More brand confusion

[PHall]

Wraps have a "shelf life" of about six months. Leave them on much longer and they start looking really bad and they're almost impossible to remove without damaging the paint.
My employer, AT&T, has found this out the hard way...

[High Speed Low Drag]

The concept of wraps is fine, but I want to hurl every time I see that triangle logo. 

According to article Col Beason "...added that the wing now plans to wrap all new vans as they are acquired."  It's bad enough CAP branding is already fractured in 20 different directions, now each wing may want unique vehicle markings. 

Our branding program (if we even have one) resembles something assembled by ADD folks on an energy drink overdose while sitting in a chair administering random electric shocks.

:clap:   !!!!   :clap:  !!!!

When will "they" realize that as far as cadet recruiting goes, the biggest (and only) thing that makes us stand out from other youth programs is our relationship with USAF???  This wrap could have been $$$ towards real recruiting tools, which are severely lacking.  Or even better, that could have been used to "recruit" corporate sponsors.

I agree with the others - That new "logo" is as pretty as a stonefish.

Wait a second - my apologies to the stonefish.  The fish at least has a good reason to look ugly .........

[RiverAux]

What do you think about the part with the plane?  I think that part looks nice. 

[wuzafuzz]

What do you think about the part with the plane?  I think that part looks nice.

I think the part with the plane looks kind of cool.  How long will it look good?  It still doesn't fit in a coherent branding strategy.

Whether our Vanguard purchases should be funding that is another story.  There are so many other useful places our money could go...that list is endless.  To me it looks like thousands of dollars of mission useful gear that will never be purchased. 

[Майор Хаткевич]

The branding using vehicles used only for wing functions is lame.

So is this though:
"For example, in 2007, Vanguard donations helped build a rappelling tower, install shower rooms and contributed to the purchase of a four-wheel-drive Bobcat at CAP's Col. Phillip Neuweiler Ranger Training Facility at Hawk Mountain, Pa."

I don't think NHQ has any idea what branding or mission needs there are.

[A.Member]

The triangle blows. Period.

x2

Simply put, the triangle design is awful.

Don't know who came up with it or why it persists but it needs to be put to rest.   

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the official CAP emblem or the command patch (except that the command patch should be the original "U.S. Air Force Auxiliary" version but I'll leave that sleeping dog lie).  Use should be restricted to these two.

[Gunner C]

The triangle blows. Period.

x2

Simply put, the triangle design is awful.

Don't know who came up with it or why it persists put it needs to be put to rest.   

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the official CAP emblem or the command patch (except that the command patch should be the original "U.S. Air Force Auxiliary" version but I'll leave that sleeping dog lie).  Use should be restricted to these two.

x3

As was said before, what a waste of money!  I think NHQ could have spent the money of its overcharged members (money from Vanguard came out of our pockets).  Making a cool ride for a wing commander is just about criminal.  WIWA region chief of staff, I had my own vehicle.  Didn't use it much because it was a huge gas hog and I wasn't going to blow my entire travel budget on filling up that beast.  Most of the vehicles assigned to commanders, etc aren't going to be on the road as much as squadron vehicles.  That means the public won't be seeing it enough to justify the cost.  All the way around, it's a bad idea.  Get some grants and put us on TV.  (Sure, that'll happen) 

[A.Member]

Making a cool ride for a wing commander is just about criminal.  WIWA region chief of staff, I had my own vehicle.  Didn't use it much because it was a huge gas hog and I wasn't going to blow my entire travel budget on filling up that beast.  Most of the vehicles assigned to commanders, etc aren't going to be on the road as much as squadron vehicles.  That means the public won't be seeing it enough to justify the cost.  All the way around, it's a bad idea.  Get some grants and put us on TV.  (Sure, that'll happen) 

Agreed.  It could almost make a case for Fraud Waste and Abuse.  Seriously, was this the best use of funds?

[BuckeyeDEJ]

A few quick thoughts:

-- The words "Civil Air Patrol" are not prominent anywhere on that vehicle, just the red prop.
-- Half the tagline, which is a botch job and a mouthful to begin with, also seems to disappear.
-- What was ever wrong with using the seal on the side of CAP vehicles? (Answer: Nothing. Certain things need not be messed with.)
-- The story on the Volunteer Web site seriously needs to be copy edited.

Oh...

