X-Message-Number: 8770
From: "Colin Martel" <>
Subject: [probably unoriginal] marketing idea
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 17:40:39 -0500

Steve Jackson wrote:

"I was raised on science fiction. The idea of suspended animation, whether
to travel in time or space, was a familiar concept to me before I was ten.
I would have expected more signups from among science fiction fans; you
don't have to explain the idea to them."

The same goes for me. I first heard of Alcor in an add they published in
OMNI magazine, accompanying an article on cryonics. I needed no convincing.
The only thing that was really surprising to me was that I had always
thought contracting for suspension required a immense financial investment,
something only Walt Disney could afford :-) 

I'm wondering whether Alcor, or other cryonics organizations, advertise in
SF publications, like monthly collections of short stories. I have no clue
what the cost of advertising in these publications is, but, if affordable,
it certainly aims at the right clientele. If I may suggest, such
advertisements should put much emphasis on the price of the procedure.
While I had never heard any of the arguments in favor of cryonics until
about a year ago, the idea of suspended animation just seemed intuitive to
me. However, it is only by chance that I learned I could contract before I
made my first billion. From the reaction of the few people I talked to who
were somewhat open minded towards cryonics, I'm guessing that this
perception is widely spread.

I refuse to believe that spontaneous enthusiasm for cryonics is restricted
to a few thousand individuals. Perhaps many just ignore that the procedure
is within their reach.

Colin Martel

PS: I would be curious to see social statistics for members of cryonics
organizations; e.g.: field and level of education, age, profession, income,
etc... Does anybody know of such data having been compiled by a cryonics
organization? 

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