There’s been some very interesting activity this month in the comments thread
about Summit Communications. Since I don’t expect anybody to plough through
more than 12,000 words of comments, I thought I’d summarise the discussion here.
And it really is a discussion: people pretty much are who they say they are.
I’ve got a list of their names and IP addresses after the jump if you don’t
believe me. The only time an IP address is repeated is when Marcos Melo, who
is an employee of Alvaro Llaryora, posts from the same IP address as Llaryora.
Which makes perfect sense.
Nearly all of the activity comes from employees or former employees of Summit
Communications or its sister companies. I’m not sure how or why they all seem
to have found my blog entry at the same time, but I assume there’s been some
emailing going on. In any case, the basic Summit Communications modus operandi
definitely emerges from the discussion.
It turns out that Summit Communications is a vehicle set up by a parent company
called AFA Press for the express purpose of selling advertising supplements
in the New York Times. AFA has other, similar companies for other publications:
the one for the Observer in the UK, for instance, is called Images, Words; the
one for USA Today is called United World; the one for the Daily Telegraph in
the UK is called PM Communications, and so on. The true center of operations
for all these companies is Madrid, although they’re mostly incorporated in the
UK.
The owner of all these companies is an Argentine called Alberto Llaryora –
the father of one of my commenters, Alvaro Llaryora. (In Argentine Spanish,
both "ll" and "y" are pronounced as "zh", so think
"zharzhora".)
Why does Llaryora have so many offshore companies, each with a very different
name? (Apart from any money-laundering he may or may not be doing, of course.)
The impression one gets from reading the comments is that it’s very simple:
the people working for these companies are so sleazy and unprofessional that
the governments and companies in the countries buying the advertorials are unlikely
to ever want to work with them a second time. So Llaryora simply sends a team
from a company with a name untarnished in that country instead.
And there’s another reason: the AFA sales team makes no effort whatsoever to
distingish themselves from the publication that they’re going to print the advertorial
in. The fact that each subsidiary works only for a single publication allows
them to say that they are "the exclusive partner of the New York Times"
or somesuch.
In fact, the sales technique at AFA seems to depend on their pretending to
be from the New York Times / USA Today / whoever. The AFA team always
includes a "journalist" who goes around attempting to get interviews
with senior officials and executives in the country, for a report on that country
to be published in the newspaper in question. Obviously, the fact that the report
will be an advertorial is not mentioned, and neither is the fact that the "journalist"
not an employee of, let alone a journalist for, the newspaper.
Similarly, when the advertorial is being sold, it is always sold on the basis
that the number of readers of the advertorial is the same as the number of readers
of the newspaper in question. Most advertisers who want a bound-out supplement
in the Sunday New York Times, say, are well aware that the vast majority of
readers will simply throw that supplement away unread. But AFA sales people
present themselves as selling advertising (little display units within the advertorials)
against New York Times / USA Today editorial with its enormous circulation and
readership numbers.
AFA seems to specialize in employing young, hungry sales people with no previous
experience in the media business. One of them phoned me after being given a
job offer, wanting to find out what I knew about the company; another left a
comment on my blog. The person I talked to had only sales experience well outside
the media industry, but was being offered a job as a "journalist":
writing skills, of course, were unimportant, as the only thing that matters
is making sales. These kids can make a lot of money by lying to advertisers,
and no one ever discourages them from doing so – quite the opposite. They
justify their actions by saying that they’re working in corrupt countries, and
that if you want to make money in such countries you have to be part of that
corrupt system.
Generally, it would seem, the male "journalist" will go through the
motions of interviewing the minister/executive in question; at the end of the
interview, a very pretty female "director" will then approach the
interviewee to buy some advertising against the interview. (Of course, if the
advertising isn’t bought, then the interview won’t appear, but that’s never
mentioned.) In the case of government ministers, the "director" will
ask the minister for a letter giving his "support" to the publication,
and encouraging the companies in that country to cooperate with the reporter.
The minister thinks he’s simply opening doors for the "reporter" to
be able to do his interviews, but of course the "director" helpfully
explains to the executives that in order to cooperate as the minister wants
them to do, they will have to buy advertising.
The technique works so well that former AFA employees have gone on to set up
their own companies doing exactly the same thing: see Vega Media, Impact Media,
and Media Plus, which seems to have an especially low reputation. There’s a
whole sector of these companies, it turns out: Global Press, for instance, run
by Alberto Llaryora’s brother Rodolfo Llaryora, would seem to have the Washington
Post and Fortune Magazine locked up. There certainly seems to be de facto
exclusivity: only one company ever seems to produce advertorials for any given
publication. Does Summit Communications pay the New York Times extra for being
its only advertorial provider? How else can one explain the seeming absence
of any competition in the NYT?
I’m sure that the New York Times, alongside all the other highly-regarded publications
in bed with AFA Press, spends as little time as possible asking about the genesis
of the advertorials which it prints. Just as the millions of people who eat
at McDonald’s really don’t want to know the details of how their meal is made.
This is the real difference between these publications, on the one hand, and
Euromoney, on the other: Euromoney, when it sells supplements, does so under
its own name, and in the knowledge that if the client is unhappy he’ll never
buy another one. The NYT et al don’t sell supplements, they leave that to others,
who are happier to burn their clients because they’ll likely never return to
that country anyway.
I’d be very interested to learn whether New York Times journalists working
in third-world countries ever find themselves battling ministers or executives
who think they’ve dealt with the New York Times in the past, and who have very
bad memories of the whole encounter. Maybe every time they do, they should complain
to the advertising department about the stuff which is being done in the NYT’s
name. That, in turn, might drive AFA Press and its subsidiaries to higher standards
of conduct.
