Do you want your car featured in a magazine but you don’t know how to go about it? Well, read on to learn the secrets that only a few seem to know. It’s time for you to get on your way to that great cover shot!
The topic of how to get a car magazine feature (or any feature for that matter) is one that always seems to float around. There seems to be this fog around the subject that some people can see through while others cannot. And the worst part, people who are not involved in the industry create many stigmas related to this topic. These people throw out things such as the magazines publishers just pick their friends, and friends of friends. Or better yet, magazine publishers feature the cars who pay up cash through advertising in their magazine even if their car isn’t the greatest. And while these sigmas are actually TRUE and FACTUAL, don’t let this discourage you from steeping the game up and representing the little guys…the people who actually make this industry what it is–the consumer. The truth is, sometimes people just don’t want to share how magazine features are obtains because they feel its “proprietary” information. Well, it’s time to let the cat out of the bag.
So what do you need to do to get your magazine feature? Well, there are a few major topics involved which have their own sub points. Let me break it down in an outline format:
Your Personality
Patient
Open minded
Creative
Knowledgeable
Unique Vehicle
Simplicity
Knowing when to say “no”
No knockoffs
Tasteful
Trend setter vs. trend follower
Networking
Creating authority
Making industry contacts
Meeting event promoters
Getting your vehicle into company booths
Getting the Feature
Asking for referrals
Contacting your sponsors
Being persistent without being annoying
Contacting the magazines directly
So that sums up the big topics that I will be covering. Over the following next days and weeks, I will expand on each of the major topics listed above and divulge into their sub points. Be sure to check back often for the next segment of this mini series where I will discuss in depth on how to mentally prepare yourself to get into the game!
So if you haven’t heard yet, I will be at the Hot Import Nights (HIN) 2008 event coming up in San Mateo, CA with the 350Z. Originally, Mark from Fatlace told me about the event and brought on the idea of displaying with him. Then, a few weeks ago, Junior from JDM Theory called me about and invited me to display with their “J’s Best of the Best” display. I took the opportunity because I haven’t gone to a Hot Import Nights event in years so it should be a good time to catch up with old friends and make some new friends as well.
I will be there doing selective media coverage for this website, an exclusive feature on the “J’s Best of the Best” display, and also writing for HINCity. Matt Kim will also be on site with me helping to shoot the Hot Import Nights models.
Speaking of Hot Import Night models, it seems like theres a lot of new “talent” in the industry these days. You sure miss a lot in three years of not keeping up with the “scene” huh? Well I emailed my contact at Hot Import Nights, for a quick and dirty list of the big name models who will be on site. I will throw that up a bit later when I hear back!
To view the full Hot Import Nights San Mateo 2008 gallery, click here!
Well…knockoffs are everywhere…not just in the automotive world. I’m sure you won’t be surprised where this knockoff came from *cough* China *cough*, but it was a good one none the less. FAKE CORONA BEER! Yeah…how do you like that? Put aside your dislike for the Mexican beer for a second, and check these pictures out:
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So how do you like that Cerono beer? How very shady of the Chinese for this knockoff…tisk tisk tisk. Next time you are at the bar, make sure you check what you are drinking! Well, I doubt you would see these here in the USA, but you never know.
And for all you guys and gals who don’t like Corona period, maybe this Corona advertisement will change your mind:
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Oh yeah…Grind it in deeper baby! Of course Van had to ruin my fun and show me this picture:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: D1 Corporation media@d1gp.com
D1 GRAND PRIX ANNOUNCES THE CANCELATION OF 2008 POINTS SERIES
TORRANCE, CA (February 10, 2008) - D1 Grand Prix USA has announced the cancellation of 2008 point series events.
Due to issues and timing from the Japan series, the D1 Grand Prix USA series is being cancelled for the 2008 year. After a successful championship event last November at Irwindale Speedway, we vigorously attempted to launch the 2008 U.S. series but have been unable to due to Japan’s delay on decisions and their focus on the Japan series. Our goal is to continue elevating and expanding the drift culture to the world. But at this time the official word from Japan is to focus on the Japan series for 2008.
It has been formally decided not to hold an event series in the U.S. but the “All Star World Championship” in November at Irwindale speedway is still scheduled to take place.
D1 Grand Prix apologizes for the series cancellation in the U.S. and plans to return the series next year.
A big congrats to our friend, Henry Chan for his Modified magazine cover (March, 2008 issue)! If you haven’t been able to find the magazine on the shelf, you aren’t alone. I literally drove 90 miles to go pickup his cover. Well fine, I had other business in San Jose, CA too but, needless to say, 90 miles!
I gaurantee you that you have never seen a Nissan S13 coupe like Henry’s. Pick it up, and check it out for yourself and maybe you too can become an Instant Gentlemen (you’ll find out what I mean after you read his article).
