Re: [VAL] Shirley's Factory Tour Pictures

[Steve Lewis <stevelewis@xxxxxxxxx>]

I receive the VAL in Daily Digest form, so I've just finished enjoying 
some very entertaining posts. Most of the posts about the Airstream 
marketing department's indifference to "the Vintage Airstream folks" 
echo my thoughts and make some great points. But since Hunter addressed 
me personally, here y'go:
<snip>
> Hi Steve,
> I have to ask, what do you think the vintage people do to help the 
> sales of
> *new* Airstreams?
Hi Hunter,
An Airstream on the road or in the campground (new OR vintage) is good 
for their business. Brand awareness. Pride of ownership. It's like 
product placement in a movie, except better because people are seeing 
the product for themselves and can often speak with an enthusiastic 
owner. Tim Champ said in his comment that they don't need the 
publicity, but such free publicity would do nothing but help the sales 
of *new* Airstreams.

<snip>
> I ask because although I own a non vintage Airstream I am a member of 
> the
> VAC. I sat at a dinner at last year's International and listened to 
> the a speaker
> go on and on about how the VAC members and their trailers, are far 
> superior
> to the new trailers and their owners. I was less than amused, but 
> decided not
> to say anything. He was giving his opinion which he's entitled to.
Judging from other posts on this topic, I'm sure the speaker you were 
"less than amused with" doesn't speak for the majority of VAC members. 
If I had listened to that same speech I would have taken issue with it 
as well. The "my stuff is better than your stuff" attitude should be 
left on elementary school playgrounds.

<snip>
> With the VAC people promoting buying vintage trailers, not new ones, I 
> have
> to wonder why you think Tim Champ is wrong.
>
> Don't get me wrong, I see why vintage people are promoting vintage
> trailers.... I just don't see why you take umbrage at Tim's comment.
>
> Hunter
It's simple. I don't agree that VAC people are promoting buying only 
vintage trailers. I believe the VAC has a passion for Airstream 
trailers in general and a specific love for the heritage of Airstream. 
And since you're a regular contributor to the vintage list, I have to 
wonder why you don't see that. I never said Tim Champ was "wrong", I do 
however believe he has done a disservice to Airstream by dismissing a 
large group of people who would champion their trailers at every 
opportunity. Any other marketing department would LOVE to have such a 
devoted and visible following. Perhaps I should have included more of 
his quote because his comment concerns more than just the vintage folks.
"Unfortunately our most visible and vocal customers are members of the 
WBCCI. They are perceived as a bunch of ex-military guys and frankly 
they don't contribute much to our bottom line. And the Vintage 
Airstream folks, well, they don't do anything for us either. At this 
point we don't need the publicity; everyone knows who we are. We need 
sales. We want to appeal to the hip twenty-year-olds. Once we get them 
started with Airstream, we think they will continue buying them." -Tim 
Champ, Airstream Marketing Director ("Silver Palaces"; pg 33)

By making such comments for inclusion in a vintage trailer book, he is 
knowingly dissing Airstream owners who aren't hip twenty-year olds. I'm 
not so shallow as to take offense to his distain to the WBCCI and 
vintage folks, I just find it disappointing. And while it may be true 
WBCCI and vintage folks don't contribute much to Airstreams bottom line 
directly from their checkbooks, they are quite valuable from a 
marketing perspective. I disagree with the idea of banking on sales 
from a spectulative target market while actively alienating a proven 
one. It is possible and preferable to court these "hipsters" while 
maintaining the existing Airstream customer base. That's my opinion. 
You're more than welcome to take umbrage with it.

Steve