One alert member of liequine.com pointed out the irony that a plea to help save the Long Island Five (the horses seized by the Suffolk County SPCA from the custody of Salvatore Gandolfo) appeared in the October 2008 Long Island Horse Directory, opposite a full-page color display advertisement for Windy Meadow Farms, the training and horse-sale operation run by Gandolfo's wife and son.
Page 36 & 37 (click image to enlarge):
This unfortunate juxtaposition followed a short item in "Barn News" (written in first person?) about the Windy Meadow Farms show team.
Page 35:
JCE 9-3 ginnyjunior wrote on liequine.com:
Can you imagine [the Gandolfos] caring for your horse who needs medical attention daily?? I am sorry but if there was time enough for the magazine to get an ad in for October about donations needed for the seized horses there was time to plan for a better layout. I understand that maybe Horse Directory was unable to remove the Windy Meadow advertisement BUT I do feel that they should have been more sensitive to the issue and realize that the entire Long Island horse population is pulling for these horses right now. Am I alone in feeling this way?
"Ginnyjunior" is probably not alone and rightly points out the cringe factor. However, the issue isn't the lack of time to "plan for a better layout," but the actual nature of trade publications themselves.
China Wall vs. Shower Curtain
Trade publications rely upon the advertising dollars of the subjects frequently covered in their editorial — the "China Wall" that theoretically exists between the advertising and editorial departments of most media is better described as a "shower curtain" when it comes to trade publications.
Clearly, the placement of the full-page ad was meant to capitalize on the editorial content in "Barn News."
It's interesting that the Windy Meadow Farms item in "Barn News" is the only one written in first-person plural, suggesting that it was taken directly from a press release, or, at least, written and submitted by the Gandolfos or a member of the "show team." It's not exactly industry standard, but what do you expect from a local trade magazine?
Make good?
Typically, when an advertiser isn't happy with the editorial content facing their ad (i.e. an article about the harmful impact of herbicides next to an ad for Roundup™, or the latest drunk driving statistics running next to a liquor ad), the advertiser will demand a "make good."
The Gandolfos didn't get their $630 worth, once the "Keep the Five Alive" notice was added, despite the self-promotion in "Barn News." It's hard to believe that they might go as far as to request a "make good" and have the Horse Directory re-run the ad (see Horse Directory rates and terms). Considering Salvatore Gandolfo's current legal problems, the publication might be wondering if they are going to get paid.
Hopefully, the Horse Directory will run a real "make good" and provide the Long Island horse community some serious coverage of this past month's shocking events.
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