Anthony Almada03.01.10
Inset: Magazines assert they are not obligated, nor able, to substantiate advertising claims within print and online advertisements. What if a magazine implemented this from its inception, and was rewarded for it?
“The candidates for the inaugural SCUDDY award for print magazines are:
Setting: 31st Annual UDDY Awards, Olympus Hall, 18.14.22; 11 March 2010.
Master of Ceremonies, Michael Lynch: “Ladies and gentlemen, this year we are pleased to introduce a new awards category: Substantiation and Content, or the SCUDDY Award. A SCUDDY is awarded to the print, and digital magazine, with the highest level of excellence in substantiation and content in relation to the ads that are placed within the publication. The judges are comprised of academic and industry experts from around the multiverse, with expertise relevant to the magazine subject. Notably, a rigorous and exhaustive disclosure form is completed by each candidate judge, prior to the commencement of judging, which enables the chief judge to exclude any judge from participation in the judging of substantiation or content where a conflict may exist, be it real or perceived.
“The candidates for the inaugural SCUDDY award for print magazines are:
• SKIN, a multiversally circulated publication focusing on beauty and grooming
• VELOCE, a multiversally circulated publication focusing on space vehicle modification and enhancement
• INTEGRA, a regionally circulated publication focusing on natural products and their prudent use in health and disease
“And the winner is…INTEGRA! (Pause, applause, cheers) Grace MacKenzie, Publisher, Edward Lane, Editor in Chief, and McKenna Ryang, PhD, Advertising Standards Editor.” (The winning trio approaches the dais.)
Grace MacKenzie: “WOW! Four years ago the three of us, who all went to grad school together—but in different disciplines—had a memorable conversation at a café. We loved journalism, consumer health products—we are voracious consumers—and science. Eddie (Edward Lane) asked the question, ‘Why aren’t there any magazines out there that I can trust what the ads say?’ McKenna quipped in ‘Good luck with that wish!’ and then I said ‘Yeah—why NOT!’ That moment was an epiphany, which overcame the massive inertia and generated the momentum that eventually gave birth to INTEGRA. We are so proud. Thank you!”
Dr. McKenna Ryang: “What a ride this has been! Thank you to Grace, who saw the vision through all of the contrast, and to Eddie, who asked the question and created the concept. I must pay homage to our biomedical advisory board and their unflinching diligence and dedication to the pursuit of excellence in evidence-based advertising. Their tenacious commitment, and patent willingness to disclose any conflicts, is so laudable. Thank you so much!”
Edward Lane: “We have such a fantastic team. This is such a validating moment for us. I was able to tune out the detractors, who told us—in chorus—‘You can’t sustain an advertising supported publication if you exclude ad content that can’t be substantiated.’ We believed that if we started this way, explicitly declared our criteria, and unflinchingly and uniformly adhered to it, we could make it sustainable. And the amazing, unexpected outcome is that our advertisers now view placement in our publication as highly desirable—a stamp of credibility and consumer confidence from the highest tier. We actually have a waiting list for ad placement. And yet we are becoming a subscription-based publication. Who would’ve thought? Thank you so much, judges.”
