Interesting video - the power of the internet...

[Chris Spencer]

Jack - You are already aware of my views on the points you are making and have my full support - it all comes down to the fact that we need to have a more sustained / higher profile as a club in order to appeal to new younger members as several members have identified already within this and other postings on Jowett Talk.

One of the main blocks in doing this is that a large part of the membership and club committee just do not realise it - most of them assume that membership will naturally occur through default - i.e. a non member purchases a Jowett and then joins the club - it is foolish to assume that you can always attract members in this way - what about the ones that fall through the hoop - what about the ones that have yet to purchase a Jowett ?

With a higher profile we can grow the membership to a sensible number and ensure the future of the not just the club but our cars for future generations.

[Leo Bolter]

They have business cards which any time anyone expresses an interest, comes to look at the car, they give them a card. It has a picture of a Jowett and the website on it. When they get home, they find that card in their things, and get online and have a look.

I have been handing out, for probably 20 years, something akin to what is being done by the Northwest section.
At any NZ Rally there's a bunch of these handouts placed under the windscreen wiper, while if the car is being used for other things and a person shows a bit more that a very passing interest, a copy is presented to them . . they are invariably most pleased to get the handout! Comments like "I'll show my partner this . . . saves me from having to try to describe your beautiful car" . . etc. are usually forthcoming

The "blerb" on the Jupiter is printed on both sides of a A4 sheet of gold coloured paper and folded down the centre and looks reasonably presentable, but at the same time it doesn't cost the earth.
The Javelin one is printed on A5 paper (plain "vanilla" white!) double sided.



If anyone feels the urge to emulate the attached images of these handouts for their own use, feel free to do so . . in fact, if you forward any required changes of the text to me, I'll be happy to do the mods and send you the file (a .doc file) for you to print out yourself or take to a local commercial printer (as I do), to have a decent bunch done.

JJ-1951 handout pages 1 & 4

JJ-1951 handout pages 2 & 3

Generic Javelin handout

Cheers.
Leo.

PS. The error (in Javelin Blerb) in the quoted make of the fuel pump has been corrected in the original file . . . it's now a "AC Mechanical Fuel Pump"!
Oh, and the price in 1949 is now a bit more than £95

[Forumadmin]

Please note the club has TOPIC this brochurethat has been handed out for years, and has been in the Gallery as well for years.

[Keith Andrews]

....- most of them assume that membership will naturally occur through default - i.e. a non member purchases a Jowett and then joins the club - it is foolish to assume that you can always attract members in this way - what about the ones that fall through the hoop - what about the ones that have yet to purchase a Jowett ?

That is a common issue be it a classic car club, hot rod club and even bird club/societies.

With a higher profile we can grow the membership to a sensible number and ensure the future of the not just the club but our cars for future generations.

The essence is how that profile is taken...the intention.
Is a club run/ weekend way, show, display about members having a great time? Or having a great time AND getting those members of the public around, interested..in the cars and the social side.
And the social side....
Do the younger people (45 and younger)feel comfortable hanging out with people of their grandparents generation?
It is very easy to identify the problem, and the soln....
Which leads to the big questions at the core...
How does one make old cars, inpartular, jowetts, attactive...cool to own and drive?
How does one present the club in a manner to make it attartive to join?

Think outside the square...maybe invite that rodded jowett along to a few runs displays...
Hook up with a ricer car club for a gynkana in a paddock and a BBQ....
One cant expect them come to you, you have to go whewre they are at...and have fun doing it.

[Srenner]

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

I'm reading many good ideas here regarding what we call presence. No presence, no one knows what the car is.

The following is a bit of a cautionary tale.

I went to the local NAPA auto parts store today, the largest "professional" auto supply chain in the US and asked for an oil filter for an MGB. The young (20's) counterman asked, " What make (marque) is that?"

The last MGs were sold here almost 30 years ago, but there WERE bazillions of them. They have fallen of the radar, in part due to a dearth of club activity. The Long Beach MG Club has a fair number of members, NONE of whom own an MG and the club exists to provide course marshals and flaggers for local races (for a fee).