More likely, an increase in the media-savvyness of third world ministers and
executives will force Llaryora and his employees to be more transparent; from
reading the comments on my original post, that might be happening already. Instead
of misleadingly selling an ad against an interview in the New York Times –
something which anybody who knows the NYT knows can never be done – AFA
might start talking more about the usefulness of newspaper supplements in terms
of turning around the image of a tarnished country. Chances are, of course,
that if the people buying into these supplements knew how effective they really
were, they would never take part. But at least some of the sleaziness in the
industry would be minimised.
Commenters and IP addresses after the jump.
| March 20 | Stefan Geens | 85.226.193.223 |
| March 20 | Lance Knobel | 71.249.17.70 |
| April 8 | Ray Corbis | 62.68.61.2 |
| June 1 | Thierry De Pins | 87.217.13.44 |
| July 6 | flimsy | 62.56.236.174 |
| July 7 | Mark | 80.25.234.40 |
| July 7 | Hugh Janus | 83.44.24.179 |
| July 7 | Veronica Fuentes | 83.35.204.167 |
| July 7 | Stefan Geens | 62.253.128.12 |
| July 7 | Renata (aka flimsy) | 62.56.236.174 |
| July 7 | Southampton’s Number 7 | 195.167.131.33 |
| July 7 | Stefan Geens | 62.253.128.12 |
| July 7 | Southampton’s Number 7 | 195.167.131.33 |
| July 7 | Stefan Geens | 62.253.128.12 |
| July 7 | bihboon | 81.192.191.75 |
| July 7 | Jorge Rosi | 83.34.209.175 |
| July 7 | G. | 69.194.13.47 |
| July 9 | Clemente Ordierez | 81.52.161.74 |
| July 10 | Alvaro Llaryora | 217.127.229.150 |
| July 10 | cause for concern | 86.140.215.182 |
| July 10 | Marcos Melo | 217.127.229.150 |
| July 12 | Valerie Favier | 83.202.97.233 |
| July 12 | Southampton’s Number 7 | 195.167.131.33 |
| July 12 | Marcos Melo | 217.127.229.150 |
| July 12 | Zeb | 195.172.183.10 |
| July 12 | valerie favier | 83.202.97.233 |
| July 12 | PomKa | 62.135.101.197 |
| July 12 | RAQUEL PICORNELL | 212.0.149.213 |
| July 13 | Benj (aka bihboon) | 196.217.242.241 |
| July 14 | Flavio G | 82.205.215.177 |
| July 14 | G | 69.194.13.54 |
| July 14 | Romeo | 200.31.172.4 |
| July 16 | Clemente Ordierez | 83.53.158.219 |
| July 17 | thermidor | 81.202.46.133 |
| July 19 | Moh | 196.200.83.51 |
| July 19 | Benj (aka bihboon) | 196.217.240.125 |
| July 19 | james | 86.1.67.234 |
| July 21 | jj | 212.80.189.229 |
I found an advert of VEGAMEDIA and wanted to apply, but this blog has concen=rned me a bit. Is Vegamedia a legitimate compan? Can anybody who worked for them share their experience? what about payment conditions?
I had a fishy feeling about AFA Press when they contacted me so quickly. I have an interview on Monday… I guess I should disregard it?
If this company is full of such bs, how can they still be recruiting members?
If you decide to work for Media Plus, understand they have a fundamentally flawed paradigm about sales: you WILL be expected to lie in order to sell because the product lacks value. The products are (you can google these): United International Press (a play on the known United Press International, hoping potential customers will mistakedly assume its UPI and not UIP), European Times (supposedly distributed in 2 VIP areas, one in Heathrow and one in Paris as well as the parliament, although this has yet to be proven), US TV (plays a 30 minute little program on Fox 5 in New York, a local news channel that no one watches and the program airs once in an off-time on a Sunday afternoon), Asia Business TV, and couple others that the company doesn’t use anymore because they’ve “burned” too many countries. I believe European Business Report is one of these. Media Plus under that hat of Big Media Group. Theiu Cuypers is the CEO of BMG, and BMG owns Media Plus and all aforementioned distributions. Different names, same person running it all. These are nothing more than cheap vehicles from which to sell advertising, not help those who buy the advertising. The communication channels that BMG uses are just something in which to sell advertising. It will be your job to, as we were trained, “manipulate” people into thinking the products possess value. Make no mistake, it is incredibly good sales training so long as you are willing to forsake personal ethical standards. The products look neat on the internet, but read the content closely. Then ask yourself, “Could I write this with a few phone call interviews and information from the internet?” Then ask yourself, “Is it necessary for me to meet with 300 different companies to gather the information?” Upon answering “NO” to the last question, you will realize that the meetings with companies are ad selling, yet you are conducting the meeting with the premise that you are there for an editorial interview, and as we were trained, “all advertising space has been allocated”. Then you pitch them at the end of the meeting, and if they don’t buy, you trash the notes from the interview. You go there under the premise you are collecting info for the editorial part of the publication yet you pitch at the end with the intention of throwing the info away if they don’t buy. You will use the information if the do buy as they will be purchasing an advertorial.
