Circuit City headquarters has ordered their stores to “destroy all copies” of the latest issue of Mad Magazine, according to an anonymous tipster. The retailer apparently isn’t amused by the 4-page spoof of “Sucker City.” Inside, Mad’s 1-page preview and headquarters’ response.
UPDATE: Circuit City Sorry For Commanding Employees To Destroy Mad Mag’s “Sucker City” Parody
The spoof:
The response:
What’s wrong Circuit City? It’s funny because it’s true!
Issue #492 [Mad Magazine]
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@rodeo40: Actually, that is what you expect of any retail store, techie or not. Their employees don’t generally get “real” internet access.
For everyone else, believe it or not, Best Buy sells some books. I walk right by them when I go there to buy computer equipment. Why wouldn’t CC sell Mad Magazine? I think they’re impulse purchase things because they’re positioned near the checkout counter. You’re supposed to look while you’re standing in line, I guess, since sometimes you can spend quite a while in line.
FWIW, I hope CC stays in business. It keeps Best Buy working harder to keep my business. They don’t know I’ll NEVER go back to CC.
I love the Wii bitestick controller. And the image in the $3600 HDTV? That’s called “synergy”.
Viral marketing on the part of Mad Magazine.
Ok, so the flyer itself, not that funny.
Making up a fake takedown notice, having the thing go viral (Digg + Consumerist) duping everyone, hilarious!
The irony that the Consumerist fell for it…. Even more hilarious!
Brilliant, really.
Aww… Just read the comments.
This damn world is never is as cool as I wish it was…
er, update.
I don’t think I’ve seen magazines at Circuit City. But that’s probably because I hardly ever shop there.
The new Best Buy herds you around a corner past a rack of magazines while you’re waiting at the checkout though.
@Kitteridge:
I am so glad SOMEONE on this thread mentioned this. For those of you who don’t know, a few years ago Circuit City, in an attempt to save money, laid-off the majority of their in store employees who had THE MOST senority because they made too much money.
So, for those of you who have gone into a CC and been frustrated by the lack of product knowledge by the employees, you can thank CC for getting rid of anyone who had been loyal enough to hang around & become knowledgable.
The day after CC made this announcment I paid off my CC credit card, cut it into little bits & mailed it to their corporate office with a letter. I have never stepped foot into a CC since.
Oh, and that Mad Magazine ad was funny as chit!! I haven’t seen a Mad Mag in 30 years but now I’m thinking about getting a subscription to it for my son.
I did a bit of surfing on this issue & ran across this:
[news.moneycentral.msn.com]
It seems Circuit City isn’t as humorless as it seems.
Those who think this isn’t funny must be sockpuppets of Circuit City PR. C’mon, bitestick controller? Freakin hilarious.
@Doggiedude:
Yeah that was some pretty shady stuff. I was a third party vendor and had to be laid off because of the lack of employees in the store to even initiate PC sales
Mad Magazine is like that kid who keeps making fun of you with stupid jokes until you can’t take it, except when Circuit City flipped out the whole world knew. hahaha, that’s EXACTLY what they wanted. Mad Magazine +1.
As much as I amusingly disapprove of Tucker Max, his motto seems appropriate here: “If you don’t have a sense of humor, f*** you.” Circuit City is just pissed because its a terrible store with largely incompetent employees and a great deal of overstocked items that nobody is ever going to buy, no matter how cheap.
Do you guys really think the Circuit City response is true?
If only stores would have the good sense to destroy all copies of MAD.
@capraiii: Oh, well, I guess it is true. Grats to CC!
@EmperorOfCanada: The funny thing is that’s the only way I got my Wii not so long after it launched. It helps to know a guy that works at the store.