angry parent threatens ad dollars...

Too bad we can't go up to an ad rep, and say we are covering little league and ask if they can get an ice cream man to advertise in the paper.

 

I've pitched ideas to advertising, they usually follow through but it's not like they're short staffed. Shit, we've got more ad reps than anything else.

 

stitch - if ad reps are a problem in your life, why do you even bother speaking to them?

 

there is a short cubicle wall separating my desk from the ad staff area. They seek me out, unfortunately, since I have to write the "business" stories as well.

 

why in the fuck are ad reps talking to you about business stories?

 

because my editor doesn't think there's anything wrong with that and the ad reps think that they are doing the advertisers a favor by "suggesting" stories to me.

 

your editor is a fucking idiot.

 

it's a "sop" to advertisers (not my quote). The latest was coordinating with the ad staff as to when a biz brief would run so the company could buy an ad for that edition.

 

One of the few down sides to living a couple of hours from my paper's city is that I can't tell ad reps in person to eat crusty taint. I'd have to call and tell them, and that's not nearly as much fun.

 

I had a guy try to pull that with me over a letter we ran that praised one of his competitors (who also advertised). Publisher backed me on that one and he left. Advertising does not dictate editorial attention.

 

TP's right. I hate stuff like this. People don't get very far by threatening me at my shop. If someone wants to act like a dick, all that does is make me mad. If someone takes a polite approach I'll do whatever I can for that person.

 

When parents yell and scream at me to cover their team I usually do it......12 months later.