Pay: You WILL NOT be paid until the first week of each month, and this includes training. However, if you notice in your contract(should you have been offered one), the first two weeks of training are unpaid. You’ll also notice the invoice for payment is due before the 25th of the month. Conveniently enough, training starts the 18th, or around the time necessary to make sure the current month’s invoicing period will expire before you are eligible to begin making money. Thus, you will not invoice for money you’ve made until the next month on the 25th. Then the funds will not be released until the first. It’ll take a couple days after that to hit your account. So if you take the job, prepare to go without income for no less than 7 weeks. After 7 weeks, you will only receive about a thousand Euro. Don’t bother asking Media Plus, and I do mean ANYONE at Media Plus including HR. They’ll either lie, claim ignorance, give you an incomplete answer, or otherwise avoid answering the question to make sure you don’t figure out it’ll be 7 weeks until you get paid. Commissions come every six months and if you notice in your contract, you are subject to lose commissions should you quit, and you don’t recieve any commissions until the client pays. So invariably there will ALWAYS be outstanding commissions you are subject to lose if you ever quit.
Accommodations: During training you cannot leave. On projects you stay in 50 Euro/night hotels until you barter your own way into a nice place. While in Peru, Ethiopia, or India sound glamerous to you?
You must extensively use your own laptop for the job. Provide your own cell phone which they will use to contact you on.
You will also be expected to work in countries on a work visa, which is illegal. Google the CEO’s name and “Namibia”, you’ll find an article about a consultant going to jail.
The intention of this is not to discourage you, but rather make available details that you won’t otherwise receive from anyone at Media Plus. I was lied to and treated terribly. I suggest that, for a moment, forget about the glitz and glamour of the position, and ask yourself how well you’ll sleep at night knowing that your job is to sell worthless products by lying to business owners for a company you don’t trust in a country where you can’t legally work. Think long and hard about this before you do it.
To the Americans: You won’t be told this, but the first two weeks are a trial period, and they are quick to send people home if they are too nice, too honest, not eager enough, not good, or whatever reason. From what I understand at least one person is always sent home, and only the Americans don’t know about the two week trial period. This is because in order to take the job you have to sell your car, move out of your apartment, and say good bye. No one living in America in the right mind would sacrifice everything they have in order to undergo a two-week “trial” period. After the two weeks, you will not be allowed to return home to do this, so you must do it before. Media Plus knows no sane person would do this, so for the Americans they either don’t say anything or pass it off as, “ohhh don’t worry about that, you’ll make it through…”.
The company seems to be highly centered on the well-being of only itself and no one else. You can believe me as I write, and walk away with complete disappointment, or fly to Belgium and with certainty find out for yourself.
Be very weary of these companies – its an absolute farce – the whole thing!!
Thanks for this post and for some of these extremely informative comments. I was referred to Media Plus’s open “Consultant” position by my college’s career service and grew skeptical the moment I received a response from them– less than one day after I sent in my resume. The email and the company’s website were enough to convince me that something was not right. There wasn’t a lot of information that I could find on Media Plus outside of its sugarcoated YouTube videos and website. When compared to their “glitzy” description of the company, the Media Plus brand and overall visual image was underwhelming. The position appeared to be farfetched and unrealistic, especially for a recent college graduate. The words “pyramid scheme” would not get out of my head. The company appeared to be desperate for new and naive employees.
I have blocked the Media Plus email address and will go back to searching for real jobs.
It is unrealistic to go in with expectations of recent grads. In reading all comments, there is nothing the company has not informed me of. That’s why you read contracts. I have no expectations of glitz and glamor, yet then again, I have traveled on a dime for my entire life. I am the master of my on destiny and successful at what I do. Good luck to the puppies, I rarely have heard such a rant!
I still don’t quite understand what these companies do and how they make money. I have an interview with Media Plus on the 24th and now I am not sure if I should go. Do they really pay poorly. On the ad on my school’s website they claim to pay a base salary of $50,000 – $70, 000.
OK where to begin…
I, sadly, was drawn into this Media Plus Consulting ponzi scheme. The company is a horrific knock-off of European Union Times (European-Times), Wall Street Journal (Wall Street Market Research) etc…
What they are essentially doing is using well-established brands and tarnishing the image with their lies, false-facts and of course manipulation. BUT it gets better…
They’re restructuring…which is never a good sign. Restructure=little $$$$. Consultants are, once again, encouraged to embrace this new commission structure and skip away, forgetting that there is a 5,600 euro loss annually and you have to pay back the company if you do not reach your target. My fellow, potential interviewees, run away, far away. If stability is important to you, this company is not the right match.
I would think twice before accepting ANY position with Media Plus. Most of the above blog posts are 100% accurate. I would just like to add the following for those still seriously considering attending training. If you do accept the position and then decide to leave training, you (not Media Plus) are responsible for paying the change fee + price difference in your return ticket. And change fees start at 250 Euros (Euros not Dollars because the tickets were bought in Euros). The company will insist you pay these costs yourself, despite being told upfront that the company will pay for all costs associated with the return flight. Is this the kind of company you want to work for?
Media Plus Consulting will take your dignity, pride and money. Consultants leave just as fast as they are hired. The company has zero investment in their “contractors.” They took away paid vacations, base salary and bonus. The consultants are indeed very talented and wise–anyone second guessing this position has the right to reconsider. You will see through the lies and persuasion. They fired everyone so when the new trainees come, the truth would be tucked away. I also wanted to see for myself and took the offer–I felt trapped. The CEO has 29 companies which screams money laundering! I saw it all in 1.5 months. I am not a whiner or a lazy worker, they wanted me…I left them. I saw the state the company was in–they are making no money and only have 15 consultants in the field.
Here are some things MPC will not tell you:
1. You are expected to work after work hours prepping and finding leads.
2. They will pay you 1000 euros per-commissioned. At the of the third month, the 3000 euro will be deducted from your entire earned commission (assuming the person pays).
3. There is no paid vacation. They did say the project should come before weddings and other such occasions.
4. You are expected to lie to CEOs, “Tell them you need to leave the next day, so they have to sign the contract. Urgency.” If you see them the next day on the street,it is written in the manual, “If they see you on the street, tell them the minister had to keep you longer. Be creative.”
