For the last few years, Japanese magazines have fallen of sales. I guess it's because of generation. CD, too.
When we were the Stone Age, if we wanted to hear songs or read articles, we had to buy CDs or magazines, but now you can get by Internet by piece by piece. Record companies and magazine publishers sell new services and goods as the result of trial and error. You can buy a piece by piece at the Apple store instead of whole CD. It's kind sad thing. You know, musicians and artists produce CD with their concept, but listeners don't care about it. They just want to get "top 100 songs". About Magazines, you can get certain information thru Internet, so don't need to buy...
Then, as a last-ditch measure, some magazines sell with extras. That's the thing I don't like.
Extras are something with brand's name such as eco-bags, cosmetic pouches, pencil cases. They said exclusive collaboration. WRONG! Of course brands are authorized to use their name tags, but there are no originality.
I remember when I was child, I saw shopping bags, slippers, sandals and towels with brand name tags such as pierre cardin, Celine, Fendi, and more. That time I didn't know they were hi-end brands. A couple month ago, I watched a news about pierre cardin. In 1970s, pierre cardin had authorized to use their name. Then, it's spread. Maybe at the first, it was good to be familiarized, but those slippers and towels looks cheap, so brand name was ruined. In this year, pierre cardin has tried to hit rewind lost ground again.
If you are familiar to hi-end brands, you know long-established brands such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Celine, Cartier, Gucci, and more. (including pieer cardin) Their brand name are firm and unshakable.
I guess it's recurred by magazine publishers. Well, this time it's not hi-end brand. However, Marc Jacobs was one of victims. Last year, you could see every girls had cheap eco-bag with Marc Jacobs name. They were magazine extras! Marc Jacobs isn't cheap brand like Forever 21!
We can't laugh about neighbourhood countries where people sell fake brand goods. To me, it worse. If magazines sell well, is it O.K.?
What do you think? Am I too stubborn?