Complaint Review: Blueprint Magazine - Pembroke Pines Florida

Initial Email Contact:

we're currently working on our 2014 Holiday/Winter Gift Guide issue and digital iPad edition this month and our staff would love to feature your ****************** in the 2014 Holiday "Must-Have" Outdoor/Gear Gift Guide Section for our upcoming print release and website. We are requesting 2-4 high-resolution press/product images and 1-2 samples/loaners (to be returned, if available) to be included in our 2014 Holiday print issue; our asset deadline is December 7th. The editorial feature will focus on your brands great design, quality craftsmanship, durability, easy setup, and overall style/appeal.

For this issue we're also offering your brand as a separate opportunity our new client full-page print and digital advertisement, plus one week social network and main-page website "Pageskin & Takeover" package for $200.00 (USD). Our website reaches over 2.4 million web hits and 268,000+ influential viewers a month (similar Nylon Guys, Los Angeles Magazine, Haute Living, Paper Magazine, Heart & Soul, Juicy Magazine, and Fader Magazine) our quarterly print/digital lifestyle publication has a ratebase of 85,000 units (audited) internationally via Wal-Mart, Waterstone UK, and Barnes & Noble (25,000 in Miami, MHI of 250,000).

Our 2014 Holiday/Winter issue features Grammy-Award Winning Artist Beyoncé, on the front cover and will be on select newsstands, retail stores and digital stores December 20th nationwide. If you're unfamiliar with our exciting publication please browse through the sample issue by clicking here: http://theblueprintmagazine.com/sample

DOWNLOAD OUR 2014 MEDIA KIT (passcode: blueprint13)

DOWNLOAD OUR FULL ISSUE 

Our Company: The Blueprint Magazine is the premier 96-page multicultural print/digital quarterly lifestyle publication that celebrates the best in business, music, art, fashion, wellness, technology and style. It is loud,cutting edge and modern; driven by stunning visuals and enlightening profiles of the most adored taste-makers, entrepreneurs, celebrities and athletes. Driven by A-List talent and entrepreneurs including Jay-Z, Peyton Manning, Taylor Swift, Marc Ecko, Katy Perry, LeBron James, Vera Wang and more. This is The Blueprint.

Our readership is 125,000+ and we are internationally distributed through Best Buy, Waterstones (UK), Barnes & Noble and Border's Bookstore.  Some of our current advertisers include Ford Motors, Rocawear, Nike, L-R-G, Koch Records, 2K Games, Unltd. by Marc Ecko, J Records, iHome, Apple Inc, Ethoes Water, Sony, Electronic Arts, T-Mobile, Starbuck's Coffee House, Jordan Brand, Ubisoft and more.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration

Justin McCraw @theblueprintmag

Business Development, Blueprint Magazine

113 SW 168 TER

Pembroke Pines, Florida 33027

404.281-8404 - direct

305.741.5199 - office

[email protected]

theblueprintmagazine.com

twitter.com/theblueprintmag

instagram.com/theblueprintmag

I replied asking for details and to inquire about why they needed images AND  samples (Products worth $200-$400 apiece), they immediately tried to hussle me by sending a Paypal invoice for the $200. 

Along with this E-mail:

Thank you for the timely response and we love the brand. Yes, we definitely would like to feature ********* in our 2014 Holiday/Winter Gift Guide.

For the feature please email or dropbox me 2-4 hi-res product/lookbook images (300dpi, 1000x1000 or larger) and please mail 1-2 samples/loaners to our editor's address below. We'll email you a .pdf page proof to review before we go to print and mail you 3-5 hard copies of the issue when they arrive back to our office for your records. The editorial deadline is December 8th.

ATTN: Editor, Sarah Adelmann - Blueprint Magazine

113 SW 168 TER 

Pembroke Pines, Florida 33027

The new-client ad package again (one full-page print/digital advertisement and one week social network website wrap) is $200.00 USD -- no additional costs. For the week, we also send daily posts/tweets about your brand/online store to our 135,000+ followers on (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram) also included in the ad package is the web wrap advertisement (60,000 page impressions per/month). The print edition has been in production quarterly since 2010, has 40,000+ international subscribers, and now we have distribution via select Walmart and Target retail stores.

Below are the design templates and artwork sample weblinks. The print ad artwork is due December 9th -- we can design the print advertisement and website wrap/banners for you at no-cost as well, just supply us with your logo and any additional hi-res images of your choice. Please give us 4-8 business days to send you a proof to review. Attached is the ad insertion order for the print/digital issue and we'll email over the invoice today; please complete the payment via debit/credit on receipt. We have four ad slots left for this issue so please let us know if you're interested to lock in your ad space as soon as possible.

background wallpaper ad - 1920×1200

skyscraper ad - 160x600

blog ad - 468 x 20

print advertisement page samples for reference: 8 x 10 7/8 

The design templates for the print and digital advertisements are located here: http://theblueprintmagazine.com/advertisers/templates

If you have any additional questions or ideas please email and/or give me a call anytime today or this week. This print issue will be featured in select Wal-Mart, Target, Barnes & Noble, and UK Waterstone retail stores so we're excited to feature Pelican Coolers in our upcoming edition.

Thank you for your business and enjoy your day,

Justin McCraw @theblueprintmag

Business Development, Blueprint Magazine

404.281-8404 - direct

305.741.5199 - office

[email protected]

theblueprintmagazine.com

twitter.com/theblueprintmag

instagram.com/theblueprintmag

Also this is the e-mail the paypal account was linked to: [email protected]

This is when I realized this was super fishy, as having worked in advertising my whole career, NO ONE offers design work for free, let alone all of that press attention for only $200.