A seamless transition

Tyler Brûlé is a famous Manitoban (one of 45 apparently, if you exclude the less well known members of Bachman Turner Overdrive, but include Winnie-the-Pooh) who has just launched a new magazine on the world.

Prior to launching this latest advertising vehicle, he wrote (among other things) a weekly column for the Financial Times titled Fast Lane. For reasons that are unclear, he left the FT at the end of 2006, and moved his column to the International Herald Tribune, but the content remains the same. In fact, the following comment placed by Philip Rowell of Bangkok, Thailand, on the online version of Brûlé's latest IHT column (see Tyler Brûlé on the unthinkable: A seamless flight) sums up the Manitoban's stock in trade rather well:

I have nothing but the utmost respect for Brule. Anyone who can convince two major global newspapers (first the FT, now the IHT) to pay him for writing exactly the same article week in week out for years on end has to be a genius.

Airports, Heathrow terrible, Japan good, three countries in four days, first class, my beloved assistant, a couple of glasses of champagne then sleep until landing, list of suitable luggage suppliers... Brule, please, we get it already. We know you spend your life on airplanes, and we're really very impressed - honestly. But how about trying to write about something you experience after you land, rather than regaling us with mind-numbingly tedious tales of security clearances and check-ins. We have all flown before, you know.

Stop it. Please.

The problem for Brûlé is that he evolved from a young, striving journalist into an ambitious, successful editor, but is now rapidly becoming a middle-aged business man. Consequently, his personal routine has become just that — a routine that's unfit for public consumption more than once.

PS — You can read Robert Fulford's comments on the new magazine in All style, with just a dash of substance.