The same Club, just better...

I feel very strongly about this. When I read the letter which arrived this morning I thought it was a new organisations mail shot for business. When I read it through and finally convinced myself it wasn't I was, and still am, absolutely furious that this should have been foisted on us without any warning, much less without the common decency to canvass the members views by email. I am a member of almost 50 years standing and knew nothing about it at all

It has been done in a very autocratic way by a club who should remember that it is easier to lose 10 members than gain 1 new one

The new logo is awful in dismal colours not at all appealing and must be a great recruiting aid for the Camping and Caravanning Club who no doubt will be quite pleased about it. Any logo which needs a video to explain the convoluted thought processes which went into it's creation is designed to fail. 

Take lead from the National Trust - a simple Oak leaf - it tells the full story and is immediately understood. 

I have been both a motorhomer and a caravanner so do not object to the inclusion of motorhomes in the name but In my view this rebranding exercise is a disaster all paid for by US the members who were not invited to have any say. I shall by writing to the Chairman to formally request what the full cost is and who is footing the bill.

We know who is footing the bill and so that part is rhetorical.

Logos and branding are very powerful tools used by organisations to create a following and ultimately secure a market share. They are tampered and messed around with at their peril. Look at Royal Mail some years back, branding itself Consignia.

Could not agree more. Having worked on the corporate identity of a major retailer I learnt that any change had to be subtle. Customers sometimes unwittingly, get comfort from the brand name knowing their standards of service etc. Corporate branding, like the red pennant, take years to establish and are worth a fortune, and should be guarded fiercely and if deemed redundant then phased out rather than dropped.Could you imagine what would happen if the AA and RAC changed their branding to include cars,lorries,vans,buses,coaches,motorbikes,caravans and motorhomes etc etc. Brand loyalty is very emotive as can been by the number of posts so far. I hope the club has made the right choice but it's not for me.

Couldn't agree more. The club should be applauded for trying to adapt to suit a changing world. 

As far as the cost goes no idea how much but consumables get replaced anyway so are not additional costs. If it costs a few million, it's a lot of money in any language,  but in truth a fiver per member soon mounts up to cover it.

The weathers improving, let's get out there doing what we enjoy instead of arguing over how we propel our caravans. 

At the end of the day I call the "other" club the camping club and I'll still call this club the caravan club, not because I hate motorhomers, it's just less of a mouthful. 

michris you have put this very well, and I fully agree with your comments. I also feel that this change is causing a rift between the Caravan and Motorcaravan owners that did not exist before. I also note the usual lack of response of the Senior Management Team, who should be ashamed of themselves for their arrogance in the way they have introduced this change.

As a CLUB we elect members to the council to represent us the same as when you vote for your MP.  Surely these members that are elected to the council should act on behalf on the members that elected them and comply with the wishes of the majority as per a democratic entity? 

If there is to be a major change involving millions of pounds being spent on rebranding such as the logo and the name of the Club which does not serve any purpose or benefit current members, shouldn't this same council elected by members first consult all the paid up members to see if they agree with any changes as per the Club's constitution?

Obviously stuff like improving or building new sites does benefit members and serve a purpose so I would think that going ahead with that type of project is acceptable unlike the Rogers fiasco where members were not consulted and the CC lost millions.

Did rebranding BA improve customer numbers?  Why did they have to revert back to a more recognisable logo and name if it improved their service delivery etc?

I am thoroughly disgusted that a decision to change the club's name should be taken without any consultation with the members. What a complete waste of money. How much is to be spent on changing signs so that newcomers don't know what's going on? I would like to hear from a single user of a motor caravan, trailer caravan or whatever of the many names we use, who has been put off joining the caravan club because of it's name. Why didn't you drop the word "Club" from the name, since you clearly have no intention of behaving like one.

I can't see why there should be any rift fender, it's only a name. Frankly I'll still call the club The Caravan Club, just as I tend to call the CCC The Camping Club, anything else is just a mouthful.

Chill and enjoy life.

This thread certainly must have the CAMC thinking 945 mainly negative posts in two days. Most from those who don't normally post on CT. OK much of the negativity is way over the top. I am only concerned with the waste of money. It does not really bother me what the logo looks like or if we were consulted. Consultation in any event is only useful if anyone listens. The conception of this almost certainly came from the top and once those folk have made up there mind, little is going to change it. Anyone who is not on board is just not a team player.

As to the money, various figures have been banded about. It really depends on how it is phased in. If clothing, signs etc are left to wear out before replacement. Probably not in my experience. However, it is difficult to believe the exercise is going to cost less than 1 million.  

A while ago on CT we were told it was going to take about 20 years to phase in open grid drive over MH points. So older members would not have to put their back out lifting manholes. Hopefully the new progressive CAMC will shorten this timescale. However, I can't help wondering how many such facilities could have been funded with one million pounds.

If there is to be a major change involving millions of pounds being spent on rebranding such as the logo and the name of the Club which does not serve any purpose or benefit current members, shouldn't this same council elected by members first consult all the paid up members to see if they agree with any changes as per the Club's constitution?

Sorry Surfer I must have missed the post where the club said the cost was in the millions of pounds, can you point me to it please. *** There would be some design costs for the logo and I suspect (hope) some consumer feedback etc. but in the whole scheme of things very little..

You elect the members of the board to make a decision, if they put something like this to people no doubt we would all come up with a design we liked and no one lese would.  At the end of the day the club is still the same, run by the same people with the same wardens and HO staff so why not get off your high horses and try and get change where it can be achieved such as the completing of the website issues  etc.

**Moderator edit: Personal insults have been removed from this comment