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Monday, July 14, 2008

A RIP-OFF OR THE REAL THING

A new magazine has appeared on the shelves in the last couple of weeks. Hello Star magazine is a bi-weekly Thai language glossy, gossip and celebrity magazine that retails of 60 baht.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
This magazine is attempting to copy Hello! in more ways that one. It's the same size, same frequency, same format and uses pretty much the same page design as its world famous namesake. My view is that the publishers are attempting to gain from the reputation of Hello!. If they were not then why not use a Thai name for this magazine?
I believe the global publishers of Hello! would have some kind of case against the Thai publishers of Hello Star. What are your thoughts?

3 comments:

Anonymous 6:55 PM  

Using the same size and same frequency doesn't matter... this accounts for 60% of the mags on shelfs doesn't it?

Personally I don't think they have a claim unless they start to see the same content.

Copying is fine in my books, the better quality of the 2 always comes out on top in the end.

(c) 2016 Written by Andrew Batt 4:03 AM  

Hi Chris. The thing I have a problem with is when, as in this case, the new publication is blatantly trying to make money on the back of the more established title.

Let's say your Juice Mag becomes world famous and I set up an almost identical website called Juiced Mag, making money from your fame and depriving you of revenue. That's what I believe is happening in the case of Hello Star.

Anonymous 6:01 PM  

Registering juicedmag.co.uk now hahaha :)

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