Caravan Club image
I've just opened my May edition of the Caravan Club magazine and of the 3 advert fliers in the packaging one was for "Special Pensioners' Hearing Aids" and another was for "Funeral Plans" (the 3rd being the Caravan Club's range of insurance products).
For goodness sake Caravan Club, if you want to make the image of caravanning more appealing to younger members and families please can you reflect it in the advertising!!!!
Comments
-
I agree. I actually found it quite insulting - and I am a 'pensioner' (well by age, if not by inclination!)
0 -
There was a letter last month complaining about how the magazine is too family focused so obviously this is the result.
It isn't too family focused unless they are moaning about the 'message from the meeks' section in which case I agree with them
0 -
How can it be too family focussed!!!! As the daddy in a family of 6 there is no way the club is too family foccused - it never has been. I'm not saying it should be geared towrds families but families are also the future of the industry! My father-in-law is a pensioner and, without wanting to be morbid about it, it won't be too many years before he has to give up caravanning. We need the younger generations, not just like me, but also younger folk too (I'm 41). It's also why caravan manufacturers need to look at families as being the lifeblood of the industry in terms of the vans they produce - indeed I was pleased to note the launch of the Sprite Freedom range which is geared precisely towards this.
If we're not careful, the industry will remain the preserve of the wealthy retired which would be a great shame but something that I've argued about elsewhere.
0 -
Agree wholeheartedly Tadhatter.
There is a tourer explorer article in the magazine and one of the writers refers to his children so if that makes it too family focused it says more about the author of the letter than it does about the magazine.
0 -
Just goes to show how advertisers perceive the club as they are not going to spend their advertising budgets where they don't think the market is.
0 -
Indeed. I may be being a little flippant but the reality is that clearly many people do see caravanning as a retied leisure activity (with plenty of spare cash to purchase big heavy vans and tow cars).
If I were part of the CC exectutive or whatever they call themselves, frankly I'd be concerned about the future of the club if the clientele is perceived as having one foot in the grave!
0 -
I am retired and to be honest I think the advertisers might just be spot on with their target market. Let's not fool ourselves. There are an extraordinary amount of retirees in the CC. Proportionally many more than in the C&CC.
Just be glad that you are not in need of the stair lifts, the walking aids, hearing aids Etc which make up a large proportion of adverts in the mag, but remember that there could be loads of CC members for whom the adverts are required.
If and when I reach the stage of requiring those articles being advertised I will appreciate the Adverts.
K
0 -
How can it be too family focussed!!!! As the daddy in a family of 6
there is no way the club is too family foccused - it never has been. I'm not saying it should be geared towrds families but families are also the future of the industry! My father-in-law is a pensioner and, without wanting to be morbid about it, it won't be
too many years before he has to give up caravanning. We need the younger generations, not just like me, but also younger folk too (I'm 41). It's also why caravan manufacturers need to look at families as being the lifeblood of the industry in terms of the
vans they produce - indeed I was pleased to note the launch of the Sprite Freedom range which is geared precisely towards this.If we're not careful, the industry will remain the preserve of the wealthy retired which would be a great shame but something that I've argued about elsewhere.
I don't wish to be pedantic or personal, TH, but I'm puzzled by your reference to a family of 6 when your profile shows the following.
"I'm a vicar based in rugby. I'm married to Jo and we have 2 little boys, Zachariah and Joshua. I've been caravnning now since 2011 whereas Jo has been caravnning since 1981!!"
Incidentally there are many retired caravanners in CC who are not wealthy.
0 -
I am retired and to be honest I think the advertisers might just be spot on with their target market. Let's not fool ourselves. There are an extraordinary amount of retirees in the CC. Proportionally many more than in the C&CC.
Just be glad that you are not in need of the stair lifts, the walking aids, hearing aids Etc which make up a large proportion of adverts in the mag, but remember that there could be loads of CC members for whom the adverts are required.
If and when I reach the stage of requiring those articles being advertised I will appreciate the Adverts.
K
I'm not retired, but need hearing aids. However, the NHS hearing aids and attendant service are far better than any bought hearing aids. With the NHS ones you get free batteries, tube changes, filter changes and re-tuning when required. All for 'free', as
you have contributed through NI contributions during your working life.The people who buy privately are either vain and don't want the tubes to be visible; or have too much monet and can afford to buy something they don't have to.
I did chuckle, as did my wife, when the leaflet dropped out of the CC magazine earlier today.
0 -
How can it be too family focussed!!!! As the daddy in a family of 6 there is no way the club is too family foccused - it never has been. I'm not saying it should be geared towrds families but families are also the future of the industry! My father-in-law is a pensioner and, without wanting to be morbid about it, it won't be too many years before he has to give up caravanning. We need the younger generations, not just like me, but also younger folk too (I'm 41). It's also why caravan manufacturers need to look at families as being the lifeblood of the industry in terms of the vans they produce - indeed I was pleased to note the launch of the Sprite Freedom range which is geared precisely towards this.
