Your Cub Report Version 08.25.08
This has to be one of the slowest news weeks in recent memory. But aha! The Cubbster can always dig up a little something to rant about. (even if it is a “nice rant”)
Horizon/Losi pre-released some hype on a “top secret” price leader being introduced at the end of the month. Official release date is 08.29, but if you sign up for their super dope newsletter, you get the scoop on this secret model one day early! Hobby shop price is going to be $179, making it more affordable than most Losi offerings, and right in the heart of Traxxas price territory.
It’s nice to see Horizon/Losi getting a grasp on today’s internet based advertising model. Very few of the crusty old school rc companies even know how to approach the young internet crowd, but Horizon has obviously kept their eyes open, and have learned from other progressive companies on how to reach out to the young one’s. By “hyping” this new “secret” model via a pre-release announcement, they are getting a lot of bang for the buck advertising wise, in addition to actually getting all those X-Box head youngsters attention, which is incredibly hard to do. Anyways, kudos to Horizon for getting a clue about todays advertising, they are just beginning to tap the potential.
But, with such an announcement, comes one more nail in the coffin of the beloved rc trade show, and one less hot new model to make a splash there. Over the past half decade, most all rc companies save little, to no, new products to debut at RCX, Vegas or I-Hobby. It makes you wonder why manufactures even bother to pay the big money it takes for a booth, rental cars, hotel rooms, food, and airfare for any of the trade shows, when they can get more publicity with a simple email/press release to the on-line mags. There will become a point, perhaps not too far in the future, where the big dogs, Horizon and Great Planes, no longer decide to pop the big bucks to participate on the trade show circuit. At this point, based on their return vs investment that they currently get from trade shows, I would not blame them. And, the more they get it together with their internet based advertising, the less important the trade shows will be to them. Once GP and Horizon pull out of the big shows, the final death of the shows won’t be far behind.
Because this is a very short Cub-Report, I’d like to close with some thank you’s. First off, huge thanks to Brian at BigSquid, for making the report possible, and more importantly, for dealing with the bulk of the hate mail from irate manufactures every Monday afternoon. Next, special thanks to all your readers (both Bob and Jim). Without you two guys, the only people reading this article would be the legal departments for basically every rc company in the industry. Lastly, I’d like to thank those “rc insiders” that help write the report each week by emailing me “behind the scenes” info. Strangely, these people will tell me how messed up their new truck is, yet call and leave a 10 minute curse filled voicemail to me after I put it in print. Thanks guys!
Support your LHS’s and local tracks!
Your Cub-Reporter