5. MPC has various other publications for multiple reasons:
1. Ministers are in office for only four years. This is a perfect opportunity to come with a different publication each year with the same objective. They would never know European Times is the same as Wall Street Market Research.
2. If one publication is burned out, there are others to supplement it.
3. They cycle through new trainees so that there is always a new face in a country. They think they can outsmart ministers, but they are messing with the government.
6. They fly you in with a tourist visa not a work visa. If there are any issues that arise, you will be responsible for the visa problem.
7. Your contract is useless because they will change it on you…three times if it is necessary.
8. They only hire Americans because they know Americans will work past work hours whereas that is not practiced in Europe. They will milk you for your talents and energy.
9. They lie about the copies printed as well as the distribution. Why sell something when you do not know how many copies are printed?
10. They scam; however, the recruiters will sugarcoat it by emphasizing travel and networking.
These are the different publications and companies under their wing:
1. European-Times http://www.european-times.com
2. Wall Street Market Reseach http://www.wallstreet-mr.com
3. Manager Magazine in Belgium
4. US Television
5. Asia Business Channel
6. United International Press
7. Brussels Press
8. Big Media Group (the parent company)
9. Crystal Mediacorp LTD (their “UK office”…but there is no office. )
Given everything written here and in the previous posts, would you really see yourself working here? Are you really willing to risk your pride and health for no pay and travel (of which you will not enjoy given the amount of work)? Can you sleep with yourself knowing your job title is “International Scam Consultant?”
Don’t both reverting this message to HR because they will only tell you otherwise. They WILL gloss over the facts by value building and emotion…remember they know how to sell. They WILL sell you.
Media Plus is by far sketchy. I was at there for the group interview in Toronto which was runned by Saskia Sauer – some German/Dutch representative for the company who is now based in Columbus, Ohio for some reason.
From the bat it was all lies. Saskia said that this is the first interview of its kind in Toronto and Media Plus has never been in Toronto. When reading this forum, its clear that Media Plus was in Toronto numerous times – in 2008.
The session was held at the Marriott Toronto Downtown. There was about 8-9 people who were in the seassion. Most were between 20-35. She gave a brief example of the company and then let us go out of the room. She told everyone to come back to the room and explained to everyone who would stay and who would leave. Out of 9 of us, she let 2 people go (one of them came late, the other had a poor command of english).
Each person had to have an interview and role play with a camera. Saskia said she would send the role play to Belgium for further considerations.
From the bat, I saw that it was a pretty sketchy position. Going 3-5 months to a specific country with a partner, having to barter your way to hotels, not going on a business visa, but rather as a tourists and talking with CEO’s from companies in that country about putting ad space in an upcoming magazine. It seems interesting, but the magazines dont get much coverage. No one has heard of the Wall Street Report or the European Report. These are no name magazine/journals and eventhough they do get published, they arent getting any awareness because they arent distributed around the world.. accoding the media plus – only in airports at ‘business VIP’ hubs. Having been to a few ‘business VIP’ hubs in Europe and the Middle East, i did not even see these magazine. So who exactly gets these magazines and how can you sell a 20,000 ad in the magazine when there is no value to it.
It looked fun from the outside. A company which allows people who are in their 20’s to become international sales people, but all-in-all, the the goal of the company would be to sell useless items and act legit.
Im happy Saskia didnt take me on! Use this company like they would use you if you go. It seems like they are borderline fraud in a way……
NavMan is 100% right. Take this advice for what is worth, which is a lot. You can see for yourself; however, the only thing you will get out of this is the training. I would not even waste time attending the training if there are opportunities with a legit company. Also they have various publications of which they are operating with: Manager Magazine, Max Lifestyle, European Times, Wall Street Market Research, Brussels Press, US Television, Asia Business Channel, Big Media Group, Crystal Media Corp (based in U.K)…
As you can see, they are all over the place trying to squeeze as much money as possible. High profit, no gain. Think about your ethics. Would you be able to sleep at night knowing you sold a priceless ad space to a minster? Are you willing to get into legal trouble because you’re on a tourist visa instead of a work visa? More importantly, do you want to be treated with respect? If so, walk away. There are better opportunities and companies that will compensate for your talent and hard work. You will work like an animal to be compensated like a beggar, no exaggeration.
i have the job and love it. a friend i worked with was just let go because had produced no sales for the past 6+ months, he said he posted on this site because he was angry. so I just found this site again, hadn’t seen it since before i interviewed, thank goodness I didn’t buy into this site back then. funny thing, if you believe everything you read, you will miss out on life. i would bet my life 100% of the people who post negative things about media plus were let go, didn’t pass training, or didn’t get the job in the first place (i.e. the guy above who interviewed in toronto – he didn’t even get the job). i was in the office during the sep training and see a few posts a week or so after that training, i know that those trainees were let go because they were weak, yet they post above that they just didn’t want the job. i’ve had the job for over a year and love it. is it hard – YES. if you do not want to work hard, do not take this job, seriously. if you want to work hard, see the world and make some money, then go for it. by the way, media plus is in no way affiliated with AFA or Summit (i think those are both gone now anyways). media plus does parent many publications, but don’t most media companys have many publications? anyways, don’t bother interviewing if you’re the type to believe crap from this blog. no company is perfect, at least with this one, i am seeing the world and improving my sales.
I would have to agree with EM. I worked for Media Plus for years and it was one of the best experiences that I will always reflect upon. Traveling the world and making money! Is it for everyone?…No! This isn’t a job but a lifestyle with a lot of hard work to be done. Those who are complaining about it probably couldn’t cut it or didn’t even get the job. No other job you will have will ever compare.