If we're not careful, the industry will remain the preserve of the wealthy retired which would be a great shame but something that I've argued about elsewhere.
I don't wish to be pedantic or personal, TH, but I'm puzzled by your reference to a family of 6 when your profile shows the following.
"I'm a vicar based in rugby. I'm married to Jo and we have 2 little boys, Zachariah and Joshua. I've been caravnning now since 2011 whereas Jo has been caravnning since 1981!!"
Incidentally there are many retired caravanners in CC who are not wealthy.
Good point Tinwheeler. I haven't updated my profile since I registered with Club Together when it was first launched and was obviously correct at time of writing. Since then our family has grown with the addition of 2 adopted girls.
0 -
Thanks for that, TH. Now it makes sense.
0 -
Funeral Plans? What's the Club anthem then, "Always look on the bright side of life"?
0 -
Probably aren't that many families that can afford the towcar and the caravan hence the reason the C&CC have a broadly younger rmembership and outlook due to tent members. Sadly I think the CC has a focus on more "mature" people and gives the impression
of being fuddy duddy.0 -
I am retired and to be honest I think the advertisers might just be spot on with their target market. Let's not fool ourselves. There are an extraordinary amount of retirees in the CC. Proportionally many more than in the C&CC.
Just be glad that you are not in need of the stair lifts, the walking aids, hearing aids Etc which make up a large proportion of adverts in the mag, but remember that there could be loads of CC members for whom the adverts are required.
If and when I reach the stage of requiring those articles being advertised I will appreciate the Adverts.
K
I'm not retired, but need hearing aids. However, the NHS hearing aids and attendant service are far better than any bought hearing aids. With the NHS ones you get free batteries, tube changes, filter changes and re-tuning when required. All for 'free', as
you have contributed through NI contributions during your working life.The people who buy privately are either vain and don't want the tubes to be visible; or have too much monet and can afford to buy something they don't have to.
I did chuckle, as did my wife, when the leaflet dropped out of the CC magazine earlier today.
Write your comments here...My hearing aids are private ones I bought them because I needed them and for NHS ones I would have had to wait 9 months.And no I do not have more money than sense.
Mike
0 -
Probably aren't that many families that can afford the towcar and the caravan hence the reason the C&CC have a broadly younger rmembership and outlook due to tent members. Sadly I think the CC has a focus on more "mature" people and gives the impression
of being fuddy duddy.There are plenty of young families caravanning. Take a look at some other forums and some of the facebook groups. The CC needs to capture this market and it is failing
0 -
Judging by the rise in pitch prices and the way they have discriminated against a solo traveller I wouldn't be surprised if the chairman turned up on the next caravanner of the year dressed in a mask singing Stand and Deliver.
And yet, as a family man I think the club discirminates against groups of people by charging per person on the pitch! We use CLs about 95% of the time as they are quieter and cheaper but, for some work things when I've needed to be away for several night
OI've been tempted to use a club site as, going solo, it would be a similar price to a CL but with far more facilities. I guess different people see things differently.0 -
Judging by the rise in pitch prices and the way they have discriminated against a solo traveller I wouldn't be surprised if the chairman turned up on the next caravanner of the year dressed in a mask singing Stand and Deliver.
And yet, as a family man I think the club discirminates against groups of people by charging per person on the pitch! We use CLs about 95% of the time as they are quieter and cheaper but, for some work things when I've needed to be away for several night
OI've been tempted to use a club site as, going solo, it would be a similar price to a CL but with far more facilities. I guess different people see things differently.I don't see a problem with charging per person, TH, as each person uses water, electricity, the facilities block and so on. If the pricing structure wasn't as such, any basic inclusive price would need to be an average and would effectively result in some
of us subsidising others. It would be to the advantage of some while disadvantaging others which is at odds with CC's attempt to treat us with equity.0 -
I tend to agree with TW on this one. I think paying a fee per person is the fair way of doing things. Any organisation needs to meet its target income. If it doesn't charge per person, then the income it achieves by this means would need to be recouped
another way. Therefore everyone's pitch fees would rise. Those with a smaller caravan occupancy would end up by paying proportionately more.David
0 -
Are we talking of getting rid of the pitch fee? The club knows what it want to get in over the year, or even over a night per pitch, at the moment that comes to about £28 pounds per a couple, made up of a pitch fee and two adult fees. If they went to a per
person rate wouldn't they just adjust the fees to make the same amount?I have no view wither way as I think you (one) will end up paying the same amount.
0 -
I read it as Tadhatter wanting a pitch fee to include everyone in the party but I may have been wrong
OK sorry, yes I think you're right, no per person is the fairest way.
0 -
I think the best idea is status quo at present.
David
fully agree, can't see any disadvantages at all
0
Was the leaflets in braille, so we're deaf with one foot in the grave, it can only get better
