Thursday, December 21, 2006

Boycott Macy's, Push Hiller, On Overly-Intrusive Ads In L.A. Times

Henry Adams once declared, "You can't use tact with a Congressman; you have to take a stick and hit him in the snout."

The same thing could be said of both the Macy's department store chain, and David Hiller, the usurper who has been made publisher of the L.A. Times. They both require rude treatment.

This morning, again, we see Macy's ad wrap arounds defacing two sections of the newspaper. These are more than a little annoying. It requires ripping them off and dumping them in the trash, before you can get to the news in the newspaper, and it is a sign that the ugly Hiller will do anything to make an extra dollar, even sacrifice readers' interests.

As I've noted before, Macy's is a second rate chain. It has replaced in Los Angeles such worthy stores as Broadway and I. Magnin's. It offers little quality merchandise, and I haven't shopped at any Macy's store in years.

That's why it has to try any expedient to come to the reader's attention in its ads. The average person of good taste would never walk into a Macy's. He or she would go to Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's or other higher class stores instead.

Now, given its perseverance in defacing the Times, Macy's ought to be subject to a buyer's boycott. No one should shop there, until it ceases to annoy with its ads. Then, maybe it would be worthwhile to go there for cheap, less-than-desirable goods.

As for Hiller, as I've suggested before, he should be encouraged to quit his post and leave Los Angeles. Either of the former publishers, John Puerner or Jeff Johnson, would be better in the job he now holds. I know Johnson initially allowed the wrap around ads, but, as time went on, he became more sensitized to reader concerns, opposed further cost cutting by the idiots in Chicago, and was relieved for his pains.

What could Hiller do next, if he were to step down? He could haul Macy's trash, or return to Chicago and become a copy messenger at the Chicago Tribune. Or since he was trained at Harvard Law School, he could, gasp, become a lawyer. That's assuming he could pass the bar. As a last resort, he could go to work as a gofer for his old friend, Clinton persecutor Ken Starr. These men deserve each other. The thought of Hiller cleaning out the restroom for Starr enthuses me.

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