I had the job and can’t believe there are people out there who believe this stuff written on the Internet, your loss if you believe it. My experience was GREAT and learned so much about sales. As well my experience is that all negative persons about this job just FAILED in being succesfull and ofcourse they will never blame themselves so they blame the company for their own failure.
First, experience it yourself before having an opinion instead of following what is said on the Internet.
Interesting how each day there is a new post about something positive about the company. For the record, YOU can see for yourself; however, when consultants on the field say they do not like the company and the work despite having them be great salesmen tells you A LOT about the company. So people, you pick and choose. If field consultants are saying otherwise, well that tells you a lot about the company. MEDIA PLUS, be aware once all the field consultants leave after your three-month period for this new compensation structure. Everyone knows it is a joke. This company has ZERO INVESTMENT IN THEIR EMPLOYEES! However, you can take the advice of the Big Media Group employees who are writing on the blog posing as consultants. You’ll see. Don’t say I did not warn when this company tanks.
I worked for Media Plus for two years and loved it. I can’t believe there are people out there saying this stuff and I would just say it’s your loss if you believe it.
You forgot to mention Saturnino Superstar and Miriam Klingenberg…..AFA nowadays!! They have turned this industry into something much worst if possible!!
Their style…COORDINATE, TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN!! Huge con!!
Thank you so much for posting this information… For a second I thought about leaving a well-paid job in a respectable world-class company over this, given the chance. It gives me the chills… I’ll continue to look for a career change… but I’ll be careful with the path I choose. I won’t even bother to go to Recruitment Day… THANK YOU!!!!!
Dear Current Media Plus consultants and former workers.. Thank you for your feedback. I am excited as well about the media plus opportunity for the increase in sales skills. I do also hear the feedback as well from naysayers. Every story has two sides. However, I am currently a consultant and have very direct experience in the reality of dealing with second and third world bosses… and frankly, the only way to survive is to seriously develop yourself. It sounds like MP expects that too. And frankly, in comparison the real uttter de-humanization and exploitations I deal with on a daily basis in the third world construction consulting, I can already tell the MP gig is a walk in the park considering the ¨tactics¨ I work with. Thanks.
If anyone had any questions about OBG and what they actually are:
http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/25502/
Its funny how “EM” and “HS” went back to back with their posts claiming that the company is good and it’s really fun to work there in just a spade of a day.
Truth is that they do work for Media Plus. The problem is that they are the ones who recruit the sales people and sucker them into this imaginary lifestyle where you travel all the time and you have enormous benefits. This is far fetched.
I have been honest with my post and to the point. Media Plus is as legitimate as any company out there, regardless of industry. They have offices, they pay taxes, they do their books and they have operations. The problem lies in the delivery. They misinform people about the value that they are paying. How far does 50,000 dollars go when you advertise in a journal? If you are a CEO in a developing country, 50K is nothing. You spend millions of dollars a year living a life while your country is corrupted and in ruins. That’s where Media Plus succeeds on. They don’t lie. You tell them that when your country gets posted next, you want to have an advertisement on it. The question that the CEO should ask is who will see it. Media Plus reps are told that top businessman get it and people who are really important. The truth is that no body will get it. What they can do is explain to the CEO that circulation per month is 100,000 journals. They will produce 100,000 journals but will not distribute them. For 50,000 dollars you can actually post in the Wall Street (not the same size ad) or the Economist and get a better response from people. In the end of the day you’re selling something that is phony and useless, but you promise them it will be publish and Media Plus delivers on that!
This is no different than asking for 250,000 dollar security system and getting only CCTVs and a watch dog or being promised that you’ll lose weight or gain muscle on infomercials or purchasing computers at bulk and realizing that you purchased 15 year old computers.
What do all 3 (and ironically 4 when you add media plus) have in common?
They were all delivered to you. Agreed upon and signed. You paid, they did their job. The question is…how well did they do it? Clearly you’re not safe with a few Web cams and a poodle to protect you. You didn’t lose weight and the machine is getting dusty. The computers can be used but they are slow. The ads have been put on the journal, published and “SENT” to 100,000 people/locations, but you still haven’t heard a call from someone about how he read your article in the journal and are responding back to you.
And for EM’s information. I did get hired, but I turned it down. Glad I did!
The company I manage was hired to do transcriptions and translations for a United World team in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. I found out too late that they left the country before their job was done — and without paying me. Now I am stuck trying to figure out where to complain about a slippery company like AFA, and get my money. I guess the one good thing is Brazil didn’t buy their sleazy sales pitch!
Please do yourself a favor and do not join this news/sales industry. You will eventually get in trouble emotionally, financially, physically and/or morally. I am not a disgruntle employee but only a well wisher for the young people out there, who don’t realize the implications of doing dirty business.
Thanks a lot for your comments, I found them very helpful.
A few month ago I had an interview with Media Plus recruiters. I had a nice conversation and a sales role play. Then they told me a little bit more about company business and training.
I had to think twice before i declined the offer.
For those who is still thinking to apply please read FMPC and others comments above. I will just add some important points below.
Since the beginning I was quite suspicious about this company (never heard about it, and it was strange that it was registered in Cyprus) but after I saw a contract I was really surprised, it`s just not acceptable and if you have some brains you will never sign it.
First of all NO health or life insurance, nobody cares.
You hired as a self employee so you have to pay taxes by yourself – Media PLus doesn’t declare you.
You also don’t have holidays.
Commission payed every 3 month, add also 3 month of training which means you will work 6 month for minimum wage and after maybe you will receive commission (if you are a good boy).
So if you receive 1000 take out health, life insurance (if you want to have them) and taxes and you will get almost nothing.
