Opinions on the New Yankee–A Bit More Bag Balm Needed?
Posted by Kirk M on 28 Feb 2007 | Tagged as: Info, Life at home
No two people are alike and many who have lived long enough in their respective lives don’t exactly cotton to the idea of change, especially when it comes to one of their favorite magazines. I’ve found this out after a few days of searching around for reactions to the new layout, style and content that runs through the newest Yankee issue.
For myself, I like the new layout and for certain reasons which I’ve stated before but if I had worked for a major online publication and had been handed this particular assignment of hunting down these aforementioned reactions, I never would have thought it would have been so difficult. It seems that a lot of these opinions on the new Yankee have been remanded to living rooms, kitchens and backroom discussions in and about different folk’s homes rather than being voiced in blogs, comments and articles that abound on the Internet. One’s opinion is one’s opinion after all and apparently such matters should remain ta’ home as is proper.
Still, I was able to gather a few which I’ll quote below. As always I recommend that you read the articles I’ve referenced and make up your own mind about things. Don’t take my word for it or anyone else’s for that matter.
Onward…
First off we have one rather glowing review from Fern Siegel who is a contributing Writer for MediaPost’s Magazine Rack. Here’s an excerpt:
As to the updated Yankee, it’s now bimonthly, but beautifully retains, in the words of its founder, “the preservation of our great New England culture.†New columns: “Here in New England†profiles people, places and things, while “The Guide†gives readers an inside view of the New England way of life — from recipes, like Rhode Island Johnnycakes, to seasonal activities. Yes, some of the design pieces are useful in any region and a moving human-interest story isn’t bound by geography, but Yankee always supplies a local topspin. Source: Magazine Rack » Blog Archive » Yankee
Maureen Rogers of Pink Slip however may be pleased with the new layout but is less than pleased with the new type of content. She goes on to say:
It’s not that I’m interested in reading any “ay-yuh” old-timey humor about how Uncle Eph convinced Cousin Henry, the city-slicker, that a cow was really a moose. Or doggerel about the frozen trek to the privvy…. But am I the only person out there still interested in reading about what to me is the real New England: the history, the characters, the beauty - not just the successful retiree lifestyle? Am I the only person who wouldn’t mind reading about what happened to the descendants of the Salem witches? Who’d like to know about the hermit in Worcester who, in 1811, carved his will in stone and tried to fly to heaven? Who’d be delighted to find out that Lizzie Borden had an accomplice? Yankee doesn’t have to go completely home to make me happy, but I’d like to see a bit more Bag Balm, and a little less Aerosmith, granite counter tops, and Bode Miller. Source: Pink Slip: Yankee (Magazine) Go Home
Now after I read her article, I meandered through the comment section and found to my happy surprise that the dear lady of The Boomer Chronicles had left her opinion and I even found another to round the whole thing off. Lucky me for finding three sources in one blow. And so:
- Rhea said…
I agree with you — more bag balm. I read Yankee for years and years. I was in my 20s and 30s mostly when I read it, not old. But a few year ago they changed the content from old-timey New England stuff (which I loved) to groovy, Crate and Barrel, home-oriented (boring!) stuff. I stopped subscribing then. Alas.
And then a bit farther down there is yet another opinion. This one appears to be ready to send out for a new subscription:
I agree with Rhea. The redesign has actually brought the content back to a much more interesting place — not so much home stuff and more of that quirky NE that we love. I think it’s contemporary in a grownup way, and the features have room to be and look great. A very smart move. I’m in the camp opposite some of you — a lapsed subscriber who is going to return to the fold.
Here’s another comment I dug up someplace (that I couldn’t seem to retrieve again for the source, sorry ’bout that) where the reader reminisces about what they’ve always loved about the Yankee if not directly addressing the new format itself. I had to chuckle when the classic “home reading room“—that’s right, the bathroom, was brought into it:
I look at Yankee magazine and see the future of newspapers: very knowledgeable locally, reflecting the spirit of their audience, not pretentious, expansive, and compact in format. As a child growing up in Florida, my displaced Northeasterner Mother always had copies of Yankee handy. I would read them religiously in several different bathrooms around the house.
Then there is this other ‘not-so-complimentory’ comment on yet another article, this time at NPR News. This one drags the bathroom into it also but not quite in such a loving, nostalgic way. This lady definitely has a way with words though:
Submitted by julie mills on January 16, 2007 - 7:08pm. I hate, I hate it, I HATE it! The paper feels gritty. The print is too small and the contrast is not as dark against the paper. Mary’s Farm may as well have been torn down the way you’ve hidden it away. NO, I DON’T want to leave the hearth and trek to the computer to “read” more Yankee Swaps or Reunions> Can’t cozy up with a monitor, now can you? And gee…can you guess what happened to your “new and improved” magazine when it was put on the tank of the toilet? Yep, slid right into the drink. Didn’t happen last month, nor last year; not ever that I can recall. Must be that new and improved size. What makes you think 1935 was a good road to go down? Children were dying of Diphtheria, the war was raging, not all that was the “good old days” was good. Magazines did cost 15 cents though. Roll back your price to 1935 and I may consider renewing. If not, the next time Yankee Magazine goes for a dunk in the “one hole”, I’ll just have to flush. Sorry. ps. An old true “yankee-ism”….”if it aint broke, don’t fix it.” “And if you can’t fix it with duct tape, “it aint broke.
Well, although I may not agree with her, I have to admit—I like the way she put it. And last but not least, the analytical view from the marketing side of things as put forth in the American Chronicle:
No sooner had Yankee published its issue last month with a new, full-size format (a radical change from its long-standing, digest-sized cover), than complaints began coming in from loyal readers who resented a change of the ‘brand character’ of a product with which they had created a, sometimes, long relationship. The trick for publishers, or for any marketers trying to reposition a product without alienating existing loyal customers, is to create a new brand image without diluting the brand, losing the benefit of the built-up band equity, or sacrificing an existing customer base for another, potentially elusive, one. Source: American Chronicle: The Challenge for Yankee Magazine?: Retaining Loyal Readers While Re-Positioning Its Brand Richard L. Cravatts Ph.D.
The above excerpt touches on the very point I made in an earlier post where I was concerned that Yankee and it’s new layout would go the way many of the old “standards” have gone when they remade their magazines into something they hope would appeal to a much different and perhaps younger generation and, in my humble opinion, failed miserably in some cases, managing to lose not only most of their then current loyal readership but failing to gain much of a new one. From where I sit though, after reading the “Snow Days”issue, Yankee, although changed, is not currently in any danger of losing it’s readership despite what certain folks say about the bathroom.
So as you can see, all is not rosy in the world of change but the simple fact remains that change is inevitable and that means even in the seemingly “never-changing” northeast part of these United States. Change has come to New England and it’s been changing for some time now starting with the southern portions and moving steadily northward over the last few decades and old icons must adapt or die with it and that includes the likes of the Yankee as well. After all, the Yankee ain’t the Farmer’s Alamanac ya’ know which is the one publication that will most likely remain unchanged (including the hole in at the top of the binding for ease of hanging on a nail in the barn) for as long as the folks behind it keep putting it out so that’s just fine there.
The crew at Yankee magazine had to face facts sooner or later and I do believe they have made a great first effort in the new, somewhat radically changed first issue. Sure, some folks don’t like it but then again, other folks do. Just because they didn’t feel they had to publicize their opinions on the matter doesn’t change the fact that Yankee magazine will most likely be finding it’s way into the “reading rooms” of countless homes for many years to come.
Technorati tags: new yankee, snow days, yankee magazine
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