Tooting your own horn

Tooting your own horn

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old phart

Original Poster:

404 posts

109 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Just a quick observation from the other side of the pond. I've been in London for 6 days now and am about to head to Paris on the train to continue doing the tourist thing. I've had the pleasure of visiting two Aston dealers. The first was a marvelous tour at Aston Martin Works and then just yesterday stumbled upon another down near Piccadilly Circus. I was a bit disappointed that neither had any Le Mans victory polo's or such for sale.
Correct me if I'm reading more into this but it appears to be a major miss in brand marketing. I've seen they have a race car on display at Gaydon - but for who? Why aren't there tacky banners and graphics all over the dealers walls? Where's the shirts, hats and such celebrating the victory? The latest 'special edition' Vantage? I exaggerate a bit but come on gentlemen. Take the ball and run with it!
If you watch American sports they have shirts and hats premade for both teams so no matter the winner they are ready for the sale. We joke a bit about the pipe and slippers and balding old men but Aston can't just sit back and wait for people to come to them. What's the saying? Win on Sunday sell on Monday?
I think the understated, dignified, whatever needs to loosen up a bit to bring in new customers. At the Works tour there was a plate of cookies out but we were asked to not take any as they were for customers? I love my Aston and am a brand evangelist, taking it to shows and such. But when I go to a dealer I always feel I'm imposing on them and unless I make first contact people will just give me a look as they go about their business. Or remind me not to touch anything.
I'm a bit surprised Kermit made it through the factory doors. "I'm sorry, Aston doesn't do bright green"
Aston has some great ideas, vehicles in the pipeline but I'm afraid no one, except us/we (sorry, never know which to use) devout pistonheads will ever know.

V8V Pete

2,496 posts

125 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
They're still making the Le Mans shirts. They're hand stitched, don't you know?

onlogbook.com

1,828 posts

153 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
AM are scared of offending the vocal minority of owners who think they guard the spirit of the brand. The same ones that grumble whenever AM tried to do something that's slightly "out there".

avinalarf

6,438 posts

141 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Whenever I walk down Park Lane I look in the several prestige car showrooms.
As a retailer myself,I am shocked by the shoddy presentation,of the polo shirts and other miscellaneous brand related clothing products.
I do not refer directly to the AM showroom but more to the Ferrari,BMW and especially Bob Forstner,nice cars but the clothing and ephemera looks like a boot sale and detracts from the exclusivity of the cars on offer.
In the UK,I believe,there are mixed feelings as to the desirability of prestige car brand related products.
The Englishman tends to be quite conservative by nature and feels a plonker wearing such stuff unless it is at a car show or event.
Personally I share that view and I cannot remember the last time I wore my red chinos,AM polo shirt and green loafers.
As an aside,it's a shame you never hooked up with any London AM drivers,I was unavailable on those days you were here,otherwise I would have welcomed meeting you.

Edited by avinalarf on Monday 17th July 08:46

AdamV12V

4,987 posts

176 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
old phart said:
Just a quick observation from the other side of the pond. I've been in London for 6 days now and am about to head to Paris on the train to continue doing the tourist thing. I've had the pleasure of visiting two Aston dealers. The first was a marvelous tour at Aston Martin Works and then just yesterday stumbled upon another down near Piccadilly Circus. I was a bit disappointed that neither had any Le Mans victory polo's or such for sale.
Correct me if I'm reading more into this but it appears to be a major miss in brand marketing. I've seen they have a race car on display at Gaydon - but for who? Why aren't there tacky banners and graphics all over the dealers walls? Where's the shirts, hats and such celebrating the victory? The latest 'special edition' Vantage? I exaggerate a bit but come on gentlemen. Take the ball and run with it!
If you watch American sports they have shirts and hats premade for both teams so no matter the winner they are ready for the sale. We joke a bit about the pipe and slippers and balding old men but Aston can't just sit back and wait for people to come to them. What's the saying? Win on Sunday sell on Monday?
I think the understated, dignified, whatever needs to loosen up a bit to bring in new customers. At the Works tour there was a plate of cookies out but we were asked to not take any as they were for customers? I love my Aston and am a brand evangelist, taking it to shows and such. But when I go to a dealer I always feel I'm imposing on them and unless I make first contact people will just give me a look as they go about their business. Or remind me not to touch anything.
I'm a bit surprised Kermit made it through the factory doors. "I'm sorry, Aston doesn't do bright green"
Aston has some great ideas, vehicles in the pipeline but I'm afraid no one, except us/we (sorry, never know which to use) devout pistonheads will ever know.
I think car branded products just don't sell too well in the UK, and when they do, they sell themselves - if that makes sense. I don't think I have ever seen a UK car dealer make a decent effort at a clothing / accessories display in quite the same way as you see in other countries.