-- Dodge Grand Caravan? Doesn't seem as utilitarian to CAP as a larger van.

[Gunner C]

A dodge minivan (and especially the wrap) doesn't exactly say "action/adventure" either.  Nothing there to capture the imagination.  The poster that hooked me when I was 13 was the old poster with the cadets in khakis flying gliders.  That was darned exciting for a kid.  It was a brand that I saw throughout my cadet career, allowing for new uniforms.  There's the same sort of thing from the 1950s that had an SM in an Ike jacket with a cadet with an airplane flying over.  Same sort of imagination catcher - action/adventure.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

The Air Force attracts enlistees with decked-out SUVs they call "Raptors," complete with video screens and stereo systems that could blow the best out of the ghetto. Not that we need those, but we don't really need wraps. What we could use is a slew of updated PSAs that NHQ/PA could get out to national media and that PAs in the field could ship out to local TV and radio stations. We could use some updated recruiting brochures with dynamic, professional (not in-house) design and better photography. (Come to think of it: Where is that new cadet recruiting brochure?)

We could use an honorary spokesman, too... maybe someone like Kiefer Sutherland (of 24)? Jerry Lewis was fine in the 1950s, but we could use an action-oriented guy to shill for CAP. Heck, even someone like Jeffrey Donovan (of Burn Notice). Gary Sinise could be a possibility. Chances are, we'd shoot for Tony Shalhoub instead, and everyone thinks of an quirky OCD detective when they see that face on TV....

[Cecil DP]

I like the idea of Jeffrey Donovan, Keifer Sutherland is a Canadian citizen, and Tony Shaloub is a great actor, but a little too quirky in all his roles. (Monk, Antonio from Wings, and an Alien in MIB I and II)

[Nick]

Since we're on the subject of branding, media presence, and all that good stuff... I just found this article.  Dunno if it was discussed elsewhere:

http://gaservesamerica.com/stories/091209hartman.html

[wuzafuzz]

We could use an honorary spokesman, too... maybe someone like Kiefer Sutherland (of 24)? Jerry Lewis was fine in the 1950s, but we could use an action-oriented guy to shill for CAP. Heck, even someone like Jeffrey Donovan (of Burn Notice). Gary Sinise could be a possibility. Chances are, we'd shoot for Tony Shalhoub instead, and everyone thinks of an quirky OCD detective when they see that face on TV....

Why not Janet Jackson?  We have no shortage of wardrobe malfunctions in CAP   

[wuzafuzz]

Since we're on the subject of branding, media presence, and all that good stuff... I just found this article.  Dunno if it was discussed elsewhere:

http://gaservesamerica.com/stories/091209hartman.html

Good press for CAP :-)  Makes me wonder where else we could be marketing ourselves.  Let people know we have flight opportunities, and a lot more!

[JC004]

This has to stop.

[MIGCAP]

About five years ago I had a company in my state offer to provide a wrap for one of the CAP vans in the wing for no charge.  We were to provide the graphics files of our choice and they would design a wrap for CAPs approval, then do the job for nothing. The only catch was that they wanted a small, and tasteful way to put their name, web site, and phone numner on it so we could both win on a marketing effort. They were a start-up and the effort would have been good for both of us. What they wanted was no more than the small logo you see on donated DARE vehicles saying that XYZ car dealer supports DARE.
National HQ said "NO" because the van would not look like the picture of what a CAP vehicle had to look like in the regulations, and besides we could not enter into a partnership with someone that they did not approve of. 
I guess it's a different story when they want to do something. Afraid we have a Not Invented Here syndrome problem.
Have you noticed that the picture of that van does not look like the picture in the regulations?

[Cecil DP]

The article states that VANGUARD "donated" the money for the wrapping of the vehicle. It was more likely the royalties CAP gets for the use of the CAP name and exclusive sale of CAP items.

[arajca]

The article states that VANGUARD "donated" the money for the wrapping of the vehicle. It was more likely the royalties CAP gets for the use of the CAP name and exclusive sale of CAP items.

It was probably a combination. I don't doubt that Vanguard donated some money toward the cost, but I don't think it was a significant amount (>$100)

[Eclipse]

About five years ago I had a company in my state offer to provide a wrap for one of the CAP vans in the wing for no charge. 

A lot has changed in CAP in five years, including the National Commander.  Perhaps now would be the time to pursue is again instead of griping about people who aren't even in charge any more.