay £5.99 a week to collect the bloody things. What they also fail to mention is that these magazine producers invariably fold after only a few issues, leaving you with some now useless model parts.
BBC · March 10, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Our higher selves built this solar system, I’m not bothering to make a model one.
Admin comment by Mr Angry · March 10, 2008 at 12:08 pm
jon – someone, somewhere is reading that magazine right now…
Lin – That was very brave to admit. Thank you.
Keef – Good point, I didn’t realise the wealthy nerd market was so lucrative.
Glammer – There is nothing religious about this! I do it for my ego, nothing more!
Salvadore – Excellent, why waste time drafting a set-up when you can simply post the punchline and let everyone else do the work?
GH – What if the company goes bust halfway through?
Vikki – Ah, see point above, great minds and all that…
BBC – Are you calling us a bit ‘top-shelf’? Oh, SELF…
Billyo · March 10, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Mind you, at least this model is built in only 52 issues, the whole thing therefore only costing £307.48!
I remember seeing one ad, it may have been for a model titanic (or something similar) came in about 250 issues at £3.99 a pop.
Stuart · March 11, 2008 at 12:15 am
It would be cheaper to buy a decent telescope and see the real thing – No peeking at the sun though, page 3 will burn your eyes.
pete · March 14, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I laughed loudly at the piss poor quality of the mis bent rods supporting our planets. Laughing got louder when someone complained, or noticed, and the ad was edited.