What is happening at EVO magazine?

[edo]

The whole fking point of ECOTY was a collection of lots of cars from Hot hatch to super car, and anyone could win...

A fking lame arse collection of pre-announced winners in individual segments isnt and ECOTY and is a lame arsed cost cutting load of bks.

Im'OOOT.

Dead within 18 months.

[acme]

The grey wrapper was on the door mat today.....

Seems Evo's inbox has also been inundated with negative comments re ECOTY, and Stuart Gallagher responds that they'll take every negative comment and act upon them. To be fair to them they printed some equally unimpressed letters (one which said 'please don't do it again. It was bloody awful'), so it seems the message has been understood and accepted.

I for one am very happy to hear this

[Bubba Zanetti]

I still can't get over the fact that the editor and the rest of the team must have rubber stamped this "WhatCar?" style ECOTY and thought the readership would enjoy it. Given ECOTY was reserved for the Christmas issue only served to build up the hype to a crushing anti-climax.

Feels like they are either woefully understaffed or underfunded and this was the best they could do in a bad situation.

Hope things pick up and this is just a blip as I've supported it from the early days.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

I have a Readly subscription now, so can read EVO again. The eCOTY was every bit as disappointing as everyone said, and the issue that followed was rather lacklustre too with very little that interested me. Maybe I've just moved on.

[acme]

Bubba Zanetti said:

I still can't get over the fact that the editor and the rest of the team must have rubber stamped this "WhatCar?" style ECOTY and thought the readership would enjoy it. Given ECOTY was reserved for the Christmas issue only served to build up the hype to a crushing anti-climax.

Feels like they are either woefully understaffed or underfunded and this was the best they could do in a bad situation.

Hope things pick up and this is just a blip as I've supported it from the early days.

Agreed. Guess they must have taken a 'real kicking' with so many leaving at the same time. I guess it's no different for us in companies where a team is depleted, or there's a gap in management and things seem to have little direction.

Their sarcastic reference to everyone liking ECOTY near the start of the mag set up the latter printed comments very succinctly!

[urquattroGus]

The subs is a bit of a disaster, admittedly my subs is a gift one, but I have no idea whether it has finished or not, nothing to offer renewal etc.

It seems to be the same every year, never know what is happening despite the person whom gifts it subscribing early and or renewing. Lots of gaps etc...

[s m]

Lotus Carlton

Not too taken with the GMRN hatch though

[Escort3500]

Got my last issue this morning (sub cancelled last month) and had a quick flick through. The usual gushing Porsche review, lacklustre Fast Fleet updates and yet another quick BMW test (M4 this time). The only articles that look interesting are one on the Lotus Carlton & VXR8 and a storage facility/museum for collectible cars in Frankfurt. Can’t say I’m going to miss future issues.

[Olivera]

acme said:

The grey wrapper was on the door mat today.....

Seems Evo's inbox has also been inundated with negative comments re ECOTY, and Stuart Gallagher responds that they'll take every negative comment and act upon them. To be fair to them they printed some equally unimpressed letters (one which said 'please don't do it again. It was bloody awful'), so it seems the message has been understood and accepted.

I for one am very happy to hear this

I'm not entirely sure, the response from the editor was hardly unequivocal. See his response "and there was positive feedback too".

He really should have stated in the editorial that they would revert back to the previous format for eCoty 2018. But they did not.

[edo]

My last copy arrived in the post today, Forgot to open it. Historically I would have opened it walking up my path from the post box....

[slk 32]

acme said:

Bubba Zanetti said:

I still can't get over the fact that the editor and the rest of the team must have rubber stamped this "WhatCar?" style ECOTY and thought the readership would enjoy it. Given ECOTY was reserved for the Christmas issue only served to build up the hype to a crushing anti-climax.

Feels like they are either woefully understaffed or underfunded and this was the best they could do in a bad situation.

Hope things pick up and this is just a blip as I've supported it from the early days.

Agreed. Guess they must have taken a 'real kicking' with so many leaving at the same time. I guess it's no different for us in companies where a team is depleted, or there's a gap in management and things seem to have little direction.

Their sarcastic reference to everyone liking ECOTY near the start of the mag set up the latter printed comments very succinctly!

I can imagine two scenarios:

Gallagher was under pressure to cut costs and that was why the traditional format eCOTY was dropped - maybe they couldn't get a sponsor?.

Either that or he decided make it in his own image as he obviously knew best. I've seen this happen so many times before in organisations where the new Head of Department /VP will automatically rubbish / disparage everything done before in order to make his own mark.

Unfortunately it does seem to be in a death spiral.

Dwindling budget > crap content > reduced readership > dwindling budget..rinse and repeat

[tigerkoi]

The Doom Loop.