It is almost unfathomable to me that someone would not know an MG. But, if one never sees any and has no interest in automotive history, then this outcome should be expected.

The greater a presence we can make with presenting the cars, the better our outcome will be. Whether this is at car meets, local charity events, parades, getting pulled up on a Google search or what have you, we need to get the cars in front of eyeballs.

Having had my chance on the soapbox, I'm heading off to run my Jup at the historic races at Laguna Seca. Just doing my small part in getting in front of the crowds. Now if I could only get in front of a few more competitors!

Regards to all,
Scott

[Forumadmin]

Have a good race, and do not come last!

Jim Miller certainly hit the eyeballs of the public with Stars and Stripes. get him out in it more often.

[Peter Holden]

In my view Scott has hit the button. If people don’t ever see a Jowett nobody is going to look on the web for it. To promote the club, and indeed the Jowett, as we all talk about then we need to use them. The cars need to be seen being used. This can be at a show, a race meeting or better still just going shopping in it. In many respects shows and events you are preaching to the converted. Going shopping you meet people that have no knowledge of Jowett. If you get talking ( that is a method of communication before the internet was invented and it still is very much used today as you do not need a computer ) then who knows what you will find out and who you have converted.

Interesting point about the American MG club. The Southern Jowett Car Club could have gone that way.

And finally. Scott I appreciate you want to get in front of your competition at race meetings. But what is your competition? Over here Jowetts are not that competitive because the competition has had a further 50 to 60 years development where the Jowett hasn’t. Even development privately, as opposed to manufacturer supported, has progressed because the numbers are greater as any development becomes worth while as there is a larger market to cover costs. MG’s, Jaguar and the like were manufactured in their thousands and thousands still exist.

Sorry I have thought of something else to say while I am on my soap box.

Jowett was not that common, even in its hay day, so even more reason to get the cars out on the road to be seen.
One of the important points that future members are concerned about is the supply of spares. Looking through the old car press they all indicate that Jowett Spares are hard to find. Now that puts people of. The truth is that spares supply is very well supported. The club holds as much as 90% of required items. Body panels being the more difficult but even then there is a way round. The club is having original items remanufactured where a demand warrants it. Compared to other manufactures, that are no more, the Jowett spares operation is the envy of a lot of other clubs.

In conclusion then. While I accept that the younger element communicate using a computer they can not tell there friends if they do not know what they are. Get out in the car and use it, let the young see them and they will talk about them by what ever means is current at the time. Let’s face it they will pick up on any new method of communication long before you old fogies! (I do not include myself here)

[Amy]

Get out in the car and use it, let the young see them and they will talk about them by what ever means is current at the time. Let’s face it they will pick up on any new method of communication long before you old fogies! (I do not include myself here)

Clements Snr and myself are doing that very thing tomorrow, when we will be taking Mum & Dad's Javelin and my Jupiter to be part of a display at the Royal Festival Hall in London as part of a free event they are running this weekend.

The audience - I hope and assume - at this event will be different to the normal car show audience, which I accept is very much a matter of preaching to the converted, and I am hoping that the presence of the cars there will bring the Jowett marque to the attention of an audience which wouldn't otherwise have encountered it.

Oh, and I for one do talk to people about my car, all the time! This discussion on the forum has been focused on using technology to gain more interest, but I know that whenever I have the car out - be it at the petrol station or a show - I spend hours and hours talking to people about the car, its own history, Jowetts and their history. I suspect this hasn't been mentioned particularly because people already do do an awful lot of talking to people about the cars, and it is an accepted strength of Jowetteers that we are friendly, approachable and passionate and will merrily talk to pretty much anyone who shows even the vaguest glimmer of interest when we are there with our cars.

