Vic Firth/Zildjian no longer DCI partner

[Stu]

4 hours ago, garfield said:

Ok, see, this is where you and I discuss well but most people don't.  You can't be so literal.  Jeff is correctly saying that DCI needs some savvy if it wants to compete for sponsorship dollars beyond ice cream, and you're suggestion that a college marketing student would be uninhibited enough to make the call.  You're both right, and if I have to stop this car...

The fact is that DCI needs the unbridled spirit of a college student to source the potential interest, but the actual approach must either be a canned filtering script or a personal contact by someone who is both experienced in dealing with, and not intimidated by, big $$ numbers.  DCI can't afford to perpetuate the "amateur" or "mom and pop" reputation if they want to be Major League.

Jeff's $100,000 might as well be expressed as someone who makes $100,000 but has the cred, CV, and closing skills to work for 5% commission, which means he/she brought in $2million in new sponsorship dollars.  A rookie college student isn't LIKELY to be able to swing that big of a bat.

So, as so many here have said to all three of us multiple times, quit barking at each other and stop dieseling the subject.  VF/Z is gone FROM DCI sponsorship but not from corps sponsorship.  What can DCI do to replenish whatever tour support VF/Z was sponsoring?

 

 

4 hours ago, garfield said:

Stu may be kindling or he may be gasoline, but he's rarely ever a bucket of water in any thread.

 

Sure I can move from being humorous sarcastic over into being kindling if not gasoline. And here is an example why:

Back in 2014 the youth organization that I help out with was at the point of needing to secure a development director. Of course the organization could not afford to pay a professional for that position. However one of our board of directors suggested somebody. It was a person who was a professional like Jeff was talking about who was willing to advise and guide. And that person is the one who first suggested the Intern idea under their watchful guidence. And it worked!

Under the guidance of that advisor the interns each year were able to secure not only sponsors but other sources of revenue; they had credibility due to being under the guidance of a seasoned pro. And it worked so well that now the intern position has turned into an entry-level paid development director.

So whenever I merely suggested that as an idea for DCI here on DCP was the response here cool, that is thinking outside the box, what an interesting idea? Nope! The response was and is it won't work, it is foolish to think young interns can accomplish credibility, and not only that, I am informed that I am clueless about marketing.

So yeah, I came back with both kindling and gasoline!

Edited March 20, 2019 by Stu

[Jeff Ream]

11 hours ago, skevinp said:

Seems like he is always involved so...

and I've even been nice to him. I've complimented him more this year than I did the last decade combined

[Jeff Ream]

6 hours ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

Very true and all of the cymbal making giants really seem to lean towards individual artists / groups rather than large overarching relationships. I think it probably gives them a little more control over advertising revenue. There are quite a few fish in the ocean (Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, Meinl and even Bosphorus,) and they all seem on the surface at least to lean in the direction of individual artists or groups. Someone with a background in marketing (or at least someone smarter than me,) would have to explain the advantages. Stick and Mallet manufacturers have always been a little bit "flaky" so that's no real surprise. Percussion and Brass are so expensive to fill out a corps that the movement is at least seemingly a little slower.

I really did like the idea of the Sysco or Aramark angle for food services, footwear manufacturers and clothing manufacturers. Under Armour isn't the only one after all (Nike, Adidas, Puma, Fila, New Balance, etc.) 

from what i have gathered, it's as you said...go for the individual artists or in this case corps. Granted VF/Z are the biggest fish in the pond, but they aren't the only one. Think about it.....when a company does an ad with their clients, the big names get their pictures. the others get their names mentioned. 

[Jeff Ream]

5 hours ago, Stu said:

You have emphatically stated a $100,000 per year marketing expert is required; not useful but required; that using anyone else would be an excercise in futiliity. Now you state what DCI needs to do is pound on doors. So Jeff, how are they going to get in the door and secure sponsors with anyone less than a well experienced well seasoned highly trained $100,000 per year professional pounding on those doors?

well Stu....doesn't matter if DCI had the person or not in this case...VF/Z made their mind up for them. But to get in any door, you need someone with skills and a track record. Given the doors DCI is knocking on and getting inside.....they don't have that person.

 

it's really not rocket science, no matter how many times you ask the question and changing words periodically to make it seem like you're Bob Woodward tooling around the West Wing for a scoop. Ergo, to continue to not waste DCP's time. I've answered this question and all variants of it for the last time.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Jeff Ream

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, MikeD said:

Please refrain from personal sniping at and about posters. 

well ######, then i can't use the one I had saved up for you!

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

well Stu....doesn't matter if DCI had the person or not in this case...VF/Z made their mind up for them. But to get in any door, you need someone with skills and a track record. Given the doors DCI is knocking on and getting inside.....they don't have that person.

 

it's really not rocket science, no matter how many times you ask the question and changing words periodically to make it seem like you're Bob Woodward tooling around the West Wing for a scoop. Ergo, to continue to not waste DCP's time. I've answered this question and all variants of it for the last time.

Read my most recent post to Gar.

[Jeff Ream]

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

Read my most recent post to Gar.

I did. My reply stands.

[Stu]

2 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

I did. My reply stands.

 

Edited March 20, 2019 by JohnZ

[JimF-LowBari]

Closing for recycling the same #### over and over again in 3.... 2.....

[garfield]

4 hours ago, Stu said:

 

Sure I can move from being humorous sarcastic over into being kindling if not gasoline. And here is an example why:

Back in 2014 the youth organization that I help out with was at the point of needing to secure a development director. Of course the organization could not afford to pay a professional for that position. However one of our board of directors suggested somebody. It was a person who was a professional like Jeff was talking about who was willing to advise and guide. And that person is the one who first suggested the Intern idea under their watchful guidence. And it worked!

Under the guidance of that advisor the interns each year were able to secure not only sponsors but other sources of revenue; they had credibility due to being under the guidance of a seasoned pro. And it worked so well that now the intern position has turned into an entry-level paid development director.

So whenever I merely suggested that as an idea for DCI here on DCP was the response here cool, that is thinking outside the box, what an interesting idea? Nope! The response was and is it won't work, it is foolish to think young interns can accomplish credibility, and not only that, I am informed that I am clueless about marketing.

So yeah, I came back with both kindling and gasoline!

And this example has both the youthful vigor and the chiseled experience of a mature "teacher".  Yep, that can absolutely work.

The question, it seems to me, is:  SHOULD DCI attempt to replace the "sponsorship" or, instead, find a replacement from a different effort that's not begging for sponsorship dollars?

 

Edited March 20, 2019 by garfield