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If you want to see Henry’s car in person, he will be at the San Mateo Hot Import Nights on 3/18/08 as apart of the “J’s Best of the Best” display in Oak Hall. And, if you are a real fanboy/girl, be sure to bring your issue to have Henry autograph it!
You picked up a new ride recently and think that some new chrome wheels would look good. You research chrome wheels and realize that the good ones out there are expensive! You say to yourself, “1000, for EACH wheel? Screw that, time to go hitup the ‘other’ side of town and go talk to some homies!”
You get to talking and find out that the “homies” are going to “hook you up” on a set of chrome wheels for your whip and it’s only going to set you back $2500 for the entire set of 18’s… sweet!
You pay cash, get them installed, and then 6 months later your chrome wheels are now flaking, peeling, and blistering. What the hell is all that about? Well, since you thought that all chrome wheels were built alike, you failed. Your “homie hookup” that you got was basically some cheapo wheels from overseas that cost a whopping $500 at wholesale that you paid $2500 for. And since you paid cash, the “homies” aren’t giving you the time of day to help figure out what’s going on with your wheels and are pushing you off. You must feel great now huh?
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But, why exactly are your chrome wheels peeling, flaking, or blistering? Well, that’s a tough question to answer as there are several factors involved. The most likely scenario is that the wheels themselves were not properly prepped for the chroming process, it’s as simple as that. There’s a reason why the chrome wheels in question were $2500 for the set versus $4000. At the same time, price doesn’t mean everything. There are several manufactures out there who are selling cheap crap at high prices. At the end of the day, it’s all about doing your homework and buying from a trustworthy vendor to explain what you are getting.
Properly chromed wheels (or anything else for that matter) should never peel, flake, or blister. Just think about all the real industrial products that get heavy beatings and hold up fine without the chrome peeling, flaking, or blistering. Yeah…so all you people who say, “It’s the nature of chrome to peel, flake, and blister” stop spreading the lies and stop believing in forum talk. Do your own homework and think for yourself. Don’t believe some random guy in Maryland because he doesn’t like chrome wheels.
The bottom line? Do it once, and do it right–don’t buy cheap shit and expect it to last, buy from educated vendors (not the cheapest vendor), and do your own homework.
A friend of mine picked up a new BMW 335i recently and asked me today about what kinds of exhausts were available. He was interested in an exhaust system that would be less restrictive than stock so he could get some better flow for his twin turbos. Since my friend is driving a nice BMW 335i, I suggested maybe something that was full titanium in hopes to keep a nice quiet exotic tone. So we hit up everyone’s favorite website to find exhaust clips and things like that, Youtube, to see what we could find! The first result for “BMW 335i Exhaust System” that Youtube came back with was this:
Did you watch and listen to the video? Are you sure? It’s important that you did! You did? Good! Now, watch and listen to this video:
What do you guys think? The BMW exhaust sounds like just the I4 Honda right? LAME!
February 6th, 2008 by Prashant · 2 Comments Posted in: Rants
So what the hell is the deal with all these morons on forums these days? Seriously, I’m getting sick and tired of idiots on forums with their holier-than-thou superiority complex. Does being “humble” not mean anything to you? Or how about just being a nice person in general? Do you think that you are cool because you talk down to others behind your computer screen? Have you never heard of the concept of “constructive criticism?” Are you trying to get a group of fellow forum lackies to be your internet friend to substitute your own failure as a social creature?
Forum staff and owners need to wise up and learn that this is the whole problem with forums. People take the 1st amendment to new extremes by putting down other people. It discourages the most important thing that a forum should be used for, to obtain and share knowledge. Why would someone come back to your forum if people are CONSTANTLY talking shit to you?
If you are one of the above fore mentioned morons, please note that I am not the only person that feels this way. There are a lot of people who have real information to contribute to others who just don’t care to do so because your lack of respect for others (AND YOURSELF). So please, TONE IT DOWN!
A few days, I was checking out our web statistics (using Google Analytics of course) and I was wondering why there was a huge spike on January 31st. It turns out that one of our fans posted up a link to my Volk “VORK” Kncokoff article I posted last month up on the My350Z.com forums. Ahh…now those nearly 700 visits to that one article alone makes sense now!
Anyways, so after hunting down the thread, I found that there were a bunch of people who enjoyed the article and even posted up with some of their own Volk Knockoff finds!
Introducing the “Volkner Racing” wheel (knockoff of the Volk Racing CE28N):
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The last picture is the money shot. I love the fact that the center cap is a complete rip off of the authentic Volk Racing design. And if you overlooked it, read what it says under the VR logo…”VOLKNER RACING.”
Sigh, there’s a lot of shady activity going these days. If I had extra disposable income, I would have bought those wheels from the guy that was selling them (some thread on Honda-Tech), taken them to an incinerator and posted the video on Youtube. That’s what you should be doing with these unscrupulous wheels…NOT putting them on your car!
