Skateboarder Magazine, June 2005 Issue

Just got the June 2005 issue of Skateboarder Magazine today. Not only is this the first issue I’ve gotten since subscribing, but I’m not sure I’ve ever looked at an issue of Skateboarder Magazine–ever. Maybe once or twice in a grocery store, but I’m not sure.

So what can I say about it? Well, it’s pretty much like other magazines. To me, magazines are like people. We’re all 95% the same but the 5% that is different about us is what we call “personality.” Think about it, everyone you know is more similar to you than they are different. But we take what’s the same for granted so it doesn’t seem that way.

Skate magazines are kind of that way. They seem to be different; Thrasher is more old school/hardcore/punk while Transworld is kind of corporate and The Skateboard Mag seems more representative of the “new world of skateboarding” while being true to skateboarding’s roots at the same time. But compare any skate magazine to Oprah’s magazine or Country Living and I’d say skate magazines are more like each other than they are like any other magazine.

So what about this June issue of Skateboarder? Well, it’s got an ad for “Xtreme Right Guard” in it with a football player’s arm. Since I have a marketing and advertising background I have to wonder what the people who placed this ad are thinking. Didn’t somebody, somewhere in the process say “You know, this is a skateboard magazine, maybe we should make an ad that appeals to skateboarders” or at least suggest using a generic ad?

I can just see the conversation amongst a few ad execs, “Yeah, kids love big, burly arms with lots of muscle, and this word ‘Xtreme’ will take us a long way with them.” Idjuts. Don’t they know that all they need to do to make an ad that will actually result in sales is have before-and-after pics of Bill Weiss as a skater and then a tuxedo-sportin’ slick guy and then have a stick of deodorant there as though it were responsible for the transformation? Come on, this is easy stuff. Anything with Bill in it is gold.

There’s also a Taco Bell ad in the magazine which fails to inspire, as well as a few anti-smoking and anti-drug ads. I’m anti-smoking and anti-drugs myself, but their ads just aren’t very good, and I’m a bit tired of seeing them because they pain me with their amateurish tripe.

Ok, but other than the ads the mag is good stuff.

Favorite photo? Page 95 Chewy Cannon, nollie 270 to switch back tail. That is such a nice trick. I think Gino was the first one to do that in Mouse back in ‘96.