seems a little over-the-top to me...the logos are kind of well done... but dictating letterhead, clothes etc... ??? what do you owners and/or members think? http://www.ferrariownersclub.co.uk/happenings/2003/december/clubs/text.asp GT
The thinking seems very ... stodgy? mercenary? calculating? Something along those lines. I just don't see that kind of mandated conformity going over well here in the States, at least among the owners and enthusiasts that I know. In many area the value of the national clubs are sketchy at best, and I fear that any heavy-handed approach will just lead to local clubs disassociating from the national ones. Just my $.02
a mandated uniform for club members ? a required appearance for the club logo? If the clubs get sponsor perks in return, they might conform. Otherwise, in particular in the USA, no chance in hell.
When ever some Ferrari owner shows up at the track with a complete Ferrari outfit {Shift, jacket, pants, shoes} and sometimes with wife in similar apparel-- we just laugh-- They are bound to be slow on the track. Last time this happened, the F355 owner in question had just had a major done on his car (96 F355) but the car still wears the original tires (8 years old!!!) on his 7,000 mile old F355 !?! Even the Ferrari hot shoes don't wear that much Ferrari apparel. However, marketing is marketing, luckily, marketing has not yet found a way to make engineers buy things like they have found ways to make more average people buy things.
Im all for branding, and marketing...but to have it mandated is a bit to forceful to me. Last I checked it was freedom of expression that made our nations great.My hair color does not go with the new colors added with a touch of green.
why is FSpa doing this? what prompted it? they didn't just wake up one morning (presumably) and say "hey - let's invest six figures in a branding exercise and product development for the clubs!" did they? what exactly do the clubs get in exchange for this "conformity"? what exactly does FSpa get for going through all this (if not the data)? i grok the general conceptual intent, but i don't see any data about the underlying point of it all. maybe it is rational, but based on the data provided thus far, it does smell silly. curious to learn more..... doody.
BALLWASHERS....The people who run the Ferrari company seems to be a bunch of goof balls. Why don't they consitrate on makeing cars that are worth what they charge for them,instead of worry about what clothes should be worn when you drive your cars. Idiots. Just a bunch of suits trying to make more money. All this clothing stuff just dumps more money into Ferrari. Thats all they want. I was thinking about joining the club but now after hearing and reading about this I will not. I just don't feel the need to have to buy everything Ferrari. Now I really realize what the company is all about. Disgraceful.
I was just notified someone saw me working on my 308 wearing blue coveralls instead of the official red ones with logo
I can understand Ferrari's interest in protecting their logo and trademarks, but the rest will not fly. I can also understand Ferrari's interest in seeing the clubs 'link' somehow to allow international attendance to what Ferrari sees as strictly 'regional' events. If American clubs want to participate in European Rallys or Japanese club events, there ought to be an avenue in which to do this. Likewise, if Europeans want to participate in US club events, they shouldn't have to re-register in the US Club and pay US dues just to show up. Ferrari wants to see an International Club membership. They're an International company, so..... Somebody in Maranello wants the clubs to come to the same table, instead of each club stovepiping their activities into their own autonomous camps. The clubs aren't going International themselves, so Ferrari wants to step in and orchestrate it since its their product. The heavy-handed politics of this, however, is what's creating this backlash - but the underlying ideas are good ones in my opinion.
I don't mind the club logos and the ID cards, makes even sense to streamline them into a global corporate form for some reasons James pointed out. The uniform thing however is terribly silly. Not even more conservative clubs like e.g. Rotary have such guidelines. The funny part is the end of the report: Obviously they had to terminate the meeting as there was too much disagreement and then Ferrari goes ahead and calls it a success. Spin doctors!
If Ferrari trys to tell the clubs that they should require that members wear cartain jackets or pants to "official" events, the clubs are going to tell ferrari to go **** themselves.
While the uniform stuff is obviously out of place IMO and a typical case of technocratic overshoot from zealous corporate marketing people (remember these folks must invent every day a reason to exist), I can understand the willingness to preserve the corporate identity of the logo and brand from being changed/altered/modified in whatever way official clubs feel like to. Any brand-conscious company, and Ferrari has to be one, has a corporate branding policy and should defend it. That means color, shapes, fonts, etc ... Basic business rules you will find in ANY worldclass company. Consider your own name, this is your identity. How would you feel if someone would decide, at liberty, to change the spelling and refer to you that way ? The analogy is not perfect, but if you want to use the trademarks & logos, they belong to Ferrari Spa, and one has to respect that.
There should be some kind of legal distinction, however, between the Marque logo and the various logos for regional clubs - some of which are VERY creative and unique. I'd hate to see that replaced with some cookie-cutter, corporate/committee-approved logos forced on the clubs. I see the Club outfits being offered much the way FCA clothing items are marketed - Sold for-profit to support club activities, but never mandated.
I heard that it was going to be compulsory to learn the first verse of L'Inno di Mameli. http://www.copcity.com/anthems/italy.html
Stupidity. "Mariella Mengozzi introduced the "official uniforms" which would be made available for purchase by the members of the Clubs. A table was shown of what items were thought to be suitable for what type of events. For example, at formal events gentlemen could wear the corporate blazer, shirt and tie but may make their own selection of grey trousers. For on-track events a sports jacket, baseball cap, polo shirt and branded trousers were the recommendation. For ladies the table of recommended items was more limited, to just vest and polo shirt." This is just stupid. What kind of extremist came up with this idea ? Please take that wrench out of ur butt ! The kind of stupidity that really pisses me off.There should be no recommendation at all... Barbie Ferrari , Ferrari socks , Ferrari perfume ....argghh this side of Ferrari makes me sick.
This says it all in a nutshell: "The meeting was organised by Ferrari's marketing department." Enjoy the Drive, Steven R. Rochlin
OK, I am italian and I loved Ferrari since I was a kid. Now I own one, but that is it. I love the car, the mechanic world, the driving sensation etc. Sorry for Ferrari, I do hate the conformity surrounding the idea of a standard look, of snob people meeting just to compare the image and not to share the car passion. I love this site because people visiting it share my enthusiasm, not because we are all supposed to dress and look the same way... Anyway, most of replies seems to indicate thar Ferrari was a bit out of tune.. Ciao Eugenio
As others have said... the logos part I fully understand... the stationary and publication guidelines as guidelines is kind of nice... but mandating that or even suggesting "uniforms" is way over the top. On the logos, keep in mind: 1) Ferrari is very much about its image... half the value of the company is wrapped up in that image... in the name and logos. 2) Trademark law in many countries is such that if you don't protect it, you lose it. Thus, I've always been very impressed/amazed at how freely Ferrari allows people to use their name and logos. Companies like BMW are far more restrictive than Ferrari has been. On the uniforms... there you have a marketing person completely out of touch with their customer base. If I was running Ferrari, the people who approved that going out would be looking for a new job... anyone that clueless about their customers has no value in marketing.