Another question is VISA thing, are you really ready for this.
The training period is 3 month. Where 2 weeks in the office in Belgium the rest in the field where exactly you don’t know.
Then I found quite strange that if you didn’t reach your target you can be fired and then they can ask you to pay penalty.
Your monthly payment is made from commission in advance so if you received it and didn’t achieve your target who knows how it may turn out.
You can really get yourself in trouble. In the contract I saw for breaching one of their rules you may pay to the Company XXX amount of money.
So make connections and think are you really willing to put yourself into this?
Please share with others and keep away from companies like that.
I am so glad that I came across this. I have an interview with AFA Press tomorrow. I definitely won’t be going to it now. Thanks guys. My brother had a hunch that there was something sinister about the company when I told him I had the interview. Now I know why!!!
Hard to believe everything you read, but as the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire!! I had an interview with AFA Press and I’m not really sure what to make of it all. It sounds like a cheap way to see the developing countries of the world and taking everything into account if you see it for what it is, part of me wants to take the risk and at the very least try it but my gut feeling is telling me I’ll wake up in some country some day minus a kidney!! I would really appreciate it if anyone could give me a genuine up to date review of how these guys really operate and if it’s worth giving it a go?
if you believe that governments are there to serve the voters first , if you believe everything you read is true, if you are a world improver who believes the world’s a perfect place, if you believe raising funds in third world donor economies for publicity in unethical, if you believe you will be handheld during projects, if you need 200 % safety , than do not even remotely consider this job.
If you like to take a risk, and you are not AFRAID to take a big one, then think again
and once more…..because discovering the world is a tough job!! scared bunnies will not survive!
I left the business about 12 years ago. I’ve had a very successful and respected career path in international media since.
We can summarize all above pretty easily. It’s not a scam, the jobs are real, the lifestyles are real. It is a very high pressure sales job, but the end of the day, you are selling to supposedly smart people (CEO’s, Ministers) that are not forced into doing anything they don’t want to.
Let’s put the negatives in perspective. Comments on the original post like “I went to Belgium for training and they have good weed” and “what is worst case scenario, I may just do the training and see it as a holiday” reveal quite a bit of the mentality of certain people that tried this job.
Let’s also take into account that most of those hired come straight out of college – that is because of the huge travel component. It simply doesn’t work if you have a husband/wife and family. These people have often very idealistic views on how business is conducted and have yet to realize that similar sales techniques are applied in every single respected sales operation worldwide. That doesn’t mean you have to like that – if you don’t, then high pressure sales is not for you. That is fine too.
Some people push the envelope, and some managers are also known for this, that is true. It’s usually the people that are not good at sales that get “creative”. I found I was able to successfully sell this product without lying, cheating, forging recommendation letters, etc. But I knew of people that did.
Don’t see this job as a long term career. If you like, it’s an opportunity to learn about international business, see the world, and learn a lot about yourself. It’s a great 1-2 years after college and will teach you more than any MBA program can. If you’re good at sales, you can make very decent money.
In my opinion, the negativity and frustration comes when people realize they’re not cut out for high pressure sales, yet want to have the international lifestyle and everything that comes with it. Those are also more likely to be confronted with ethical situations: “I am not selling, maybe it helps if I (…take your pick…)”
I do agree that in any hard pressure sales job, there is borderline stuff going on. Some will cross that line, whereas others won’t. The end of the day, it’s all up to you. For some it will be a perfect job for a few years, for others it will be an absolute nightmare. There is no in-between.
Good luck for all those that are contemplating their options! May your decision be the right one for you.
As anyone heard of The Country Section? they sell to the British Airways magazine – High Life. is it the same thing?
Thank you. I have been contemplating applying with AFA Press for months. I was on the computer about to finish my cover letter when somehow, in a search, I tripped across your blog. I’m not going to apply.
I too came across The Country Section. It seemed fishy when I first read about it and they called for an interview. Is it the same kind of business?
Thanks all for sharing your point of view. I wouldn’t say that these companies are cheaters… Much of what is posted here does seem unmoral, but, in a way, this is what salespersons do, in any industry.
Yeah I was conned by one of these companies. Global Business Reports. I some how got conned into paying my own fares to the interview. To that end I did not even get the Job. I felt very un-easy about the entire affair. But I let it go and accepted that such is life. The world is full of con artists. The trick is to try and only be fooled once.
It was avery dodgy set-up. I actually feel more sorry for the people they con, selling something on false pre-tense.
My disappointment with Media Plus is massive. If you sift through the older comments, you will see that almost 99% are negative. There really is no smoke without fire.
When I first saw the ad, I was thrilled. I’ve had a great deal of top education and an exemplary sales record with my last job. I’m no stranger to the stress of working abroad, having done it for 4 years, and I’m no stranger putting in long hours and hard work. I should’ve seen the red flags, but I was just too blinded by the way it looked. I completed the training, however, two days before I was quite shocked to see that many people were being dismissed. All I could think was, how odd? Why would this be happening now? At my ‘evaluation’ on that afternoon, I don’t know why, but I was still keen to impress. This ALL changed once I got back and did a lil’ more research. Suddenly, it was all coming together.
During ‘training’, which is actually a secondary interview (and they will carefully word it so that it is not explicitly clear), it all seems legit. Everyone chosen to go to Belgium are bright, energetic people. I thought it very strange though, that I was the 2nd oldest person there. And I’m only 28. Everyone else was a fresh college grad, internationally experienced and wonderful people skills, but not exactly work-experienced; especially with commission sales. And almost entirely comprised of Americans. Very odd.