[DanielSan]

Olivera said:

I'm not entirely sure, the response from the editor was hardly unequivocal. See his response "and there was positive feedback too".

He really should have stated in the editorial that they would revert back to the previous format for eCoty 2018. But they did not.

Judging from a couple of replies on the social media’s, think it was Twitter but can’t remember to be honest Stuart Gallargher seems to be pretty dismissive of the complaints from readers about ECOTY, I won’t be holding my breath for a return to the proper format.

[suffolk009]

acme said:

The grey wrapper was on the door mat today.....

Seems Evo's inbox has also been inundated with negative comments re ECOTY, and Stuart Gallagher responds that they'll take every negative comment and act upon them. To be fair to them they printed some equally unimpressed letters (one which said 'please don't do it again. It was bloody awful'), so it seems the message has been understood and accepted.

I for one am very happy to hear this

(one which said 'please don't do it again. It was bloody awful')

Succinct.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

DanielSan said:

Judging from a couple of replies on the social media’s, think it was Twitter but can’t remember to be honest Stuart Gallargher seems to be pretty dismissive of the complaints from readers about ECOTY, I won’t be holding my breath for a return to the proper format.

It's one of the common attributes of leaders that they have an almost sociopathic ability to ignore advice and evidence, and plough on with their own "vision" regardless.

[acme]

Olivera said:

acme said:

The grey wrapper was on the door mat today.....

Seems Evo's inbox has also been inundated with negative comments re ECOTY, and Stuart Gallagher responds that they'll take every negative comment and act upon them. To be fair to them they printed some equally unimpressed letters (one which said 'please don't do it again. It was bloody awful'), so it seems the message has been understood and accepted.

I for one am very happy to hear this

I'm not entirely sure, the response from the editor was hardly unequivocal. See his response "and there was positive feedback too".

He really should have stated in the editorial that they would revert back to the previous format for eCoty 2018. But they did not.

A very fair point, I too noted that there was no mention in the editors section. Let’s hope they don’t sweep it under the carpet, I’d be very disappointed to conclude I have no choice but to cancel.

[BlimeyCharlie]

I have some copies of 'Car' magazine from the 80's and the way the magazine was written is infinitely better than anything currently produced.

I still buy 'MotorSport' magazine but that just seems to revolve around Richard 'I'll now call myself Dickie and wear a tweed cap to emulate Jenks and Setright with a trademark visual style' Meaden. Another track test around Goodwood? Of an old Jaguar? Oh no. Road cars? Oh no.

F1 or F1 racing? Formulaic. Same old same old.

All the magazines seem to have the same style of writing and photography. Over-produced, too much photoshop etc. Not bought Evo for years as just seemed to be track tests of Renault Clio's and tyre talk.

I challenge anyone to pick up an old copy of Car from the 80's or early 90's, especially with a Russell Bulgin article and not be entertained.

I guess life changes but all the car magazines are so bland. Then again so are modern cars.

But please Dickie, go back to being Richard. And ditch the tweed. It is so contrived!

[havoc]

edo said:

My last copy arrived in the post today, Forgot to open it. Historically I would have opened it walking up my path from the post box....

Likewise...still sitting on the first step in the wrapper.

I've just remembered I also never finished last month's - got about 3 cars into "eCOTY" and got bored.

BlimeyCharlie said:

But please Dickie, go back to being Richard. And ditch the tweed. It is so contrived!

Maybe, maybe not...chap I used to work with (old-school rugby bloke from a generic semi-middle class background) moved with his family to a posh village with strong farming roots, and suddenly fancied himself as a smallholder...all, I suspect, because he wanted to get 'in' with the right people in the village.

Having a conversation with him where he was suddenly the expert on all things rural and animal-related was brilliant - he almost escalated one to a punch-up because he was adamant that sparrows were corvids...and of course I being a "city boy" (nothing of the sort - sub-urban average joe, but he never bothered to ask) knew nothing.

Edited by havoc on Saturday 20th January 13:46

[DanielSan]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

It's one of the common attributes of leaders that they have an almost sociopathic ability to ignore advice and evidence, and plough on with their own "vision" regardless.

That certainly seems to be the case, it’s very much a ‘the money men approved it so it must be right’ situation. Despite all evidence to the contrary.

[acme]

DanielSan said:

That certainly seems to be the case, it’s very much a ‘the money men approved it so it must be right’ situation. Despite all evidence to the contrary.

Problem is that's always the case with leaders, often the fact they're in that situation is as a result of their self belief.

Actually I think this could be an amusing thread, what's the biggest load of BS a senior manager at your place of work has told you!