[AlanBartlett]

If your out and about, why not try bumper/window stickers with the club name and website on. I know many friends at from various local car clubs have a little web address window/bumper stickers showing to show their affiliation with their club. Bit of both worlds, while you happen to be out and about chatting to some passerby who spotted you.
You can show them that or even handout a leaflet with the web address on maybe more so than a telephone number as i for one am more likely to research the web address rather than to ring up a person, and from there on have details of club membership, and hopefully should progress from there.

[Tony Fearn]

why not try bumper/window stickers with the club name and website on.

I think Alan has a point here. A sticker with the website VERY clearly marked might just be the thing, especially as our Club website doesn't need Einstein to remember it.

'My other car is a Jowett' and 'Jowetteers do it horizontally' (or whatever the last sticker said) have no meaning if the person seeing the sticker has never heard of a Jowett.

Tomorrow (Sat. 13 August) at least a couple of Jowetts will be trundling from Lancashire to the Bradford Industrial Museum to show the flag at the Ex-employees' gathering, and it's surprising how many of the populace of Yorkshire have no interest in us as we pass through their streets on the way there. But there will be a goodly number of other Jowetts from across the U.K. there as well, so someone should notice a Jowett on the road.

All I'll have to do is once again ignore the comments about Lancastrians from the incumbents of the 'Land of the white rose'. It's getting a bit wearing because their knowledge of history is abysmal!

Tony.

[Chris Spencer]

Going shopping you meet people that have no knowledge of Jowett. If you get talking ( that is a method of communication before the internet was invented and it still is very much used today as you do not need a computer ) then who knows what you will find out and who you have converted.

Peter - You are correct in your statement but wrong in assumption, Although reluctant to draw attention to them I am going to use the recent events of the last week to prove the case. Through the riots you will have had some of thugs / idiots / low life's - call them what you want - come across what was happening by chance and joined in, they will have also been a few that heard by word of mouth and done the same along with a couple that may just by chance be watching the events breaking news on television or listing on the radio, you can also imagine that a percentage planned to riot in the first place.

But how did the vast majority know what was happening - where - when - and how did the events escalate to the other areas several miles away within a few minutes ??

Electronic communication - hand held / palm top computers - 'That's how' - So yes you can exhibit a Jowett at a car show and preach to the converted and now and again you will will convert the odd one who is looking for something different and you will also get the odd one that has never been to that type of event before and you may just convert them too.

You can also exhibit elsewhere - somewhere unusual - some event where you can preach to the unconverted - talk to various individuals who's long lost and removed third uncle owned one - and you may convert the odd one.

None the less it is all very valuable publicity for the club and the cars and I fully support & applaud it wholeheartedly - However, has proven the way in which to communicate to the masses is upon their level - the masses happen to be the (non rioting) generations underneath us who we would very much hope to become members of the club and custodians of our cars.

The communication method of choice for the younger generations happens to be electronic - computers - internet - hand held computers - palm tops - aps - twitter - facebook - youtube - internet forums and this is the method that we need to use to appeal to them - like it or not !

[Srenner]

I think the bumper sticker or plaque with the website is a very good idea. Time for me to do that over here. I display the 1951 Jowett Le Mans poster when I am at the races, and I think I will add a brightly colored addition listing the UK and US websites.

"I appreciate you want to get in front of your competition at race meetings. But what is your competition? Over here Jowetts are not that competitive because the competition has had a further 50 to 60 years development where the Jowett hasn’t. "

Peter, I don't want to hijack the thread, but you are spot on. I get left in the dust due to lack of horsepower and top end rpm. I count on four wheel drifts in all corners and other cars dropping out! I am open to ideas on developing the motor.

[The Bradford man]

Ive been following The Subyota FT86 Coupe concepts ( Subaru Front engined flat 4 6spd Rwd with body designed by Toyota )
On a few of the 86 forum sites, Jowetts had popped up from time to time.
Mainly guys had asked what was the last sports coupe/ sports car that was powered by a Front flat 4 and RWD.
Cars that had used that confrigration before etc?
Some people didnt even know that any cars used the boxer and rwd layout before the FT86 concepts.
When ever I see a question like that I chuck up some pics and a wee blurb etc.