That night of my first evaluation; I became utterly disgusted with what I was reading, and to make it more disturbing, everything being described in great detail about the training was 100% accurate. I had wanted to leave the next day, but finding out that if you voluntarily choose to leave training, you are liable for the $ difference for changing flight dates. Next round was the last day, and I had quite a few questions at the end of my evaluation.
Those who have posted their ‘great’ experiences have a tendency to slag anyone with negative criticism to say about the company by saying ‘well, they just didn’t make the cut’ or ‘they’re bitter and weren’t good salespeople’. Fair enough. People act out when jilted. I’m sure someone might say that of me for writing this post. Believe what you want to believe.
I did meet some wonderful people in my training group, 6 of them went on with the job and I truly do wish them well. Sales is a tough game and they deserve great success in life. I only wonder now, how long it will be before the change. My roomie admitted that she knew it was probably a scam, but hey, wanted to see some countries she’d otherwise never go to. Totally understandable.
I was duped into thinking that I was selling valuable advertorials in an exclusive publication in order to bring in foreign investment to developing nations. It’s easy to sell something you believe in, by the end, I did not believe that what I was doing was ethical.
The readership is exclusive. So exclusive in fact, that no reads it. In training you are constantly being taught how to stress the value and exclusivity of the publication. Hey, these are good selling techniques, won’t deny that. There were some very handy lessons in their. Problem is, the product is not valuable at all. You are conning Ministers and Businesses of developing nations out of thousands of dollars by pretending to be an investment guide journalist. You lie to everyone that blocks the CEO by saying it’s not about advertising and there’s ‘no more commercial space’. The second week of training, you learn that this is a blatant lie. Your little interview is to do nothing more than find out an angle of sale; where do they hurt, why do they need exposure, etc. It really doesn’t have anything to do with personal interest.
I could write all night about this, but I lack the energy and I’m tired of being angry at myself for falling for their ponzi scheme.
In Summary: It’s like taking a job at an Amusement Park. You think that you’ll get to go on all the rides for free, get cotton candy whenever you want, and are constantly surrounded by merriment. In reality, it’s a minimum wage job with long hours so you don’t really get to go on the rides that much, the candy is at a ‘reduced’ cost for employees and if you get in trouble, hey, they can just chuck ya because there are plenty of other people lined up to take the job. Plus, maybe those rides aren’t as safe as the management keeps telling you.
I realized the massive irony on the last day. Those ‘lucky’ few to be chosen (oh, and it was a mutual agreement on my departure. They don’t really like questions, as it turns out. Then again, no one gives you a straight answer there). They use the same selling technique on their new hires. Value. Exclusivity. “We’re such a great company, we offer you adventure and big money!”. Don’t let this fool you. I spent a nice $700 bucks traveling half-way across America for that first interview. Silly me, I thought it was worth something…
But hey, if you do decide to go the whole way, you really need to take mental stock. Just how low are you willing to go to earn a buck? These are tough times and work is scarce. I’m not thrilled being back out job hunting again. But I do know one thing; I had a very loyal clientele in my last job in sales, not because I trumped up the product, but because I gave the straight deal. People do respect honesty, and yes, you actually CAN be honest in sales. You have to throw some gloss on the product, you do have to shmooze, but you don’t have to be slimy to make money. Be a shark; that’s the nature of capitalism. Close the sale! it’s just easier when you know and believe its’ value. Sincerity reads.
I’m still a bit miffed about what happened, but I must say, I am sleeping easier knowing that I didn’t have to swindle anyone today. If you want to see the world, just do it. If you’re right outta college, take a temp job, stockpile money for a year and just do it. Media Plus isn’t going to protect you in the world if you feel like employment with them while traveling gives you a safety blanket.
Don’t be fooled by the flashing lights and rollercoasters; if you value your integrity, don’t do it.
Hi, I’m French and I am so glad for these information (though I feel a bit stupid for falling for such a proposition hehe), especially the last comment. I was supposed to be interviewed for a position at AFA Press next Wednesday but I’m clearly going to cancel. I am even more grateful since there are little to none information available anywhere else on the internet. So, thank you!
Thanks!
I was contacted for an interview and got the job as an “International Sales Consultant” two weeks ago. I have been contemplating sending in the signed and initialed consultant form and my passport. I absolutely love different cultures and I would love to live in another country. I just graduated college and I feel that Media Plus targets people just like me. I am so confused and I don’t know what to do. After reading all of these negative posts about media plus, every bone in my body is telling me to say no. I can either hop on a plane to Belgium or look for other work. I want to trust the interview coordinator, but I am reluctant.
Yes or no to a job at Media Plus?
Just say NO!
To La vita e mentale…
I know someone who has worked for MP. This persons experiences have been quite shocking. The job is indeed real but everything else here is rather accurate from what I am reading. They are all very sleazy and have nothing of real value to sell. They will jerk you every which way, the pay is minimal, their tactics are sleazy, working on tourist visas, being abandoned the moment you are any kind of problem to them. They look for young and naive people out of college with little to no experience but maybe a degree in business or sales. I warn you and anyone else even considering such a terrible proposition not only think twice but seriously look for something more established with a good reputation and better reviews. This I can whole heartedly tell you is the last thing you want to do unless you want the worst experience of your life going to third world nations, breaking the law with no one to protect you. Furthermore you will be expected to sleaze to persuade sales and sometimes individuals may take things or even force things too far. Protect yourself and others by avoiding such filth and let others know as well. There are so many pages on the internet with all the same review with the exception of those within the upper levels of MP and its partners which will attempt to dismiss such allegations but why not? Wouldn’t it mean they will have less to feed on? They get rich off of people and need more to come in and use to keep making money. They use these naive people like matches to keep warm… When it is burnt out they just use more. Do yourself a favor and go to a reputable company which will treat you as an oil lamp continuously keeping you lit and refilling you with knowledge, experience and most of all… Value. Best wishes.
