chuckakers 369 #1 May 8, 2011 Just renewed my USPA membership after deciding I needed fresh skyhoppin' reading material. In my renewal packet was the new USPA bumper sticker celebrating 65 years of PCA/USPA. Instead of the very recognizable LARGE round, blue and white logo with the very recognizable parachute and wings, my packet contained a sticker that can’t be recognized as having anything to do with skydiving from any further away than I can read a book. USPA blows it again. Those old bumper stickers were so easy to spot as skydiving stickers that I’m sure there were more than a few folks that made a call to a DZ or came back to the sport after seeing one and getting the itch. The new, sort of triangular sticker – measuring a whopping 2 7/8 by 3 1/4 - just says “USPA” (in difficult to read red letters on a blue background), and has the number 65 on it. USPA 65. That’s it. Outside of the sport, who the hell would know what that even means???? USPA claims to be all about growing the sport and the membership roster. Marketing fail. Try again.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #2 May 8, 2011 I'm with ya, got my C-license card with one of those new stickers. Oddly enough, they didn't send me one of those little card envelopes either. IIRC, I got one with every license card I got. Not that it's a big deal, just noticed it.I'm all for modernization, but I don't think the USPA logo really needed it, and if it was up for re-design, should have been something we could vote on. "I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #3 May 8, 2011 That's nuthin', did you see the budget for advertising/marketing the sport into the main stream? Any 2nd year marketing student could come up with a more viable and cost effective program. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fencebuster 7 #4 May 9, 2011 I have one of those "old" blue and white USPA stickers on my car. A guy saw it when I was sitting in a Dairy Queen drive through and followed me home to ask me about where I jumped. Turned out he was an "old skool" Orange jumper and the next weekend brought his rig to the DZ to get his reserve repacked and show his son all about skydiving. I have not seen the new sticker, but whatever it looks like, the old one is immediately recognizable to anyone who has been a jumper. Not sure this is such a brilliant marketing decision.Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #5 May 9, 2011 Quotethe old one is immediately recognizable to anyone who has been a jumper You're not selling to existing customers....Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 197 #6 May 9, 2011 Quote Quote the old one is immediately recognizable to anyone who has been a jumper You're not selling to existing customers.... That dinky decal isn't selling to anyone Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,379 #7 May 9, 2011 >Outside of the sport, who the hell would know what that even means???? No one, I hope. And that's the way it should be. USPA shouldn't be in the business of "selling" xtreeem tandem skydiving to the uninterested general public - they should be there to support people who really want to do it. They will find the drop zones if they want to try it. And once they get there, then USPA's job begins. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #8 May 9, 2011 QuoteI have not seen the new sticker, but whatever it looks like, the old one is immediately recognizable to anyone who has been a jumper Attached."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 369 #9 May 9, 2011 Quote>Outside of the sport, who the hell would know what that even means???? No one, I hope. And that's the way it should be. USPA shouldn't be in the business of "selling" xtreeem tandem skydiving to the uninterested general public - they should be there to support people who really want to do it. They will find the drop zones if they want to try it. And once they get there, then USPA's job begins. I didn't say anything about tandems.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #10 May 9, 2011 Quote Quote >Outside of the sport, who the hell would know what that even means???? No one, I hope. And that's the way it should be. USPA shouldn't be in the business of "selling" xtreeem tandem skydiving to the uninterested general public - they should be there to support people who really want to do it. They will find the drop zones if they want to try it. And once they get there, then USPA's job begins. I didn't say anything about tandems. Much less "xtreeem" tandem. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 369 #11 May 9, 2011 QuoteQuotethe old one is immediately recognizable to anyone who has been a jumper You're not selling to existing customers.... Actually "we" are. USPA is also in the business of retaining members, so any marketing efforts to recruit are also efforts to retain current members - and their money. And note that I said "anyone who has been a jumper", not "anyone who IS a jumper". There have been many former jumpers come back after seeing a USPA sticker and getting the itch to jump again.