VW getting to into the forum business??

[Blue Thunder]

Just got an interesting survey request from VW in e-mail today it asks all sorts of questions about what you want from the VW website. This includes interactive (chat rooms) content and they specifically mention vwvortex.com......hmmmmmm

[Steinola]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

This includes interactive (chat rooms) content and they specifically mention vwvortex.com......hmmmmmm

Would that include all the snooty members? juuuuuust kidding

[oneighturbo]

interesting. might have to look into this. i know VW just switched creative agencies.

[Scribbles]

They may be trying to follow Apple and other companies who are doing this, too. If they have their own forums, the company has immediate access to customer's thoughts, and can quash threads thay may be percieved as inflamatory to VW. It would be a win/win if they do this. At the same time, there are those who may not want to participate, if the forums are too stringently moderated or edited by VW. I prefer true freedowm of speech, and do not like being edited if I am not happy with a product, but there are those who would love to be a part of a community like that.

[Steinola]

I won't get all doomsayer... but VW or Apple certainly aren't the first companies to have their own communities or forums to discuss their products.

And typically, as Scribbles suggests, they simply become marketing mechanisms for those products/companies... and any critical content/opinions are quickly dealt with (read: erased).

In addition, established communities such as newbeetle.org and vwvortex are encouraged to "cease and desist" and close up operations. Where Jeff has, in the past, received the green light to use VW logos and use the name New Beetle and in general has an amicable relationship with VW... there's a chance that would not be the case if they opened their own forums.

Like I said... don't mean to be the voice of doom, or start any rumors of any type... but I've definitely seen it happen before.

[SMG]

Apple just recently went all crazy on sites that used 'iPod' in their names.

SMG

[jcroft]

Originally Posted by SMG

Apple just recently went all crazy on sites that used 'iPod' in their names.

SMG

It's their legal responsibility to do so. It's not just a responsibility, it's a mandate. They HAVE to do this. I certainly don't blame them. The alternative is to lose the iPod trademark, which would be a death wish for Apple.

[SMG]

It's weird that it took them like 3 or so years to crack down though..

SMG

[jcroft]

Originally Posted by SMG

It's weird that it took them like 3 or so years to crack down though..

SMG

I guess it did take them a while to get to the iPod sites, but Apple has been doing this to Mac-related sites for as long as I can remember. I remember some of the older Mac sites (like Macintouch.com) getting cease and desists from Apple as far back as probably 1995 or 96.

[SMG]

If I was the owner of the site, I'd have to tell Apple where it outgha go, because it is not like they invented the Macintosh apple..

SMG

[Steinola]

Originally Posted by SMG

If I was the owner of the site, I'd have to tell Apple where it outgha go, because it is not like they invented the Macintosh apple..

They did trademark the name, though... which is all that counts.

[oneighturbo]

lets get back to VW... i doubt they are out to get us or wipe out bad comments etc. VW just switched creative agencies and this could be a new avenue for VW to reach out to their customers. We are now entering a new area online with blog popularity, forums , flickr, myspace and the like. We actually just concepted a piece for a global "beverage" company where community played a big part. Consumers are now being asked to play a part, data collection, it's real feedback.

Lee Hunt has even been hanging out at vwvortex.com

If your a new Alpha Driver for the Passat, you get first dibs on commercials, webcast, swag etc..

Hopefully things like this will help VW pull itself out of the hole its in right now.

[SMG]

I think this might be a good thing, as we might end up with better and more reliable VWs in the future.

They might also clue into what is ugly, and what is not..

SMG

[spdbump2001]

MINI has a forum called the "Owner's Lounge". What VW is creating is something along the same line. I have seen several negative threads on there complaining about various issues and they have not been deleted. Whether VW will take the same approach is anyone's guess.

There is still an established community of MINI enthusiast forums going strong with no sign of them being "squashed" or given any "cease and desist" orders.

MINI's advertising firm has recently switched to VW so if this is any indication, we will see an improvement in VW's connection with their customers. It's about time.

[james194xe]

Hmmm that suprises me with BM ScummeW, in the UK they went after all the small Mini specialists who had been using the Mini brand to advertise that they were mini specialists (obviously for the real Mini and not the BM Scumm version) they have tried to destroy the original Mini in the UK, destroying old garages specialising in the real Mini, remaking the Italian job and trying there damdest to make it look like the Real british Mini didnt exist. Im suprised there forums are aloud to use BMW or Mini on them without being sued!!

[oneighturbo]

Originally Posted by spdbump2001

MINI's advertising firm has recently switched to VW so if this is any indication, we will see an improvement in VW's connection with their customers. It's about time.

VW went from Arnold Worldwide to Crispin Porter + Bogusky

CP+B is known for their Mini work as well as the truth (anit-tobacco) stuff

[jcroft]

Originally Posted by Steinola

They did trademark the name, though... which is all that counts.

Damn, you beat me to it.

[Concept1]

Originally Posted by SMG

If I was the owner of the site, I'd have to tell Apple where it outgha go, because it is not like they invented the Macintosh apple..

Well, somehow I think if you have a website dedicated to Macintosh apples you're safe.

[Steinola]

Originally Posted by Concept1

Well, somehow I think if you have a website dedicated to Macintosh apples you're safe.

Exactly. There'd be no conflict... no competing interests. So the trademark, for the most part, would be moot.

Unless:
a) you suddenly began making Macintosh apples that could compute 3 billion floating point operations per second
or
b) you began advertising your apples in such a way that you were obviously trying to capitalize on Apple Computer's popularity or mimic their marketing.

[Concept1]

I don't know why but this got me thinking about how a few years ago Apple wanted to build one of their Apple Stores in an upscale outdoor mall and the township wouldn't let them. They had a rule that stores could not have storefront signs advertising food.

I like the idea of VW having their own forums as it might help them to understand what VW customers want to see in future models. Sometimes it seems they can use all the help they can get. Of course, they could just read VWVortex if they wanted but if they had their own forums they would have to.