PADI Scuba Diving Magazine Really Insults Its Readers' Intelligence

[nippurmagnum]

Just received the PADI Scuba Diving Magazine's annual "Gear Guide" issue, and it's beyond shameless in its promotion of paid sponsors. Yes, I know, Scuba Diving magazine has long plugged its paid sponsors all over its pages, even before PADI took it over. But now it's just a joke, and an insult to the magazine's readers.

The section on watches reviews 13 different watches -- and 12 of them are Seiko Prospex models, some as expensive as $6,000, none of them cheaper than $400. Really? You're going to tell me that you RECOMMEND a $6,000 SEIKO, and boast that it's accurate to within 15 seconds a month as if that's some incredible technological triumph??

Similarly, the section on imaging mentions only one camera other than SeaLife. And there is an entire two-page spread that lists nothing but SeaLife lights and lenses. I have nothing against SeaLife, but really? Your "Scuba Lab" never heard of Olympus Tough cameras?

PADI should just call this what it is: a special advertising supplement. And please drop the "Scuba Lab testing" BS.

 

[tursiops]

So, are you paying for the magazine? No? Then throw it away and chill. Life is full of advertisements. Please don't look at Facebook, or read a newspaper, or watch TV, or go to the movies, or attend a sporting event.....

 

[Marie13]

It’s also written for the lowest common denominator. I consider it the diving version of “see Dick run.” It hurts to read it.

 

[Damselfish]

So, are you paying for the magazine? No? Then throw it away and chill. Life is full of advertisements. Please don't look at Facebook, or read a newspaper, or watch TV, or go to the movies, or attend a sporting event.....

I basically agree. But the unfortunate thing is that many newer divers don’t immediately recognize the various marketing scams for what they are and believe paid reviews, “best of” lists, 5-star centers, etc.

 

[nippurmagnum]

So, are you paying for the magazine? No? Then throw it away and chill. Life is full of advertisements. Please don't look at Facebook, or read a newspaper, or watch TV, or go to the movies, or attend a sporting event.....

I don't mind advertisements generally, and online ads in many cases can be quite targeted/useful. But I do mind magazine articles that purport to be objective evaluations of dive gear and instead are just paid endorsements -- especially for $6,000 Seiko watches.

I've had a subscription to Scuba Diving magazine for years, and every year I debate whether to renew it. It costs only a few dollars, and I get only a few dollars' worth of value out of it, so I usually renew. Not renewing anymore.

 

[Esprise Me]

I basically agree. But the unfortunate thing is that many newer divers don’t immediately recognize the various marketing scams for what they are and believe paid reviews, “best of” lists, 5-star centers, etc.

And what better way to help those naive noobs than to call out these scams in a publicly-accessible forum like this?

 

[tridacna]

And what better way to help those naive noobs than to call out these scams in a publicly-accessible forum like this?

Most likely because they don't visit us here. You knew that. Right

 

[Esprise Me]

@tridacna I did...

 

[Landau]

My $50 Timex is accurate to within 1 second a month and waterproof to 100m. It is over 20 years old and still working though I’ve had to replace the strap and battery every few years.

Caveat - I’ve only had it down to 20m

I was not paid for this endorsement, though I wouldn’t complain if Timex sent me a new watch or two. It’s looking pretty beat up.

 

[Bigbella]

"PADI Scuba Diving Magazine Really Insults Its Readers' Intelligence"

. . . and this comes as a surprise? Rodale's Scuba Diving also never met a sponsor they didn't like; and, similarly, all of the watches, in their reviews, cost more than my car did in college . . .