Full-timers Economics 101 —
An old-fashioned editorial about today’s phenomenon of reverse advertising.
If you do not remember that articles in magazines, before the invention of TV sound bites to sell political candidates, required 5,000 words, minimum, to present one side of a story, I am so sorry to challenge you with yet another bit of negativity. This piece is 7,500 words. A few more of these would make what passes for a book today.
Unfortunately, for me wanting to have fun heading down freedom’s road, accentuating the positive, on the road with our www.RVTravelMagazine.com —part of our very slowly developing www.USATravelMagazines.com ‘empire’— the Internet logs of what is a ‘traveling home office blog’ outdraws readers wanting to eliminate the negative in our lifestyle. However, just thinking angry thoughts is telling on my health, and perhaps this will be the last of my “editorials.”
The unfortunate truth is, as Motor Home Traveler has been dismissed by my critics as “just another Internet crackpot blog,” and “babbling first person whining!” My journalistic background happens to included ‘travel’ pieces for LIFE, Holiday, Ford Times, San Francisco Magazine, and the San Francisco Sunday rotogravure publications — which should give me an edge in my battle for travel “eyeballs” with www.CaliforniaTravelMagazine.com, and advertising dollars transiting from an Industrial Age “I win, you lose, but wait!” into an Information Age Win-Win-Win.
From the economics side, know that before my “retirement” I also was the editor / publisher of Economic Currents Magazine, while also running an advertising agency that had an advantage in what ads were acceptable. Because of that one critic actually called me a monopoly. He probably was correct. I was a benevolent monopoly, the same as the rumored individual who controls the privately owned, but much needed Good Sam Club, and Camping World, through www.affinitygroup.com, which Google lists as: “Targets the North American recreational vehicle market through affinity clubs, events, publications and related services.”
I pay, monthly, for GMAC Insurance, purchased through Camping World —the world's largest supplier of RV parts, supplies and accessories. I personally trust the corporate stores. That is provided they are not a “joint venture” as the Camping World / Baudry RV (Tucson, AZ) outlet, that cost us two weeks in out of pocket living expenses it took the “corporate owned” shop in Mesa (AZ) to correct the warranted stupid mistakes Baudry made installing a $3,000 solar panel and inverter system.
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As Camping World has never run an ad in our competitive trailer life magazines —as www.AlaskaTravelMagazines.com, that advertises RV rentals to drive the Alcan Highway, I need to explain that we have not made anything through our “affiliate” program that really is a “corporate branding” exposure. At best, affiliate advertising for Alaska Airlines, etc., is just a way to “brand” for the few pennies revenue of “pay per click” banners. Therefore, you need to know I have really not received anything but good service for the editorial mention of good service Good Sam/GMAC has provided, being one of the few insurance companies that covers full time living in a motorhome.
So, the reverse to reading insurance company advertising, is to pay attention to the fine print of policy statements delivered after you signed a contract, and made your payment. Make sure attorneys have not tricked you with a anti-fulltimer clause, as these words from Jayco motorhome whose owners manual disclaimer (again after delivery) that stated, “Your motorhome has been built for enjoyment in a recreational manner... Continuous living in your motorhome may void ... your warranty.” This from a manufacturer who advertised “the industry’s best warranty” on a motorhome who ducked their contractual agreements by simply not answering the phone, or my e-mails, and previous complaints in earlier editions of this magazine. I, as a former ad agency executive made a formal complaint to the FTC —a Federal Agency, just as the SEC, supposedly protecting consumers— with absolutely no reply.
I know from almost 10 years experience talking with what the advertising industry calls a demographic cluster group, that the majority of motorhome travelers who actually travel are in reality a very small number of people. Instead of our living to be laughing stock, providing Hollywood comedy writers hilarious material on old-timers (or is that, wink, wink, alt-timers) black water jokes, we actually should be respected and protected for being the last of the Americans who understand what it was like to be born into the glory of escaping to the freedom of the road. Escaping from the FTC, SEC, SS bureaucrats who are in 60’s talk, are part of the problem. Thanks to my problems with Jayco, and Alice. Texas, I have, sort of, become a cult figure, where we get e-mails exclaiming, “write on,” and “Please be real!”
So, my message, If you are contemplating joining our niche´ lifestyle, is perhaps you need to spend some time here, in this very limited circulation publication, before giving what is left of your retirement fund needed to last for an unknown number of years, to yet-another-salesman working on his monthly quota.
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