THE CLEVER SMOKE AND MIRRORS OF SNAP - SNAPD Neighbur. REALLY!!!

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” I have seen this magic trick a million times in business. Something is not working or failing, change it. Try again. In my 27 years in the publishing business I have seen magazines and newspapers come and go. One attempt after the other failing. From the debunked Oshawa Times to the many attempts by the folks at the debunked OSHAWA EXPRESS, former Oshawa news, Courtice news. The reason? It takes conviction, determination and integrity to understand the fundamental principles of success in the industry. You can’t be a flag in the wind and cater to some and not to other. The newspaper business is not about being a social butterfly and or everyone’s best friend. The newspaper business is about bringing solid balanced news with integrity and vigor. Newspaper success do not follow paths but instead create them. Most of these so called fly by night publishers have no understanding of what it takes to succeed in the printing and publishing business. Take for example the SNAP magazine. Publishing in newsprint quality as to attempt to pass off as a newspaper instead of a magazine. (Smoke and mirror attempt), even tho they published that they were not a newspaper but in fact a magazine. Originally selling franchise type of arrangement to socialites in over 25 municipalities. To folk that had little or not experience in the publishing industry but happen to be the local unicorn chasers in that particular community. Then the SNAP - SNAPD. Why the sudden change. Here in the local Oshawa market it has been the hottest potato for a while for the SNAP. Why did they SNAPD? They rebranded (ONCE) How do you explain rebranding? Definition: Rebranding is the process of changing the corporate image of an organization. It is a market strategy of giving a new name, symbol, or change in design for an already-established brand having difficulties penetrating a market. The idea behind rebranding is to create a different identity for a brand, from its competitors, in the market. Well SNAP/SNAPD really had no competitors as they do not meet the requirements to be classified or recognized as an official newspaper. SNAPD would go to places like Oshawa City Council for example and acquire tax payers dollars in the form of municipal advertising to pay for their minimal printing. City elect having no experience in the publishing industry would fall for the picture book type of presentation of events in the community and pay to advertise city notices. Knowing that these type of publication do not meet the requirements. Just recently SNAPD once again rebranded to the NEIGHBUR. Same number being printed... same content. So what has changed? Why are the local elect in Oshawa falling for it again? What is the reason for rebranding? Businesses often need to rebrand, and it can be a result of many reasons, including international growth, new management, a bad reputation or an outdated image. Whatever the reason, it's important to create a stellar brand that people will remember. So now I ask what was the reason for the rebranding? ‘BAD (NO)REPUTATION’!!! New management? I guess not as the same person own and operates the Oshawa/Whitby magazine. I approached Michael Adams as he is a fellow Rotarian. Adams by his own admission recognizes he has limited knowledge in the printing business, he attempted to defend by giving me some questionable credential, but I been in the business for to long to see the bullshit train pulling into station. I asked him to if he needed help? I even offered to meet with him to give him some pointers. He said he would come in and see me. We even set up a time and place. I am still waiting. This brings to question his motives? His integrity. Did he forget his Rotary, four way test? SNAP, SANPD and now Neighbur have no official offices in Oshawa or Whitby to my knowledge. Any publication that offers their magazine, newspaper for free. By their own admissions have no readership. 2,000 copies barely covers any readership. No market penetration and advertising revenues are limited or none. In Michaels case it appears that he is utilizing the Rotary Club of Oshawa as his commercial flag to gain accreditation. I think this may go against Rotary Club International regulation. Unless the Rotary of Oshawa is paying for the full page he publishes. Neither here or there. I have great concern over these type of publications business practices as they go out in the market place. They approach good hard working advertise. These goo hard working folk may get take in by the smoke and mirror that ‘WE ARE COMMUNITY’ base pitch. Advertise with them. Then get no results and be turned off print. This hurts the industry. Look for example at all the blind sheep Adam has attracted. In their November issue. Oshawa councillors Bob Chapman, Rick Kerr, Titto Dante-Marimpietri, Rosemary McConkey and our beloved Mayor Dan Carter. Mayor Dan Carter appears to have second page commentaries on every issue. Is this what the Mayor means by inclusion? Does the Mayor pay with your tax dollars to support magazines that help him promote, pre 2022 election campaign.... Thank God it is only 2,000 or so print, in accordance to what Adams had told me in our telephone conversation. It just shows the bias and prejudice at City Hall and the incompetence by some of our elected officials when it comes to making decisions at City hall. Wonder how many other bad decisions they make without our knowledge? Once again, using our elected officials to gain stature and accreditation. (smoke and mirrors) In conversation with Rosemary McConkey. According to her. For her advertising. She published in the neighbur, she was asked to make her cheque payable to SNAPD. Really. Is this not illegal? Rebranding give me a break... I can just hear the wheels of incompetency turning... Ha, now we can sue his ass for slander.... Think again snowflake. What's considered slander? Slander is the legal term used to describe false statements made by one party against another. It is a form of defamation that is communicated verbally to a third party, which makes it temporary. ... Slander is different from libel, which are false statements made through print or broadcast. PROVE TO ME THAT ANYTHING ON HERE IS NOT TRUE. I DARE YOU. I love fair competition. There is no place for smoke and mirrors in the success formula of any business. Do it right with honor or don’t do it.