Hey! Deck publishers!

greatdane

I'm happy to go along with an idea

OK, so what is the best way to go about this? Pick ONE issue and do individual emails? A bunch of us email them asking them to check out a couple threads or a poll? What IS the best way? I agree it should be organized and designed to be effective. But something here, if it's thought out, is surely better than doing nothing.
 

tarotbear

All respectable publishers will listen - it's that an action that may not happen.

If you object to a particular image - that is an arguement with the ARTIST - the publisher cannot do much about it. This includes changed card titles or Suit names. Most decks are not commissioned and a publisher sees them after they are designed. However, letting a publisher know that wierd designations make their decks less saleable is something they would understand.

If you object to something physical such as cardstock or lamination - that arguement is in PRODUCTION - the publisher may be able to do something about it.

If you want smaller borders and larger images - that is an arguement with the ART DEPARTMENT - the publisher may be able to do something about it.

If you want to complain that the LWB has nothing to do with the images of the deck - that arguement is with the PUBLISHER.

As far as 'add-ins' such as those organza bags, cheap card cloths, or other 'inclusions' that are trash or worse - that arguement is with the MARKETING department. Lousy flip boxes, oversized packaging, and other parts of the package fall into this category.

If you buy a single deck and it is shipped to you in a box the size of the Titanic - that argument is with the SHIPPING department.

Remember - merely writing and complaining is not enough. You need to include pictures, scans, examples, etc. to support your arguement- something that can be handed to a team member or passed around at a meeting. You have to expain why the change would be better. To merely say 'I wish you would remove the white borders from the XYZ deck' means nothing, but a scan of the card and a recreation of it without the borders showing how much more attractive it would be is a better tactic. A picture of a small deck in a too-large box is more effective than saying the boxes are too big.
 

greatdane

Perfect, Tarotbear

Well, I would happily go along with a consensus of picking any one issue and emailing the right dept of a publisher or publishers. But if no one else does, I still will. It's not just about making a difference, but being heard. I worked in marketing before working for a university. I know when it comes to money, companies listen, at least smart ones do.
 

Le Fanu

Le Fanu, I agree with most of your post, but I'm fairly certain that the one consensus everyone could come to is that NO ONE wants that organza bag! :p
But I read a review recently complaining that a deck came in a big inner box (i.e Llewellyn) and the publishers didn´t even include an organza bag to store the deck in!
 

greatdane

Wondering if there is ONE THING

most of us agree on that we find important and would like publishers to know, even if it's to just ask them to please come and read some threads. I think this is more about geting their attention, than any one issue. I can't believe any publisher wouldn't have someone in their office combing this site if for no other reason than for different perspectives. We are a good random sampling.
 

gregory

But I read a review recently complaining that a deck came in a big inner box (i.e Llewellyn) and the publishers didn't even include an organza bag to store the deck in!

Yes; I do have some sympathy with that; the insane cardboard THING doesn't work, and the cards fly around in that huge space and get caught up in the various nooks and crannies. I'd rather have the crap bag than nothing while I hie me to the Dollar Store...
 

greatdane

So are bags and boxes the big issue?

The point of actually doing anything about things we don't care for seems to have fallen to the wayside. As this year ends and a new one begins, I for one will be emailing a few publishers. I'm not going to just grumble here on AT without actually telling the people responsible for what I don't like or do like. Which I have in the past. The campaign for Cat's Eye seemed to help re something we wanted. Not everything may change to exactly what we all want, that wouldn't be possible, but to just shake our fists into the wind about what we don't like definitely doesn't seem to do much.
 

Grizabella

Here's how I see it. Not just about this but about things in general. If nobody does anything then I guarantee nothing will be done about anything and things will stay the same. The one glimmer of hope for change is when people do do something. Even if only one person makes the effort, then at least somebody tried and the idea may catch on. To pour water on the spark of hope by saying, "Oh, that's not going to work anyway" is negative thinking and discourages people from ever trying to make a difference.
 

Annabelle

What I personally want to see from tarot deck publishers is better EDITING.

Lo Scarabeo already has this down, perfectly. Their decks are consistent and show all the signs of having been produced by a strong team effort all around.

USG has this down pretty well, most of the time.

Llwellyn does a fantastic job.

But then there are others. Notably, Schiffer comes to mind. Sometimes . . . okay, to my eye, most of the time . . . it looks to me like the decks they publish don't have much editorial input. As if they just say "okay, sure, that looks all right to us!" and just print the thing as-is, from the artist.

Good art needs good editing.

I may be completely wrong about Schiffer. Maybe they do employ editorial and design staff, and perhaps their staff just happen to have wildly different visions/opinions than I do, and that's fine.

Again, there are other small publishers out there with the same lack-of-editing issues, in my opinion.

I have to say it again, as I believe this so incredibly strongly: good art needs good editing. I'm not an artist, but I do write a lot for my job, and one thing I know with absolute certainty -- no matter how good you are, you can't objectively edit your own work. All creators need editors.
 

canid

The point of actually doing anything about things we don't care for seems to have fallen to the wayside.

Hear hear! What if the Boston Tea Party had never happened? People kinda sorta need to speak up about their needs & the suppliers need to sort it out.