New Studebaker Drivers Club Logo on Decals, Pins

[showbizkid]

Merged a couple of threads here for more comprehensive discussions.

[Welcome]

So many good points being made and so many real concerns being expressed in this newly combined thread!!!

Believe that area code and phone number that appears on those old SDC window decals is owned by the current contractor for the SDC Membership Secretary position …a privately owned company (Cornerstone Registrations, LTD.). In just 3 months our SDC Board of Directors at their annual meeting is to award a new contract to one of the bidders for the "SDC Membership Secretary" position.

Perhaps the time has now come for the "other not-for-profit Studebaker enthusiast organization" that already has a well-established "brick & mortar" operation, is open 356 days a year, has an existing dedicated toll-free phone number, and already handles their "membership registrations" internally like the Studebaker National Museum to step into this picture. More & more of our dwindling SDC financial resources is continually going to more & more outside private contractors. Those monies could be kept within the Studebaker not-for-profit organizations to help maintain …AND …grow BOTH existing Studebaker enthusiast organizations namely; The Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc. & the Studebaker National Museum. Could be a win-win proposition!!!

[doublepaddle]

I have a friend who is in the business of making signs and vinyl signs, wraps, etc. He is helping me restore my truck. If you get everything worked out and can decide what logo you want, I can get a product out. I can get prices from him for mass production stickers. I have thought of this before but do not want to step on any toes. If interested please contact me.

[StudeDave57]

Be careful about going off on your own with a project like this.

It wasn't too long ago that I tried to do something for IDYSD and was shot down.
It didn't seem to matter that all profits would've gone to SDC and/or my local chapter.

Maybe I should not have asked permission from the powers that be?

[JimC]

It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission, right? How angry could the club be when you bring 'em a big'ol check?

In all seriousness though, the club does technically own the rights to their logo, the name, and all the other identifying stuff, so the letter of the law says you need their permission to use those things. That being said, would they go through the bad publicity and make themselves look like a jerk by suing someone for doing something that benefits the club and that the membership has been clamoring about for three years, which they still just haven't gotten around to? Probably not. That still wouldn't make it right to do.

I'm pretty sure the occasional person making their own graphic for the window of their own car is probably never going to get in any serious trouble. I wouldn't advise trying to do anything that you would ever sell though. The club does own the identifying marks, so they should ultimately be the ones spearheading a project like this.

Doesn't mean we can't bug the leadership about it until they do though

[studegary]

A Trademark owner is required to police and enforce control of the usage of their Trademarks. Otherwise, they lose the Trademark. I used to be the one that monitored the use of SDC Trademarks for SDC.

[JimC]

I agree Gary. The club needs to be controlling the use of the logo and doing these sorts of things. I just wish they would. It's a great opportunity that's being missed.

[50starlite]

Wow, a bar code for SDC!! How unique! (satire, satire)
Really though, it should be there somewhere.

Dick

[Welcome]

>>>Doesn't mean we can't bug the leadership about it until they do though

Maybe, just maybe there are still pending licensing/usage/purchasing agreements related to that 'newer' SDC Logo (& most all design/artwork related to the SDC since 2009). As I recall there was a whole lot of "design/artwork" (to the tune of about $35,000.00) done that was not initially (maybe still has not been paid for by our SDC), but paid for out of the pockets of a "generous supporter" of .

[StudeRich]

OUCH, Ouch, ouch!!! That is a whole LOT of Cash for one simple, small Logo!

And all of it except the outline, was copied from the '63-'64 Studebaker Corp. Brochures. Give ME a call if you need "Since 1962", and "Drivers Club Inc." typed up for $34,500.00, I am your Man!

I guess we better enjoy this thing and Post it Everywhere!!

[Welcome]

OUCH, Ouch, ouch!!! That is a whole LOT of Cash for one simple, small Logo!

"...(& most all design/artwork related to the SDC since 2009)."

[PlainBrownR2]

After all of that, now I'm far more afraid most people my age can't read a postal or physical address, mail an envelope, read a road atlas, or be able to navigate without a GPS under their nose, than the QR code itself!!

Of course if having these much needed skills of being able to read a physical address, or navigate by the sun makes me sound old fashioned, the '55 in my signature answers that, as well as having spent a lifetime in the sciences, even in places with people on the federal level that most people who embrace 21st century technology don't even know exist, so I'm quite up on the STEM's. These here things most people use these days, are mostly consumer toys.

[Sdude]

Just because there are a large contingent of old f*rts in this club that are technolocically challenged doesn't mean it's not a great idea to place that wierd looking smart phone thingee on our window stickers. We are always talking about drawing in young people and this is an excellent way to get them connected. Even old f*rts like me that never use them are used to seeing them all over the place and honestly, they are barely noticable to me. But my grandkids know how and DO use them.

C'mon guys, why would we complain about this? Let's get this new logo put to use everywhere. I like it a lot better. Even at my advanced age, I always thought the wagon wheel logo was too old fashioned. Let the Antique Studebaker Club use it exclusively.

[JimC]

John (PlainBrownR2),

Believe me, I'm the last person who would argue those skills are important. I work with youth from rough backgrounds. Some of these kids, high school seniors, still don't know how to properly address an envelope or write a formal letter. Now, to be fair, the kids I get aren't "on level" kids, but still, almost every day of my life I find myself teaching these kids under my care things that even a moderately young person might consider common sense, like saying thank you, or spelling tough words like "receive" or "sincerely".

But I'm not really arguing on a basis of skills, or science, or even technology. I'm talking pure marketing here. Call them consumer toys if you'd prefer, but about 60% of Americans have them. If you only count Americans who own cell phones, the number jumps to around 75%-ish. I'd never argue that these things could hold a candle to the stuff DARPA and similar agencies finance, but again, most people have them. That's not an opinion, it's a fact.

So my point is, if these stickers are supposed to be a marketing tool, why not update them to reach out to the majority of people? Again, we can include an address, and we should to maximize outreach, but from a marketing standpoint, this thing is invaluable for a lot of reasons. Plus, it's dynamic. Because the code points to a webpage, if something changes such as a phone number or P.O. Box number, you simply change it on the web page, and that sticker is still accurate. When you scan it, the page pops up with any recent changes.

Again, this has next to nothing to do with technology. It's really all about meeting people where they are. It's the same reason we write the words on these labels in English instead of Latin, even though Latin was around first. I could very easily argue that it's frightening that so few Americans know Latin today compared to even a century ago. But the fact is, we all speak English, not Latin, so it makes sense to write in English even if knowing Latin is a worthwhile endeavor. Most of us "speak" smartphone today. So writing in that language meets more people where they are, and is more functional from a marketing standpoint.

Of course, as exciting as this conversation is, it's all academic, as I believe the SDC has this project firmly placed on their back burner for now. The good news is that it's given me a great idea, which I will discuss in detail when an appropriate time comes.

[Sdude]

Good luck Jim, making this happen. We need forward thinkers like you to keep the fire burning.

We need to keep up and we need people with the skills to step forward.