Time For A New Ad Campaign

I was reading a Sports Illustrated in the gym last night, when I was startled to come across this ad for Time magazine. Click to enlarge:

“Know why.” Know why what? Why American soldiers are beaten and dispirited, I guess. Why we’re losing in Iraq. Is there any other way to read this ad? I’ve studied it more than I’d like to admit, and I can’t think of any. If you want to know why American soldiers are defeated and demoralized, read Time.
Admittedly, I can be an obtuse observer of advertising campaigns. On occasion, my son has had to explain beer commercials to me. But I don’t think I’m missing the point of this one. If I am, please explain. In the meantime, this strikes me as a really bad way to sell a news magazine. Defeatism has never gone over well with the American people, and I think all but the most obtuse have figured out by now that we are winning, not losing, in Iraq.
Promoting news magazines in today’s media environment isn’t easy. If I were running one of the weekly news magazines, like Time, I’d try to stake out a niche as the magazine that is on America’s side. I think it would sell. And I also think it would be the gateway to more accurate and balanced reporting.

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