I got a call from the local paper offering me a big colour ad in their food and wine section for $230 (which is pretty cheap). I agreed but ONLY if I got 300 words of editorial WITH A photograph AND I got to write the article.

When the article comes out can I quote the article in my publicity material? For example:

"Tricky Nick is the best magician in the world"
—Canberra Times 17th September, 2003. (The article doesn't actually say that.)

Or am I perhaps crossing a line?

I think Oscar Wilde said, "I often quote myself, it adds spice to a conversation."

Holy cow. I hope you get a heck of a ROI on that.

But to the point of quoting yourself...let's look at the facts.

You're basically buying ad space.
Going to write something about yourself.
The credit the newspaper as saying it.

Wouldn't it be easier (and more cost effective) to skip the ad and just write...

"Tricky Nick Will Be The Greatest!"
-David Copperfield

At least you'd save $230 doing that.

I don't know how the press works over there but here, when ads are written to LOOK like a story or editorial, they get P A I D A D V E R T I S E M E N T stamped nice n' big across the top.

I don't think quoting yourself as a newspaper source will help your credibility.

Robert Bloor

You're crossing the line. No perhaps about it.

What you can do is refer to your having written an article for the paper, or better yet, include a copy of the article with your publicity material and let it speak for itself.

--Rick

You're right, it was just a passing thought as I have a collection of quotes from papers etc. and I was thinking about whether I could include this one.

Put like that, there is no doubt it's a bit dodgy. Not quite as bad as say quoting someone who didn't say it at all (i.e. David Copperfield).

Nick,

You can definitely say, "As seen in The (name of newspaper here)." In the future, you should also use the article in your promo kit after it comes out.

Edd
Visit the Wizard of Sorts at http://www.wizardofsorts.com

I think quoting something that you wrote yourself is crossing the line and really does no good for you. I would much rather receive quotes from actual satisfied clients. These go over better as clients like to read how you have met the needs of others in similar situations to themselves.

A great way to get good quotes is to send a thank you letter with a simple questionnaire and a SASE. This not only makes you look good and professional, but it gives the client the chance to give you some really great feedback on how your show went over and how you met their needs. It also gives you a lot of potential quotes to use for your own promotional materials.

Give it a try.

But that IS what you would have done. Quote someone (or thing) that didn't say it at all.

Robert Bloor

If a big color ad PLUS 300 words editorial in another page for $230 is cheap by your standard, then the deal is pretty good.

To skirt the ethical issue, let the paper's staff writer write the editorial instead of you volunteering to write it yourself. If the writer interviews you prior to writing the article, I'm sure there are a couple of quotable quotes in a 300-word article that you can use and incorporate into your marketing material.

Ben Benjay
Manila, Philippines

I still don't think this skirts the ethical issue.

• He's PAYING to put HIS information in this ad.
  
• It's a paid advertisement.
  
• NOT a review.
  
• NOT a feature story.
  
• A paid ad.

Robert Bloor

On the other hand, if it's an ad that looks like a feature article (you know the kind of thing I'm talking about), you might possibly be able to use copies in a promo kit or a mailing to clients.

See ya!
Joe L.

Joe,

It's tough to get away with that as most media outlets will add "PAID ADVERTISEMENT" across the top of the so-called "feature article."

Robert Bloor

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the clarification. I based my response on what I understood from Nick’s original post. He wrote: “I got a call from the local paper offering me a big colour ad in their food and wine section for $230 (which is pretty cheap). I agreed but ONLY if I got 300 words of editorial WITH A photograph...”

As I understand it from Nick’s description of the proposition, he gets two exposures for $230. One, a big color ad in the food and wine section, and two, a 300-word editorial with a photograph.

Here in my country, advertising managers normally dangle a bonus editorial as incentive to advertisers to buy advertising spaces in their newspaper. I might have jumped to conclusion after reading Nick’s post. If Nicholas meant he was offered an advertorial instead of an ad plus a bonus editorial, then my response above is off tangent.

Thanks for calling my attention.

Ben Benjay
Manila, Philippines

Ben,

No worries on the confusion. I'm in the USA and with Nick down in Australia, it wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out the press works differently down there (and likely, more efficiently) than in the USA.

Robert Bloor

Hi all,

The ad and article were printed last Wednesday. I've gotten $600 worth of bookings so it's been OK.

As for the details...

The ad was printed as an ad in the bottom left hand corner. The article was printed at the top of the page with no note of it being an ad, advertorial or paid editorial. It was an article but it was written by me about me (in the third person) with no byline.

The only reason I wrote the article myself was because the local paper writes TERRIBLE articles and, despite my terrible grammer and spelling here on the Café, when I put my mind to it, I can write a reasonable article.

However, I have reached the conclusion that since I have tons of quotes from parents and other articles—and since I FEEL a bit dodgy about it—I will not quote myself but I will reproduce the article.

Nick,

Fantastic! I'm glad it worked out for you in the end!

Robert Bloor

Reproducing a magazine or newspaper article is a great way to add a valuable piece to your promotional packet.

FYI, here is the article I sent in (they changed it a little for publication):

A Touch of Magic
Tricky Nick knows kids! He should, having entertained literally thousands of them with his unique combination of magic and mayhem at over 2000 children’s parties plus countless more appearances at shopping centres, fetes and other family events.

Taking up magic at the age of five, Tricky Nick was performing professionally by the age of nine and by 15 he was running his own business entertaining audiences aged three to 103 with his amazing magic and award-winning comedy. Now, with almost 20 years performing experience, he still hasn’t lost the magic.

“It’s wonderful to be able to look out over a group of excited children and see that look of total wonder and amazement as real magic happens right there in their living room,” said Tricky Nick. “It’s the best feeling the world!”

In an hour-long visit to a child’s birthday party, Tricky Nick performs a full magic show where the birthday child is the star of show and every guest gets one of 150 different balloon animals to take home. During the show, Nick does everything from bringing a hand drawn picture to life and juggling rubber chickens to blows up a skunk like a balloon and turning a balloon animal into his real live bunny, Bamboozle.

“It’s about having fun and taking the pressure off parents to entertain the guests,” said Tricky Nick. “The kid’s get to have an absolute ball whilst Mum and Dad sit back and enjoy the party. They don’t need to provide a thing, just the kids and a living room!”

For the ultimate children’s party experience, you can’t go past the amazing magic of Tricky Nick. Funny Bones Entertainment now also offers a free "Kid’s Party Survival Kit" at the Funny Bones Entertainment website:

http://www.funnybones.com.au