Anyway, talking of Kermit and blowing your own trumpet - here is a instagram post taken at a car show I attended a few weeks ago. smile

http://www.pictaram.org/post/BWGgMtlF3HL


Buster73

5,043 posts

152 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
To be fair I've had my N430 over a year now , since I bought it I've had a desire to buy an Aston polo shirt.

I periodically check the Aston website and not once have they had my size showing available, now I know I'm a bit of a big lad but surely XL is hardly an unusual size.

Maybe someone at Aston needs to get their stock levels sorted properly ?

HBradley

1,037 posts

180 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Buster73 said:
To be fair I've had my N430 over a year now , since I bought it I've had a desire to buy an Aston polo shirt.

I periodically check the Aston website and not once have they had my size showing available, now I know I'm a bit of a big lad but surely XL is hardly an unusual size.

Maybe someone at Aston needs to get their stock levels sorted properly ?
Ironically, the Aston Martin website is not the best place to buy branded merchandise. If you want clothing, Hackett is the best source (AMR & also more subtly branded gear), Bizarrely, Amazon & eBay are also good to find AMR stuff.

Edited by HBradley on Monday 17th July 13:08

old phart

Original Poster:

404 posts

109 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
avinalarf said:
In the UK,I believe,there are mixed feelings as to the desirability of prestige car brand related products.
The Englishman tends to be quite conservative by nature and feels a plonker wearing such stuff unless it is at a car show or event.
Personally I share that view and I cannot remember the last time I wore my red chinos,AM polo shirt and green loafers.
As an aside,it's a shame you never hooked up with any London AM drivers,I was unavailable on those days you were here,otherwise I would have welcomed meeting you.
I know it's a different culture but I feel it was an opportunity missed. I'll bet if you looked in the rubbish bins at Le Mans you'd have found Corvette Champion shirts and such.
Aston doesn't seem to have trouble selling their cars so perhaps it's a mute point.
Yes, sorry to have not met any of you plonkers. Perhaps another time. I understand now why there are so many low mileage cars around. If you drive your car in the city you're raving mad.

RobDown

3,803 posts

127 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Hackett have the licence to produce and sell the Aston Martin clothing range. There's a decent size shop in Regent Street if you get a chance to visit

You could also pop into the official Aston Martin shop in 10 Dover Street (just off Piccadilly, very close to Green Park tube station).

The Hackett stuff is nice, albeit not cheap. But some of it is fairly subtle so just about wearable outside a car event.

avinalarf

6,438 posts

141 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Thinking that I might be missing a selling opportunity here.
I could have some TShirts printed up with some irreverent motifs.
" My red chinos are in the wash".
"Just had the Aston serviced....your round."
"I'm Bonded to my Aston."
etc
£15 each if anyone's interested,colour of your choice.

RobDown

3,803 posts

127 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
I know you're joking. But I'm sure you could sell some of those at the next Concours

avinalarf

6,438 posts

141 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
RobDown said:
I know you're joking. But I'm sure you could sell some of those at the next Concours
Slightly tongue in cheek...but quite doable.
My tee might read...
" I'm AVINALARF"
in my Aston

Bespoke for you..
" Never feel DOWN"
in my V12

For Tony Hall
" Tossers"
Change your knobs


Bincenzo

2,606 posts

178 months

V8V Pete

2,496 posts

125 months

Monday 17th July 2017
quotequote all
Bincenzo said:
Seems to have it covered Bins but still not for me.

flinder

44 posts

156 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
Another Yankee chimes in!