They are now operating in Latin America, after passing and scamming Africa and Europe… look for Raluca Monac
Business Development Manager
Mobile: +57 3123381603
Email: raluca@mining-leaders.com
Mining Leaders Colombia 2013
AFA PRESS (or UPPER REACH, UNIVERSAL NEWS, UNITED WORLD …………) is a mafia, it’s amazing that no one has uncovered the shit of that “business” yet.
There are many stories these people, is horrible as they can continue to deceive customers or future young employees …..
say NO!!!
Woo… like many of you, I was considering to apply and in “best/worst” of cases quit the hell’s job am in now, but as I see, no matter how big is the crisis in my country, working in sales as I am working now and having customers that come back to me every week to purchase thanks to the healthy relation I have with them is the most important for me, the awful thing where I am currently working is the atmosphere among the co-workers, something else will come, knowing that this is about lying to others in order to sell smokey curtain is not my cup of tea…
Thanks a lot for this info. God bless you.
Thanks a lot for your comments. take care please!
Thank you for your comments.
What about Wildcat Publishing and The Oil & Gas Year? Is it the same type?
Yesterday, I found job offer for “International sales consultant” for AFA Press at my university’s employment website, so I applied. Today I received an email telling me I had been chosen for an interview next week. I told my mother about the job description and she said she had a bad feeling about it. I agreed with her and decided to do a little research. I’m SO glad I found this post. It really helped me confirm what we already suspected. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
what’s most shocking is that people who work in this “industry” see nothing wrong with what they do. They all into the trap of lies and deception. The manipulation techniques (what else to call it?) they use to train are completely brain-washing their young minds. This industry has been known for its bad reputation: lies and undelivered promises, and girls willing to go the extra mile (if you know what I mean..) to sign the contracts. Warning to all of you who plan to apply or were invited for an interview!
Please be careful, all these companies such as AFA Press and other similar are just crap! It’s a trap, scam, trick, illegal, dangerous, non-ethical, disgusting, and even not safe to work in!
They just hire naïve young ambitious professionals and use them in a dirty business.
In reality, there is nothing about becoming a journalist or an interview but just selling aggressively advertising/publicity by ANY MEAN (being aggressive, proposing sexual services, lying on the organization and just stealing already fragile countries..)
And don’t think you will travel and see the world: you will just work 14hours per day and stay in shit hotels!!
If my post can avoid some of you to fall in their trap, here are some of their names and they are all tricky and liars.
They keep changing of names and location to keep surviving and really I wonder why police and governments doesn’t stop them from their illegal activities:
AFA PRESS
Oxford Business Group
Executive Country Reviews
VEGAMEDIA
DISCOVERY REPORTS LIMITED
Media Plus Consulting
And I’m sure more with their new names…
Please be careful and don’t go for their job interview even!!
To Sleep at Night:
I feel like you spoke for myself. I am from Eatern Europe and also had an experience with Media Plus for a while. When reading your thoughts, I just felt like remembering again all those experiences there. I met some wonderful people, but found myself alone at the end of the training, while sending the rest home. I was even more disguessed to realize that their bet concerning people from Eastern Europe would be happy even just for getting a few more money; on the other side, Americans are hired because they are natives and of course…imagine you are calling on behalf of NYT – it sounds more credible, doesn’t it? I was having the feeling that this is all not right, it’s a corrupted system, capable people are sent home although they haven’t even seem them trying. Sent out on a project, I was left out in a hostel having to deal with ministers meetings, looking for hostels. All fine, but not to afford to pay a normal hotel for your consultants while in the first one-two weeks in a country and alone? That simply seemed to me cheap, unprofessional and a complete lack fo consideration for people who would actually bring you money.
I also heard in the last week when being there about the Namibia scandal. Pleasee read about that and if you ever decide to take such a job, at least look for yourself. Don’t only blame the company for the fact that you don’t have a business visa and you are alone in Africa. It’s horrible, but take care of yourself and speak that out. Make sure that, as far as you are concerned, at least you have a legal position in the country you are being sent to. This is mostly valid for Americans!!! I heard a lot of stories while being in MP about Americans having issues with the visa. Eastern Europeans are mostly kept in Europe – it’s more plausible depending on your language skills. They will definitely try to hire you if you speak more than 2-3 languages. You will be a great asset for them.
So, for all those you would like to try such an experience, think twice. And consider all the pros & cons. Unless you are a real adventurer, it will be hard for you to lie to people, even knowing they make a lot of money. It’s more about principles anc life concepts.
And something else – always be careful to whatever you sign. The contracts have your signature and it’s always about not less than 10000 euros or so. I felt the responsibility of sharing part of my thoughts too. I am not saying people who still work in the field are not great persons. Some of them would find a better job tomorrow, because you are forced to develop yourself at a higher level than in many other fields. As the company doesn’t support you, you have to tackle it all yourself.
P.S. If you are American and still want to give it a try, don’t leave before the training is done and up to be sent on the field. As Sleep at Night said, this is the only way you can get your flight paid when going back home.
The worst out of this job is that you will work very hard to produce sales and high chances are you will never see the commissions you are entitled reach your own bank account. You will be surrounded by incompetent people in the office who don’t know how to manage your client requests, your basic work needs and will be so optus about sales, they will lose sight of their own people ‘s value (often for the sake of a power trip). In the end, some way or another, they will screw you out of your deserved commissions !! Run and never regret not applying for a job at ASAP, AFA, MEDIA+, and the many other agencies out there. It’s not worth it!