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AdamLanes 1 #12 May 9, 2011 I like the new sticker. I was getting tired of throwing out the old ones. I mean, how many stickers do you need? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klingeme 0 #13 May 9, 2011 I gave up on them and canceled my membership 4-5 years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,379 #14 May 9, 2011 >There have been many former jumpers come back after seeing a USPA >sticker and getting the itch to jump again. That's great. They'll do that (or won't do that) no matter what the graphics on the sticker are. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 369 #15 May 9, 2011 Quote >There have been many former jumpers come back after seeing a USPA >sticker and getting the itch to jump again. That's great. They'll do that (or won't do that) no matter what the graphics on the sticker are. Not so much... OP: "...my packet contained a sticker that can’t be recognized as having anything to do with skydiving from any further away than I can read a book. " A potential customer can't react to something they can't even recognize - but I'm sure that doesn't matter to you. When you're in the mood to disagree, you find a reason. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #16 May 9, 2011 Quote A potential customer can't react to something they can't even recognize - but I'm sure that doesn't matter to you. When you're in the mood to disagree, you find a reason. If a sticker is gonna make the difference between whether they do or don't return to skydiving... I'm not a fan of the USPA marketing engine at all, but that said...I think this particular issue isn't one worth barking over. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DocPop 1 #17 May 9, 2011 QuoteI like the new sticker. I was getting tired of throwing out the old ones. I mean, how many stickers do you need? None."The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls." ~ CanuckInUSA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 369 #18 May 9, 2011 Quote Quote A potential customer can't react to something they can't even recognize - but I'm sure that doesn't matter to you. When you're in the mood to disagree, you find a reason. If a sticker is gonna make the difference between whether they do or don't return to skydiving... I'm not a fan of the USPA marketing engine at all, but that said...I think this particular issue isn't one worth barking over. I disagree - as do numerous other folks I've run into in my 26 in the sport. Those old BIG, USPA stickers did indeed catch the eye and absolutely have been the "thing" that prompted a call to the local DZ or the headshed. Same thing holds true with well-designed DZ bumper stickers. I know because I've been on the receiving end of those comments during the many years I worked at and/or owned a DZ. Think what you want, but my real-world experience has proven otherwise. We know from experience that local DZ bumper stickers produce phone calls. Can you imagine a DZ making a bumper sticker that just read "Drop Zone, 65 Years"? Wouldn't garner many calls would it? And by the way, EVERYTHING USPA spends OUR money on is up for critique, including a worthless marketing redesign. The "old Coke" was working well. It wasn't broke, but someone at HQ decided they needed to fix it anyway. Typical bureaucratic horsesh*t.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robskydiv 0 #19 May 9, 2011 I agree with your point and premise Chuck. As to Bill saying that it's not for non-skydivers I disagree. We're not "Masons." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NovaTTT 1 #20 May 9, 2011 On the bright side, this is probably a one-off sticker and next year they will go back to the regular sticker."Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #21 May 9, 2011 No one is making you take your old sticker off your car. If you don't want the new one, throw it out. I was only a USPA member for 14 years. If you need a few dozen of the old stickers, let me know, I've got a frickin' box of them somewhere. Some people are not happy without something to bitch about. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #22 May 9, 2011 Quote On the bright side, this is probably a one-off sticker and next year they will go back to the regular sticker. We better stock up while they last! "I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,379 #23 May 9, 2011 >As to Bill saying that it's not for non-skydivers I disagree. We're not "Masons." We're not Bud Light either. We don't need to try to get everyone in the US to skydive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #24 May 9, 2011 Quote>As to Bill saying that it's not for non-skydivers I disagree. We're not "Masons." We're not Bud Light either. We don't need to try to get everyone in the US to skydive. So you're saying everyone in the US should drink Bud Lite? I wouldn't have believed it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,379 #25 May 9, 2011 >So you're saying everyone in the US should drink Bud Lite? Anheuser-Busch would sure like it if that happened! (Did you know that Bud Light is the sure sign of a good time? Saw that on an ad!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
