Summary of Lurid Numbers on Glossy Pages
Erika Llagas
Mrs. J. Buenaflor
English 101C- WB
10/04/12
Uncontrollable Numbers
Today, magazines are causing uproar with targeting consumers with outrageous numbers to gain attention. Seeyle states, “A trip to the newsstand these days can be a dizzying descent into a blizzard of numbers.” Reading through the article, the author adventured through numbers in sales, and how people can be addicted to these certain number strategies. She claims that in most popular magazine distribution all numbers sell.
Seeyle looks into most of many publications that are aimed at many women. “Service” publications’ in particular are always loaded with sex tips, exercise routines, and diet material surely aimed to catch the women’s eye. Seeyle announces that editors use catchy phrases and tips to get men’s attention too, not just targeting women. Seeyle warns many readers that thinking all these polls published in magazines can be mistakenly thought as interviews which disguise the real point behind all these popular magazines articles. The author then states, “Editors die to find the right combination of numbers to really improve sales that month, but mostly it all comes down to being a chance with the public”. Editors can work extra hard with numeral combinations but still may have trouble selling.
Seeyle also surprises readers with a thought that odd numbers are more believable then even numbers on front covers. Seeyle states, “Odd numbers show dependability”. The author introduces the readers to a popular editor Ariel Fox-man who states, “If it’s odd, it can’t be made up or shouldn’t have been made up, and then stated the number seven seemed to carry a certain appeal, while thirteen is to be shunned”. However, the size of the material does matter as well. Seeyle then breaks down more information explaining smaller numbers are used for serious matters like exercise tips, while bigger numbers are used for something that has value without saying too much.
According to Seeyle,
Mrs. J. Buenaflor
English 101C- WB
10/04/12
Uncontrollable Numbers
Today, magazines are causing uproar with targeting consumers with outrageous numbers to gain attention. Seeyle states, “A trip to the newsstand these days can be a dizzying descent into a blizzard of numbers.” Reading through the article, the author adventured through numbers in sales, and how people can be addicted to these certain number strategies. She claims that in most popular magazine distribution all numbers sell.
Seeyle looks into most of many publications that are aimed at many women. “Service” publications’ in particular are always loaded with sex tips, exercise routines, and diet material surely aimed to catch the women’s eye. Seeyle announces that editors use catchy phrases and tips to get men’s attention too, not just targeting women. Seeyle warns many readers that thinking all these polls published in magazines can be mistakenly thought as interviews which disguise the real point behind all these popular magazines articles. The author then states, “Editors die to find the right combination of numbers to really improve sales that month, but mostly it all comes down to being a chance with the public”. Editors can work extra hard with numeral combinations but still may have trouble selling.
Seeyle also surprises readers with a thought that odd numbers are more believable then even numbers on front covers. Seeyle states, “Odd numbers show dependability”. The author introduces the readers to a popular editor Ariel Fox-man who states, “If it’s odd, it can’t be made up or shouldn’t have been made up, and then stated the number seven seemed to carry a certain appeal, while thirteen is to be shunned”. However, the size of the material does matter as well. Seeyle then breaks down more information explaining smaller numbers are used for serious matters like exercise tips, while bigger numbers are used for something that has value without saying too much.
According to Seeyle,
Cited: Seelye, Katharine Q. “Lurid Numbers on Glossy Pages!” The Norton Field Guide to Writing. Ed. Richard Bullock and Maureen Goggin. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2010. 604-608. Print.