Here at Everything Skateboarding, we like to always be totally open and transparent about everything that we do around here. That said, I decided that it was time to make a couple of announcements, regarding some really basic changes to our advertising policy.
In the past, we've requested that all submitted ads were sent in as .jpg file format images, that we would then linked to whatever website that the advertisers specified (as illustrated above, with these Rooftop and Big Mess ads). The main reason for this policy was that the dumbass publisher (that's me) had only "very limited" html experience, and not a lot of time on his (my) hands to go mucking about with a whole buncha fancy-pants programming jargon.
One thing that will never, ever change is out steadfast support for small, independent, skater-owned skateboard companies. These companies truly are the "core" of our industry. A lot of big-ass corporate money machines like to go around, claiming how "core" they are while they're peddling their mass-manufactured, and mass-marketed bullshit. Somebody, somewhere, needs to stand up, push aside the mass-money hogwash, tell it like it really is, and support the "true core" of skateboarding.
However, with the advent of YouTube advertisements (that truly double as "content"), the "advertising" game has changed dramatically. Even better: Embedding these "ads" into Everything Skateboarding is remarkably easy, and trouble-free.
So now, when advertisers submit an ad to us, they can simply send over a YouTube link to the video they'd like posted, and we can take it from there. YouTube does offer a few different "encoding" methods... but for the moment, I personally prefer to stick with the "old" embed code, to maintain continuity across the entire site.
As always, all ads are still absolutely free "to dudes we like". However: In the future, preferential treatment will be given to advertisers that make tangible contributions to the site. This is our way of thanking the many people who have volunteered their time, energy, and ideas in order to make ongoing contributions to the movement that is Everything Skateboarding.
Most publications (online, paper, or otherwise) rely on advertising dollars to generate content. But we've discoverd that it's actually a lot more fun to have the advertisers contribute their own content, in the form of articles, interviews, photos, video clips. Some of our advertisers have gone so far as lending a helping hand with promoting and executing our various initiatives, or promoting Everything Skateboarding to a wider audience.
In this regard, Everything Skateboarding is starting to act much more like a traditional "zine", while also promoting greater transparency throughout our industry. This ultimately helps kids to better understand who, and what, they're supporting when they buy a product from one of our advertisers.
Here's a perfect example of what I was describing in the last paragraph. A couple weeks back, Mike Niemann (of Cockfight Skateboards) sent over a bunch of pool-skating photos for us... including this one of him, smithing it up at Wave's. Here at Everything Skateboarding, we think it'simportant that kids understand the difference between a company that "says" that it's "owned and operated" by "skaters", versus a company (like Cockfight) that actually is owned, and operated, by skaters. Not the marketing-gimmick version. The real-deal version.
The entire staff here at Everything Skateboarding is fundamentally committed to keeping this a true no-bullshit zone, where money serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Rather, this is a movement based entirely on ideas, creativity, and communication that we hope will make a lasting and positive mark on the world of skateboarding. And, if it doesn't...? Well, at the very least, we're having some serious fun with this.
And at the end of the day... just like skateboarding... "fun"is all that really matters.
Bud Stratford
Grand Poohbah
Everything Skateboarding Magazine
