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Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 1:17 am
by Grey
You know, I like to rag on RIC for some of their decisions, but they are consistent. "We make guitars, we do it our own way".
This? This is just dissapointing.
http://www.mi-pro.co.uk/news/read/gibso ... any/017803
Gibson has changed its corporate identity, swapping the word 'Guitar' for 'Brands' in a move designed to reflect its broadening product line-up.
Boss, Henry Juszkiewicz has always seen Gibson as more of a lifestyle brand than an instrument brand and this latest corporate re-labelling from Gibson Guitar Corp to Gibson Brands testifies to that.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 1:49 am
by aceonbass
What a bunch of krapola. You know Gibson guitars are overpriced when the profits from guitar sales enable them to buy TEAC, the Stanton Group, KRK, and Cerwin-Vega corporations. There's just no better feeling than knowing you paid a little more for your guitar so a big corporation can become bigger. I guess that big hit they took from sourcing illegal ebony didn't hurt them that bad.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:25 am
by Danotron
You mean you think that $8000 for an artificially aged Custom Shop Les Paul reissue is overpriced?
I love Les Paul's (I really do) but not that much.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 5:08 am
by paologregorio
I don't understand this thinking; why make Gibson into an umbrella-type corporation? What made Gibson valuable is Gibson making quality instruments. Gibson is not a publicly-traded corporation, so, maximizing shareholder value by increasing the company's stock share price through buying other coporations with the profits is not an issue for its owners, as far as I know; maximizing the company's value through making better guitars that sell like made without the clunkers the company's seen fit to introduce with much fanfare over the past couple of years should be the company's focus, along with perhaps firing whatever ding dongs have made the poor decisions. . .
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:09 am
by jps
So much for the quality of those recent acquisitions, given Gibson's past history with brands such as Tobias, Trace Elliot, Steinberger, etc.
I want Gison brand socks and underwear, when will these be available?
I know I can find Gibson brand refrigerators!
To balance this out, there
were Rickenbacker cars.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 9:28 am
by s4001
"Lifestyle Brand". Yeesh. Think a consultant has been in his office lately?
AMF Harley anyone?
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:22 am
by johnhall
jps wrote:To balance this out, there
were Rickenbacker cars.
Ironically, Henry's early career background and perhaps greatest influence was General Motors.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:45 am
by jps
Probably a good thing his last name wasn't Ford!
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:48 am
by electrofaro
jps wrote:I want Gison brand socks and underwear, when will these be available?
Gison?
I sell brands now
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 11:54 am
by DriftSpace
Danotron wrote:You mean you think that $8000 for an artificially aged Custom Shop Les Paul reissue is overpriced?
I love Les Paul's (I really do) but not that much.
There are definitely a thousand luthiers -- and a handful of them exceptionally talented -- who would make a Les Paul-style guitar for a fraction of what Gibson charges for their overpriced junk. I'd be willing to bet it would not be hard (or nearly that expensive) to have one custom-made that would at least equal (or surpass) what Gibson is churning-out. Heck, I bought an excellent SG (and new) copy off eBay from a guy in Illinois for $250; it has a bound rosewood neck, block inlays, machine heads, nut, pickguard, bridge and stop-tail, cavity cover, and a fantastic silverburst finish. All it needs is electronics; I've already bought the pickups, and I'm still under $400.
It's amazing what people will pay for a brand name. I love Gibson's designs too, but let's face it: the "Gibson" of today has little to do with the company and innovation that built their reputation.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 12:24 pm
by jps
Electrostring wrote:jps wrote:I want Gison brand socks and underwear, when will these be available?
Gison?
Oops! Sorry, that should have read Gibbon!
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 12:29 pm
by jps
Electrostring wrote:I sell brands now
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 3:50 pm
by cassius987
I can't wait until I see a bottle of overpriced Gibson whiskey.
This thread reminds me of going into a guitar repair shop a few weeks ago and a guy who walked in after me, after shuffling around a bit, asked to talk to the luthier who runs the shop. "You guys don't have any Gibson stickers?!" "No, we sure don't." And off he went.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 4:22 pm
by wim
This is really the era of tacky marketing isn't it?
This era is to marketing what the 80's were to hairstyles.
Oh Boy.
Re: Gibson is now a "Lifestyle Brand"
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 12:04 pm
by electrofaro
jps wrote:Electrostring wrote:I sell brands now
Mmm... somebody's been hacking our R&D computers
Our secret to get more hookshare in stores is public now
cassius987 wrote:I can't wait until I see a bottle of overpriced Gibson whiskey.
The last Gibson marketing boss actually came from Jack Daniels
cassius987 wrote:"You guys don't have any Gibson stickers?!" "No, we sure don't." And off he went.
What's wrong with stickers?
http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/RIC-Sticker_p_704.html