Stop the Free Ads Masked as Reviews!

Balatarin
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Stop the Free Ads Masked as Reviews!
by bahmani
21-Oct-2011
 

It's certainly wonderful that all of the Free-Iranian artists that have their work posted on this site, are Free to express their art and that we get to see it for Free. Sorry for the over-use of the word FREE.

But if you're going to promote something commercially on this site for FREE (See the latest example of this "Mia Jafari’s ready-to-wear line"), I would at least expect you show some sense of the common courtesy, and some earned respect, and your undying gratitude in return for having your products seen on the most widely read Iranian on-line publication.

Instead of perpetuating the common myth and stereotype of "FREE-Eating" (Moft-Khor), why don't we set the more honorable and courteous standard of agreeing that if we are going to promote something on this site, we do at least 2 things from now on:

1) Buy (at least) one full month banner ad to go with your free post. As you know advertising only works when it is repeated enough times, so what you think you are doing with your tricky little post that happens to have 30 pics of a gallery of products, is not that big a promotion given the article slips from the front page usually within a day. Better to be on the site for a whole month or 6 months, if you are really serious about selling success in the Iranian marketplace.

2) When you post a piece, POST A PIECE! 99 times out of 100 these freebies are barely a paragraph and a YouTube ad, likely taken cut and pasted from the same FaceBook post! This is a horribly lost advertising opportunity. You can write a full 750-1500 word review, compare him/her with other mainstream artists, and Wow! what about an interview with the artist him/herself! So that we can truly get to know and fall in love for real?

Finally, if you love, respect, and value this website like I do, show your love by helping support it. Not by choosing cheat your way out by slipping in free advertising masked as a wimpy post.

I'm not advocating buying articles to sell your products, but if that helps to explain it, then I guess I am. doing it voluntarily is the honorbale way to justify this. And it will make you feel good, knowing you've helped sponsor free Iranian speech.

This site has done way way way more than it's fair share of helping support your good commercial ideas for free for the past 15 years. This is site contrary to the many wildly popularized myths about it's variety of financial statuses, is not rich. Various benevolent and almost always silent hereos have come along the way, on this destination-less journey wiht their generosity.

When you post an ad masked as an article, you sully and disrespect that good intention.

It is high time, you think to give something back by putting Iranian.com into your business plans and promotional budgets.

Plus, if you shop it around for a better deal (that other Iranian trait), you really cannot beat Iranian.com's ridiculously low pricing!

Do the right thing so you can sleep well and dream of large women.

Balatarin
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bahmani

Doberman Bites his Master!

by bahmani on Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:16 PM PDT

OK this is certainly a first, taking on the mighty JJ in a disagreement volley, let's see if we can do this and still remain friends!

A) Media like this, is certainly the patchwork quilt of an ongoing cultural discussion, and is sweetened by being topical and ahead of trends in fashion and art. Certainly IRDC fulfills that well.

B) and However, as you have reminded us all numerous and countless times, this media in particular survives to turn on the lights another day, through the ongoing support of the sponsors of the site.

I'll accept an article (750-1500 words) written about the artist, interviews, and a profile, as a piece worth reading under the media obligation of IRDC. But as a reader, I can't really respect barely a paragraph and 30 stock pictures lifted directly fro the same website (no special/exclusive IRDC photoshoot like other pubs do?) and the link to the artist's commercial website as in depth enough to not call it what it is, a blatant free ad.

Were I to critique Ms. Jafari's "line", I'd have to say there is very little "Iranian" in it. In fact her dress line entitled "waterlilies" has no waterlilies in it and is more or less an homage to Monet's famous series of paintings. Or less.

What little Iranian sense there is, could barely be seen in her line of scarves. Not the most widely used accessory these days, but if you're over 60 or remember the Shah as being handsome, you might be interested. These though are not hand painted printed like your industry standard Hermes scarves. Jafari has this new non-traditional and insultingly automated technique called "digi-printing". Which means, and I hope you will get the irony in this, she uses a GASP! computer.

But not to put down an obviously successful London trained but somehow still Iranian designer, I am merely challenging those that get the huge benefit of exposure on IRDC, to return the favor by supporting it. Again, they can make an anonymous donation, or buy an ad.

That's what I consider mutual respect.

Now what would an exchange like this be, without a thinly veiled insult to wrap it up? So here's one;

You always do this, you insist on giving away the milk for free, then complain about your finances. ;)

To read more bahmani posts visit: //brucebahmani.blogspot.com/


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Jahanshah Javid

That's what the media are for

by Jahanshah Javid on Fri Oct 21, 2011 11:22 AM PDT

Mia Jafari has been featured because I liked her work. Not because she asked for free publicity. That goes for any other artist who has been featured on iranian.com.

The media routinely feature people/businesses who never buy ads. And that's how it should be.


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