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What's the legality of this practice?

by Calamaroo
11 replies
I'm browsing over at Borders and I see business cards in books and magazines.

In a mixed martial arts magazine I saw one business card from a local Brazilian Jujitsu school. Then I looked at the other mixed martial arts magazines and lo and behold, same business cards from the same Brazilian Jujitsu school.

First of all is this legal?

Second of all, if no one really cares about the legality of it (including the bookstores themselves) is this the kind of practice that could backfire on the business card inserters, from a marketing and customer perspective?
#legality #practice
  • Profile picture of the author Jacqueline Smith
    Very interesting marketing style. I must say, it is creative. Seeing as people pay thousands of dollars to advertise in magazines, I can definitely see the publishers having an issue with this. However, I'm curious to hear what others have to say from a legal standpoint.

    This should be an interesting discussion.
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    • Profile picture of the author Calamaroo
      Originally Posted by Jaqs View Post

      Very interesting marketing style. I must say, it is creative. Seeing as people pay thousands of dollars to advertise in magazines, I can definitely see the publishers having an issue with this. However, I'm curious to hear what others have to say from a legal standpoint.

      This should be an interesting discussion.
      For starters, the CPM (cost per thousand) could be very high. But obviously, it could also be very highly targeted traffic. I mean, the business cards I saw was for a Brazilian Jujitsu school (with a website on the card) and the cards where in a mixed martial arts magazine which is 90% jujitsu.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Calamaroo View Post

    First of all is this legal?
    You think there's some law against leaving something in a magazine?

    This is an old tactic, which most people never used because it didn't fit their demographic. For an MMA magazine, though, it's a very good technique. I'd call the school just to let them know I noticed. It's a good idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author LynxSI
    I'd don't know the legality or if you could even prove who put those cards there anyway (maybe a loyal customer put the cards there?)

    But from a marketing perspective I think it's great! Plus the customers might actually want to see this card. (vs. the dozens of pieces of junkmail I get everyday via regular post which are immediately recycled).

    I do know that at least here in Canada you must have a distribution permit to distribute "mass mailings" even if delivered on foot door-to-door; however, the law is one thing, reality is another. We get a lot of "door hanger" style ads that are totally illegal, but who's going to enforce it?
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    It's old school, much like people leaving flyers on your car windshield.
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    I'm all about that bass.

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  • Profile picture of the author Gwen_Iler
    If you asking about the legality of this issue, well I am not really sure but I guess it does not violate any law.....but looking at a marketing perspective, I say it it's a good marketing strategy......but I guess that would only work if you have an interesting product or service to offer. Otherwise the reader would just get annoyed and might just throw the card.
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    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi,

      It's a great way for a struggling book/magazine shop owner to cut deals and make extra revenue.

      But if I found that someone had come into MY bookshop and started using my platform to advertise their business for free without cutting me a deal, I'd go straight round to their place of business and sort them out!

      mixed martial arts magazine...Brazilian Jujitsu school
      On second thoughts, perhaps not...
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      • Profile picture of the author Gwen_Iler
        Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

        Hi,

        It's a great way for a struggling book/magazine shop owner to cut deals and make extra revenue.

        But if I found that someone had come into MY bookshop and started using my platform to advertise their business for free without cutting me a deal, I'd go straight round to their place of business and sort them out!



        On second thoughts, perhaps not...
        That's a good ice breaker. You could still go to their place.....but not with what you first thought to do but rather to sit and talk about cutting you a deal. Perhaps you can talk about them putting a little advertisement over your counter about their school and giving you a 10% commission on every single enrollment you deliver to them.....
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        • Profile picture of the author ExRat
          Hi Gwen,

          True - or as I was hinting at in the first sentence - the bookshop owner cuts a deal to insert the cards himself as he lays out the books/magazines for sale.

          BTW I don't actually own a bookshop - although I buy enough books to start one...
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          Roger Davis
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          • Profile picture of the author Gwen_Iler
            Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

            Hi Gwen,

            True - or as I was hinting at in the first sentence - the bookshop owner cuts a deal to insert the cards himself as he lays out the books/magazines for sale.

            BTW I don't actually own a bookshop - although I buy enough books to start one...
            lol....well that explains about the cards..... And with the number of books you have...might as well open one..... just a suggestion though..... lol.....
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