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August 18, 2005
Boston Common: Cultural Touchstone or Commercial Brand?
One of the sentiments that stuck with me from the WILPF Congress was the question - what is a resource for all and what is private property? Someone suggested that everyone should visit the Boston Common for an experience of a true communal area. I didn't refute the point, but I did remember the Common being an area surrounded by extrememly high-priced buildings, where the Boston Brahmins hung out.
So I'm curious as to why there isn't a Boston luxury magazine named Boston Brahmins. Instead, there's one named Boston Common. The Boston Globe reports an expansion of New England regional affluent magazines, now that New Englanders have thrown off their silly habit of shunning ostentatious materialism.
I've gotta say I'm not here to shun an expansion of the print industry. But what moron thought it was a perfect selling point to call an exclusive, top 5% net worth readership magazine "Boston Common"???? Talk about a revolting reversal of word meaning. I don't have a problem with luxury magazines per se - I think its healthy for us plebes to understand what the mega-rich are truly about - but for goodness sake, shouldn't the people of Boston revolt against this abuse of their heritage?
More info:
Boston Common Magazine official website. Its part of Niche Media - which gives its mags away to a "highly targeted audience" and has relatively dirt cheap ad rates.
Posted by cj at August 18, 2005 09:35 PM