The Life and Near Death of a Magazine

It’s not just people and pets that die. Perfectly good ideas can also die an ignominious, silent and uncelebrated death. And so it almost was with Eulogy, ‘The world’s first magazine to celebrate life and death.’

The first week into my editorship back in January 2010, this email from Uri Geller was forwarded to me:

Hi XXX,
Magazine? Thanks for thinking about me but dozens of new ones are published every week. Email me a web site, name? About? Where? When? Circulation? What do you want from me?

Much energy

Uri Geller

What X wanted from Uri Geller, in all seriousness, was for him to be the on first cover because of his friendship with the recently deceased Michael Jackson. Astonishingly, this was not even the most ridiculous idea generated by the photographers and top ad-men who were part of the original Eulogy team.

Writing this, I struggle to think which one was, such was their number and sheer variety. We made Dad’s Army look like the SAS.

A quick glance at my inbox during that period and the emails seem to blur into one crazy stream of consciousness.

What about a coffin shaped magazine? Or Chimpanzees. Chimpanzees? Research says chimps grieve like humans. Run that. What about this photo of a foetus for the cover? Did you get that, Alfred? Are you getting all these ideas?

What about David Cameron and Gordon Brown as a joint first cover? They could talk about their dead children. Someone knows someone that went to school with Cameron and yachted with him once. Oh, but the election is coming up.
Even better. Alfred, I’ve written him a letter.

Photo shoot of the Samaritans? Yes please, Samaritans. OK, we’ll do extreme close-ups of their ears. The Samaritans is all about listening, right? EARS, GODAMIT! ALFRED?!

What about Al Pacino? Princess Diana. Phillip Pullman. Terry Pratchett. Joanna Lumley. Alf? Alfie! Alfredo…. ALFREEEEEDDDD!!! Death. Dead celebs. I’ve just sent Gwyneth Paltrow an email!!

And then there was the agonizing year long wait for a masthead, only for it to be quite a bit like the Saga's.

Finally, just before the July 2010 launch came the declaration in the advertising trade’s weekly newspaper, Campaign, that Eulogy would be, ‘the world’s first grief brand.’ Since when did an emotion become a brand?

And yet, all these things actually happened, and all these ideas were seriously discussed. All seriously pursued. And all from people who earn six figure salaries as ‘creatives’ and ‘communications experts’ at some of London’s biggest and most prestigious ad-agencies.

And, please, don’t get me started on helicopters and Sainsbury’s.

To be fair, my own appointment as editor was the first calamity. My previous career as a men’s fashion journalist, brand consultant and general flaneur was hardly good preparation. The correct trouser length, how to tie a tie and how to mix pattern and colour were the big issues I grappled with in my regular slot for Esquire magazine. Hardly life and death. Well, not to you.

So mistakes were made. Some of it school boy stuff.

Astonishingly, in spite of its many flaws, the first issue was met with great enthusiasm. We appeared in The Times, the BBC, countless talk radio shows, blogs and websites. So we would like to thank all of our early supporters and those who sent the countless kind emails we received from all over the world.

An old university friend, unaware of my new job, and whose beloved aunt had just died, picked up a copy in Waitrose. Astonished to find my name under the editor’s letter, he called to say that he found it both moving and comforting.

Earlier this year Eulogy mourned the passing of a colleague, Maurice Payne. A great, and infinitely patient man, Maurice was responsible for printing Eulogy because he believed in it. Maurice this one is for you. Please forgive us. We’ll do the right thing.

Thankfully, the people we started off with are no longer play a part. Their departure has given the remaining members of the editorial and publishing team some time to reflect on where we went wrong and the changes we needed to make.

The new website and masthead is not just re-branding (sorry for the ad-speak).

Firstly, the original idea was for Eulogy to be a forum for charities, support networks, and organisations that do the valuable work of helping people cope with bereavement and those facing death through terminal illness. We want to assist these organisations in their fundraising and promotional drives, in any way we can.

Secondly, it is also a place where the extraordinary nature of ordinary people's lives can be celebrated. To that end we have committed a significant amount of space for reader-submitted eulogies, stories, podcasts and videos. So, send them in.

Thirdly, we will be offering advice for our readers, as well as a range of other blog, comment and multimedia content designed to be thought-provoking, comforting, and helpful. We will also host content, which promises a much-needed laugh, at the time when you need it most.

Thank you for your patience.

One last thought: Death is God's way of telling you not to be such a smart-arse!

Alfred Tong

Editor