Front Cover design for Xmas Issue?

Dudley · Post by **Dudley** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:22 pm

FatTrucker wrote:What about a multi-cultural winter cover depicting Buddha, Jesus and Allah skiing or lobbing snowballs at Santa?.

Obviously it would be in disasterously bad taste but it might get you featured in the Daily Mail and on Sky News, boosting sales by a factor of 10....if it works for Rockstar it should work for RG.

Perhaps not though.

Still wouldn't work when Australia gets said mag in mid-February. It's not xmas itself that's the problem it's the timing.

GarryG · Post by **GarryG** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:45 am

CraigGrannell wrote:
GarryG wrote:So is the December issue not going to have any X-mas theme then?
Highly unlikely. The publishing world is nothing like it was in the 1980s, and overseas sales would tank if the Retro Gamer cover for the December issue suddenly looked all Christmassy.

But, but, but... it's 'retro' gamer, and all the original magazines had a christmassy cover

On a slightly more serious note, why would it cause a huge slump in sales?
Surely most overseas sales go to English speeking, predominantly Christian countries like North America, Canada and Australia?

What percentage lies outside this or the UK market, and how much people in the remainder of these countries wouldn't buy it because the logo was covered in snow or had a bit of mistletoe and a robin on top!?

Sorry I may be missing something here, but I just don't get the logic!?!

Post by **CraigGrannell** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:34 am

GarryG wrote:Surely most overseas sales go to English speeking, predominantly Christian countries like North America, Canada and Australia?

Most of which don't celebrate Christmas in the middle of February.

What percentage lies outside this or the UK market

I don't know Retro Gamer's figures, but anything up to a fifth is typical in this market.

Sorry I may be missing something here, but I just don't get the logic!?!

People generally don't think much about imports or where things come from. A Christmas issue on the shelves in February would look dated and would likely be ignored by the majority of casual buyers.

GarryG · Post by **GarryG** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:43 am

So youâ€™re not doing this because of the casual buyer in the overseas (not European) market.

Fair enough if thatâ€™s the reason and thatâ€™s how it is.

Personally I wouldnâ€™t have though it would have amounted to much losses, but then again I donâ€™t run a Magazine and probably never will

Farmer · Post by **Farmer** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:02 pm

ITS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD!!!!

I was expecting a snowy cover & coverdisk tbh

Cheeseburger · Post by **Cheeseburger** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:25 pm

How about a Crash/Zzap style Christmas cover featuring writers and staffers all crowded around a telly playing retro games and gorging themselves on Crimbo pudding and gallons on mulled wine - would Mark Kendrick be able to knock something up?!!

Failing that - snow and lots of it!

JetSetWilly · Post by **JetSetWilly** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:45 pm

there's always the front cover of THE ONE AMIGA that used a poker playing, cigar smoking santa with the worlds most evil grin (tm) that could be used, but with the words 'ho ho, bloody ho!' added.

Post by **CraigGrannell** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:16 pm

Cheeseburger wrote:How about a Crash/Zzap style Christmas cover featuring writers and staffers all crowded around a telly playing retro games and gorging themselves on Crimbo pudding and gallons on mulled wine - would Mark Kendrick be able to knock something up?!!

!

mikeb · Post by **mikeb** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:21 am

Eeuck I'd forgotten about that one. What were they thinking?

Much better: http://www.bd-fans.com/Files/FanStuff/M ... _Jan86.jpg

Loving Rockford playing Ballblazer

thedirtyshame · Post by **thedirtyshame** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:25 am

I think we should have a colouring-in competition

Failing this.....a front cover featuring a naked Alex Kidd (with mistletoe?) would be nice.

The Master · Post by **The Master** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:36 am

Damn, my missus saw this thread, and forced me to say once again that a photo of Darran dressed up as Santa, a bit like those Mario ones but with more beard, clutching an Amstrad and making an "orgasm face" would be simply perfect. You could add something like "Every Day Is Christmas In Happy Retro World!" to confuse the foreigners.

Or you could ask Oli Frey for something with leather and spandex.

Post by **CraigGrannell** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:51 am

mikeb wrote:Loving Rockford playing Ballblazer

And the annoyed expression the dog's wearing, due to Thing boinging about the place.

yethboth · Post by **yethboth** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:09 am

Farmer wrote:ITS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD!!!!

I was expecting a snowy cover & coverdisk tbh

So was I.

L i n k . · Post by **L i n k .** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:38 pm

Can The Issue Be Based Around Lemmings?
I Don't Know Why, But Everytime I Play Lemmings I Feel Christmas-sy.

LeeT · Post by **LeeT** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 2:05 pm

Lets just have a Santa on an Australian beach surrounded by Darran, Stuart, Craig et al in their shorts.

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Front Cover design for Xmas Issue?

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