I recently emailed John Atkinson of Stereophile

Corona said:

Real audio companies do not waste money running ads in magazines; they use it for research and development.

I could not disagree more. It's a ridiculous statement! Marketing is a key element of any successful business plan. An ad can accomplish many things, but it is also an expression of pride by the manufacturer for their product(s). If you believe in your product, you should have no problem advertising that pride.

onhwy61 you could not be more right. I am a small business owner in a non-audio enterprise. The company that does not advertise is the company that is going out of business.

If the selfrighteous people who think advertising buys reviews would stop and get a grasp of what it's like to try to run a real business and pay 40 or 50 employees who depend on them for a living these dialogs would be much more helpful.

Any successful businessman know advertising is critical to maintaining and growing a business. If Bose (for instance) advertises and their competition doesn't, who is going to sell more product? Not everyone lives in NY or LA where virtually every product made can be auditioned and seen. Lots or people live in Yuma or Springfield where the closest they will come to most gear is by way of advertising and review.

Since many of the respondants to this and other posts have determined that advertising corrupts and reviewers from magazines like Stereophile and TAS (which does suck!) have been bought and paid for many times over, where does that leave the poor audiophile from Yuma, Springfield, and other parts unknown?

Are they to be left completely in the dark since they have not suffered the indignity of having been forced to live in the big city? Where should they go for information? Any suggestions?

i recently emailed him as well. only beacause i saw a photo of him and other hi end industry cohorts at one of their invite only dinners or whatever they do. apart from the already stated fact that audiophiles never learn anything more than what is available in the market, where does the guy buy his clothes? is the standard 70s sports jacket with crooked tie and paunch the state of the art for audiophiles? i hope not! get a life jk, go shopping. see whats out there. no wonder they complain about never being able to attract a younger (pre gen x? y? z?) age group to the hobby

Wolves, please pull back from Corona's throat. I don't think he meant that statement, in a completely. 'all or nothing' manner. His basic point as I interpret is that, while advertising is important, and marketing is at that core; please do R&D which justifies your marketing claims.
To say that the magazines are not influenced by advertisers is naive. That comes from having an inside the industry perspective. It is just that they (the mags) claim absolute autonomy and that their advertising has no bearing on who gets reviewed and who doesn't. Of course what do we expect them to say. "Hey these guys pay the bills, here is yet another review on their latest greatest." Advertising takes many shapes but has a common thread. "Coke is it" How simple, but look at what that did for Coca Cola (one of many hiundreds of catch phrases, and promos). Of course thay had the funds to repeat it 50 gazillion times, one key to this kind of advertising. The reason perhaps is that they are selling future urine, and a completely disposable piece of goods. But it is, as is most advertising, about imagery. I think giving Corona the benefit of the doubt is fair. Sometimes when the (industry) insiders let the respondants know their real names, everything they say is misconstrued as being self promotional. Albert Von Schweikert responded and was quickly lampooned by a couple of people who seem to thrive on controversy. I for one think as most good business thinkers do, that the delicate balance of Marketing and R&D are the real formula for busines success. Corona was only making this basic point. Of course this is IMHO.
Thanks, and good listening.
Larry R. Staples

When JGH was chief editor of Stereophile there were little or no ads, I think it was the same with the Absolute Sound; but there was integrity and credibility plus loyal following. With success came the ads, money, influence, you know the rest. These magazines had a very plain look but they were full of great information; now the magazines look great but they’re full of nonsense. If you were directing a small audio company would you want to put your ad in that pile?
There are many small audio companies that do not advertise in [MAGAZINES] but continue to succeed on the strength of their product alone. I for one find something quite noble in that.