Old phart, I couldn't agree more. Where's the pride?

Last year when the Ford GT won the 2016 race it was a really, really big deal. WON IT AGAIN, AFTER NOT TRYING FOR 50 YEARS, AND RIGHT ON THE ANNIVERSARY. Then Ford had a contest to see who was qualified enough to purchase a half a $million copy sometime in the next 4 years...only 1 thousand will be made.

You would have thought Christ had made a return visit...or the seas had parted all the way from Dearborn to LeMans. It was the equivalent of Trump beating Hillary.

Now, to this day I have seen nothing from AM. No print advertising, no TV, not even on the Velocity channel. No commemorative dealer flags or mailings, nothing.

Think of it. Ford and GM (and some others) with bottomless pocket race budgets were beaten by Aston Martin with a pocket change equivalent! It was amazing, Jack beat the Giant!

Where's the pride? How about a newspaper advertisement? A bribe to a motoring journalist for continuous favorable mentions? Something?

Over the years I never cared about racing...just a good way to kill a car, until that Vantage passed the Vette following a nip and tuck battle in the last minutes of the world's foremost 24 hour race. I laughed out loud...I called to the wife, " WE ARE GONNA WIN!" And shortly later, "WE WON!"

Now I care. I live in Dearborn and drive a V8 Vantage.


avinalarf

6,438 posts

141 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
You Yanks...sooooooooooooooooo emotional. laugh

66MK

374 posts

106 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
avinalarf said:
You Yanks...sooooooooooooooooo emotional. laugh
Indeed, and it always makes me smile in an enjoyable way, but it's just not me...us...some of us? Maybe just me then!

Not a footbal follower at all, but do rather enjoy the old footage of 'goal scored, quick appreciative handshake and a gently walk back for the restart'. Much better than the orgasmic triumphant love in's we see nowadays.

I see Astons as more of a quick appreciative handshake.


getmecoat


DB9VolanteDriver

2,612 posts

175 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
To be fair, Aston Martin did make a big deal of winning Le Mans, but that was in 2007 when the DBR9 beat Corvette in GT1, 48 years after their first victory. And they did the same in 2008. These latest victories are not quite the same level of surprise any more.

craigjm

17,912 posts

199 months

Tuesday 18th July 2017
quotequote all
Personally I think unless you are at a formula one race / Le Mans etc then you look a complete tool in car branded merchandise. Doesn't matter if it's a polo shirt, cufflinks or whatever it just makes me think... knob.

shinjuku

476 posts

80 months

Wednesday 19th July 2017
quotequote all
Being as this is a forum and therefore mostly full of opinions... I'll chip in with mine.

I don't like overtly branded merchandise of any kind—hard to avoid with a car, but I don't like to wear any clothes with logos on show. Always hated it, always will. It's why I don't own any Tshirts with HUGO BOSS embroidered, a Lacoste polo, etc etc. I find it too crass.

Obviously my car isn't understated—a Ford Mondeo might be so bland as to never be noticed, and I do like nice watches so it's not like I am adverse to big brands.

The car merchandise is another level tbh. As someone said above, if you're at Le Mans, or an F1 race, etc, then I think it's all good. Same goes for football shirts at matches etc. I don't like to see people walking around in sporting gear as it stands—it's often people who wouldn't know the location of the nearest gym wearing "athleisure"... but I slightly digress vomit

It's rather American to wear branded baseball caps, and one looks like a bit of a prat in the UK in doing so. US fine, UK not. Bald(ing) overweight men in convertibles wearing baseball caps—the cap isn't making you uncool here so you may as well crack on.

I know if I walked around the office in a Le Mans 24 commemorative polo, and hadn't been to the race itself, that people would ask why I'm wearing it. The US does "sports" a different way, on the whole.

In short, bit crass, trashy, uncouth... you get my jist.

soapbox



Edited by shinjuku on Wednesday 19th July 07:59