First there were the run-of-the-mill print advertisements...then there were advertorials...now we have reached the plateau of the online 'zine. First Gwyneth Paltrow and "Goop"...which I have mistakenly refered to as Gloop on more than one occasion...and its lifestyle advice..for wealthy folks who don't mind discussions on herbal laxatives and bowel elimination (maybe it's just me but somethings fall under the category of "too much information"). Though I'll admit to sneaking peaks at her (her stylist's) advice for fashion basics which is sound, if not budget friendly.

And now, we have "Swide"...Dolce and Gabanna's 'zine offering which has beaten Paltrow's site (in my estimation) for the weird name award. It reminds me of the Simpson's episode where Marge's lover takes her out to brunch..."It's not quite breakfast, it's not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end. You don't get completely what you would at breakfast, but you get a good meal!" Swide is a strange hybrid of 'zine and commercial for the nouveau riche (at least whatever nouveau riche are left in the current financial climate). An article on how to Kill time at the airport, for example, suggests spa treatments at Charles de Gaulle to "ensure airport security doesn't interfere with one's beauty"...or, if you have insufficient time for a mud mask, watching D&G's Time 2008 video. Or, even more bizarrely, models backstage at the D&G FW10 menswear show were asked how they'd resolve the economic crisis...

"Beauty and brains - if you've looking for a way out of economic gloom this video is must-see viewing.

Finally speaking about finance doesn't have to be dull - we only wish our bank manager looked the same."

I suppose this kind of hybrid is inevitable...and, as a blogger, I certainly shouldn't be surprised about this migration to the internet world...I just wish it didn't make me think of the commercials that you see at 3am for miracle cleaning products or vacuum cleaners.