Article or Advertisement

**TheCableVine** · April 21st, 2009, 10:49 PM

Is this an article or advertisement in this magazine. Its hard to say.

Underground Utility Location Made Easy

When I read an article I like to know it is giving me good information and not a sales pitch.

**Hurricane9** · April 22nd, 2009, 07:56 AM

It sure seems like an ad to me. Seems kind of weird to be in a magazine that is supposed to serve public utilities. I could see if the article was a regular feature called something like "Equipment Focus" but they sure do like the piece they were talking about.

**Mke** · April 22nd, 2009, 09:34 AM

smells of an advertisement.

Back when I had more free time I used to play paintball a bit. One of the industry "magazines" was funded by two of the biggest Distributers of Paintball Equipment. They would never have a Bad word to say about any equipment and you could tell it was closer to a catalog then a magazine.

Its good Marketing thought.....I guess.

**headcipher** · April 22nd, 2009, 02:07 PM

Par for the course.

The mags do these "articles" for thier sponsers.

I. E. Underground Focus Magazine... They did what was supposedly an impartial review and buying guide.

Did they eval. the latest tech? No. There was no mention of Metrotech, Vivax, Radiodetection, or the new Pipehorn, even though there were pics in the same mag of their school training people on some of these pieces of equipment.

Trenchless Technology had an article all about them, written by thier head of development.

I have yet to see out there a really impartial party doing comprehensive reviews.

No profit, no plug.

Par for the course.

**ifinditunderground** · April 22nd, 2009, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by headcipher

Par for the course.

The mags do these "articles" for thier sponsers.

I. E. Underground Focus Magazine... They did what was supposedly an impartial review and buying guide.

Did they eval. the latest tech? No. There was no mention of Metrotech, Vivax, Radiodetection, or the new Pipehorn, even though there were pics in the same mag of their school training people on some of these pieces of equipment.

Trenchless Technology had an article all about them, written by thier head of development.

I have yet to see out there a really impartial party doing comprehensive reviews.

No profit, no plug.

Par for the course.

Headcipher and Mke hit it on the head. It's a sponsored ad/article selling for Schoenstedt.

**Linden Riddle** · April 22nd, 2009, 03:17 PM

Here's the Underground Focus article for all to view:

http://www.underspace.com/UFM_files/..._June_2008.pdf

**AULupstate** · April 22nd, 2009, 04:01 PM

Most articles (no matter what the subject matter) are generally self-serving to a point. If they weren't there wouldn't really be a point in publishing them.

Objective reviews?? I've seen some but not that many. There is usually a 'tit for tat' backstory that the reader doesn't know.

Self-serving propaganda?? We see it all the time. Most of these 'writers' are no better than Ron Popeil, they just don't have the hour long annoying infomercial.

The best reviews and opinions one can form are from using and doing things YOURSELF. These articles are a decent enough starting point but in the end it is what suits YOU the best (no matter what we could possibly be talking about).