On another note I am on the OldSkool Car club forum in NZ.
It caters for cars from 1980s and earlyer. There are lots of 1970s Jappers, 1960-70 British stuff, American etc.
I did a search on Jowett. It showed only 5 matches from 2003.
3 posts are from me.
1 was a Trademe auction for a rotted Jav.
I was kinda supprised when I checked those stats.

[Jack]

So here's an interesting illustration, perhaps to persuade some who might think that all we need to do is get out there and let people come and find us. I am convinced that we need to go out and find them, and then they might just engage with us a bit more.

The World Rally Championship is a global series that many will be aware of already. http://www.wrc.com/

It has 22 drivers racing for several different teams, and in 2010 something really interesting happened. Ask anyone under the age of 25 to name a World Rally Championship driver, and the majority will name Ken Block.

Who on earth is Ken Block? He finished 23rd out of 26 drivers in 2010. He is not very successful. Sebastien Vettel he ain't.



So, he's not Brad Pitt, so that's not it. He's much older than most WRC drivers. He's never won a rally. Ever. He only scored points in one rally in 2010.

So why is he so incredibly famous? Simple. Youtube. This is what Ken Block does, and the only place to see him do it is online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btViXvID ... e=youtu.be

Now bear in mind that most rally championship drivers will have a pretty healthy income from the team paying them to be very very good drivers, finishing in the top of the table, you name it.

But Ford and many other brands are absolutely desperate to get Ken Block to drive their car, wear their brand, drink their drink, and he is one of the most famous drivers in the world. He is a brand.

So the reality is simple. Connect with the internet, put yourself out there, do something different, get noticed. And you become a brand that others want in to. In our case, all we want is for people to want to own a Jowett, and join the JCC.

If we hide away from the internet, you can be Jarri-Latti Latvala.No, I've never heard of him either. He is incredibly good at what he does, just like the JCC. He is successful and has a promising future ahead of him, having finished second in the world in 2010, just like the JCC. But just imagine the global superbrand he could be if he had worked out exactly what Ken Block and his management did - that if you choose your market carefully the internet can make you the most famous rally driver in the world. Ken Block didn't even compete in many events in the last few seasons, but somehow he is more famous than the team and driver that came first? How on earth does that work? The internet.

We may not dream of taking over the world, of millions of hits on Youtube, but if we take on the same ideas and think the way that very successful brands do, we too can be just a little bit more successful and forget our worries that everyone seems to talk to me about regarding an ageing membership and lack of young members coming in. All we have to do is increase the young membership coming in by a few members each year, and our future is safe, and our cars will be in safe hands in 50 years time when even I will be retired and getting ready to go on cruises and things.

Jack.

PS - Ken Block is now Chief Brand Officer for DC Shoes, another global brand that is built on viral advertising and internet publicity. Because billboards and magazines are so 1900s, dude. He got the job because he has worked out how to connect with young people - through the internet. More than 7 million people viewed his last video in its first week on Youtube, wearing the brands, drinking the drinks, driving the cars he drives...

[Forumadmin]

I watched 'Concrete Circus' on ITV4 last nightwith 4 stars of urban sports teaming with an amateur film maker to put together a 4 minute film that shows the stunning skill and art forms of their respective sports. Put on you tube they get over 4 million hits each.

Yes, this could be done even with a Jowett. What about the Braddie driving up the river in Aus, the Jupiter rattling across the Morrocan desert, the Javelin climbing the Stelvio, or a pre-war doing the Rest and be Thankful? Throw in some shots of the engineering or design, rebuilding (and all the skills that that involves) all mixed and edited by some very creative film maker and you (and the rest of the 100 million who access you-tube) might be surprised at changing people's attitude to a boring old farts hobby!

I think Danny Macaskill' s 'Industrial Revolutions' is particularly close to a 'Jowett' film theme and format.