DriveTribe - online car community from Clarkson/May/Hamond

[jon-]

crosseyedlion said:

RoadRunner220 said:

jon- said:

I'm not sure if this has been covered in a different thread, but hadn't drivetribe just got rid of nearly everyone (including the ex EVO guys)

I hope that isn't true, the video content by Henry and Jethro has been utterly superb.

Well both of them haven't uploaded anything or posted (save for 1 video each) since about 3 weeks ago....

It's a huge shame, it'd be good to see them just doing content for some small TV channel. I'd sit and watch it, could probably persuade the OH too if its on TV (for some reason she wont watch/wont put up with car things on a video on demand service, but if its on TV its for some reason different(?!) )

Apparently, they were all on 6 month contracts which weren't renewed.

It does seem a bit crazy to release your stars, but equally I imagine those stars are relatively expensive.

[Truckosaurus]

Or it was the plan all along...

Have some professionals creating some content to encourage people to sign up and then leave it to the kind souls who give them content for free for the long term.

I wonder if Hammond/May/Clarkson are still on the payroll?

[sagarich]

jon- said:

I'm not sure if this has been covered in a different thread, but hadn't drivetribe just got rid of nearly everyone (including the ex EVO guys)

Just checked, both Henry and Jethro have removed any mention on Drivetribes in their bios on twitter... oh dear, game over for DriveTribes then. That was the only reason I was logging on, their videos were superb.

[suffolk009]

Maybe Henry and Jethro can get on the phone to Dickie and John, and together with Harry start a new print mag.

I'd buy it.

[acme]

Eh, they'd only just left Evo!

As others have said, let's hope they're back at Evo soon!

Did enjoy their videos though!

[djdest]

I can't even remember when I last went on the DT site.
All I ever see now on Facebook is their page sharing links to videos

[suffolk009]

acme said:

Eh, they'd only just left Evo!

As others have said, let's hope they're back at Evo soon!

Did enjoy their videos though!

That's true, but I can't imagine the people that now have jobs at evo would be too chuffed about their return. I'm suprised they left evo for a six month contract if that's true. But, we don't know what their circumstances where.

[Leins]

Autocar could do with getting them onboard, and aim to get that mag back to where it was 10-15 years ago

[TheAngryDog]

I've never used it, never saw the point tbh. Between here and a few other forums and FB, I have all I need.

There is a user on here who "writes" for DT I believe.

[andyps]

On the basis it looks like evo have managed to fill the gaps from Henry and Jethro leaving (great to see John Barker back there after his time at JLR) their only way would probably be freelance with some stuff for the magazine. This is the second time that Jethro has done that though in terms of leaving evo for an online publication that didn't last. Maybe he will learn!

I did notice that Vicky Parrot didn't stay long at DriveTribes having left Autocar to go there, she is now at Motor1

As far as I have seen there is nothing yet to monetise DriveTribe so I guess the funders are wanting to see some return on investment. Cutting the talent before getting an income stream seems an odd way about it as what would the hook be for potential sponsors now?

[sagarich]

Although, the traffic on drivetibes is strong...




PH traffic for comparison:

[EJH]

sagarich said:

Although, the traffic on drivetibes is strong...




PH traffic for comparison:

..but one also has to look at the duration of visits (PH is ahead on that) and the demographic of user (so many powerfully built frozen sausage-nailers around here), etc

[miniman]

Lewis Kingston, once a regular here and many other online communities, is now Editor.

[Otispunkmeyer]

I never really got DT. I kind of got what they were trying for, but it just felt a bit flat, a bit directionless and lacking in the kind of content that keeps you coming back.

I stopped looking at it months ago. It just didn't seem to have much momentum and I thought it'll probably just fizzle out.

It's difficult this social media stuff, evidently.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Monday 10th July 20:14

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Monday 10th July 20:15

[jon-]

sagarich said:

Although, the traffic on drivetibes is strong...




PH traffic for comparison:

What's the source of all that growth. They're spending HARD on facebook, I don't imagine it's retained visits like PH has

[acme]

suffolk009 said:

That's true, but I can't imagine the people that now have jobs at evo would be too chuffed about their return. I'm suprised they left evo for a six month contract if that's true. But, we don't know what their circumstances where.

That's a fair point & as someone else pointed out it's the second time Jethro's done it so doubt he'd be welcomed back again.

Shame as I'm not quite sure about Evo under the current regime, & ive been a subscriber for over a decade.

[corozin]

sagarich said:

Although, the traffic on drivetibes is strong...




PH traffic for comparison:

Yeah well one of the Kardashians apparently has 42 million Twitter followers for her vapid crap. Traffic is good for click revenue but not necessarilty anything else the world needs to measure.

[acme]

suffolk009 said:

That's true, but I can't imagine the people that now have jobs at evo would be too chuffed about their return. I'm suprised they left evo for a six month contract if that's true. But, we don't know what their circumstances where.

That's a fair point & as someone else pointed out it's the second time Jethro's done it so doubt he'd be welcomed back again.

Shame as I'm not quite sure about Evo under the current regime, & ive been a subscriber for over a decade.

[Mezzanine]

Based purely on his DriveTribe videos, I have to say Jethro belongs in front of a camera these days.

His presentation, his excitement and delivery has really been tightly honed over the last couple of years. Watching his video stuff now gives me the same highs as Chris Harris' content did 5 odd years ago.

Maybe if Rory Reid gets sick of not doing much in Top Gear...

I cannot see anyone going back to Evo, there seemed to be a seismic shift behind the scenes for some reason and I cannot see the old formula changing much, it would certainly be a backward step IMO.

[CraigyMc]

Truckosaurus said:

Or it was the plan all along...

Have some professionals creating some content to encourage people to sign up and then leave it to the kind souls who give them content for free for the long term.

I wonder if Hammond/May/Clarkson are still on the payroll?

Hammond/May/Clarkson are equal part-owners of the hilariously named W. Chump Holdings along with Andy Wilman (producer). They have 25% of that umbrella company each. W. Chump and sons subsidiaries plus some venture capital and Fox make up the Drivetribe ownership.

Basically, they aren't employees as much as part-owners of Drivetribe.

From what I can gather, the Grand Tour gang's drivetribe ownership is itself via their subsidiary, "W. Chump & Sons (Mugs & T-Shirts) Limited".