Hornby 2022 Christmas Advent Calendar

[Bulleidboy]

I will not be temptedgrinning

[96RAF]

Day 5 - double whammy - Collectors Club members only AND you have to do it through twiddle. Another blank day for me.

[DarkRedCape]

I’ll be sitting this one out too. Not by choice mind you.

[P-Henny]

Maybe it is Hornby's Black Adder "cunning plan" to not have to give anything away at all and pocket the money.

[VESPA]

If you want an advent calendar to win everytime get a Cadbury's one. I am not bothering with the Hornby one. I can bet I know who at Hornby thinks this childish twitterary is a good idea. It's not Simon Kholer.

[Ducky1]

Probably like last year, an odd normal day. No social media for me.

[Yelrow]

I find it totally ridiculous to offer a competition that you can only enter by joining social media. It’s sorta a restriction of trade. Many .of us mature modellers, have no desire to join face or any other book, so, are therefore unable to enter. I have made that point to Simon.

[sir john]

what sort of advent calendar is this? I am 79 years old and have no time for social media seems the older generation are being penalised by not being able to participate poor show hornby

[DarkRedCape]

It feels like Hornby know that forum members buy their products regardless of what time of year it is, so why aim the calendar at them?

This does very much feel like forum members have been left out in the cold on this one. We of course choose not to use social media, but I have teenage family members and even they don’t use all of the social media Hornby are using in this calendar.

[What About The Bee]

It feels like Hornby know that forum members buy their products regardless of what time of year it is,

 

 

That is a very accurate assessment of my purchases. I am interested only in a particular group of models. The advent calendar is not an inducement for me to buy more. The rewards program? Not an inducement. The club? Not an inducement. These programs are nice gestures, but do not change any part of my plan. I will continue my plan with or without these gestures. I have a plan and I will stick to it.

So if my attitude is somewhat representative of other Forum Members, then why should this fairly small percentage of sales (Forum Members) be targeted? If they want to target us, they can simply announce it here. They simply do not.

If every single one of the active members bought a particular model, the blip likely would not even be noticed by Hornby. Too small to be noticed.

The Hornby long term plan, as stated in their annual report, is to move to direct, online sales. TT is a straightforward manifestation of that plan. So that means driving sales online. Online advertisements, online website like this, etc. We are actually a small part of that, the more knowledgeable helping others, helps Hornby, online! We should do that (and I am grateful for those here who are far more knowledgeable than I).

Social media is important, so its reasonable to try to do online contests. It creates buzz. I do not fault them for the effort, rather I commend them. It is what they should be doing.

Look at the Day 3 contest. There were roughly 1400 comments, mostly just tagging their friends, as the contest required. The person tagged may have looked at it, so consider that 2800 people looked at that model, just based on the campaign. Evoking possible sales and Hornby goodwill. And what did that cost them? £125?

Bee

 

 

[Yelrow]

Well that certainly is another view.Time Will tell.

[96RAF]

TikTok another blank day for the forum.

At least we do not have to put up with the awful - write a letter of up to 75 words to santa - competition of years past where most folk couldn’t even accord with the simple rules, never mind prose a viable entry, albeit someone always won the sole train-set as the prize.

Things have moved on a pace since then with the advent calendar and its merry go round of social media platforms.

[DarkRedCape]

What’s the alternative to hopping around all these social media platforms to opt into winning? Just have a simple name and email address that effectively reaches no one other than us forum members and serious modellers?

As I’ve already said, I can understand why Hornby are doing it this way, bigger reach, more business. I just think it’s unfortunate that it alienates the people who actually buy their products, and rather focuses more on people who try just the pot luck at Christmas because “why not” simply because someone tagged them on social media, and have no intention of buying Hornby products the rest of the year.

I think what would have been better is if there had been multiple options each day on how to enter, so that people without certain social media’s could still participate. Hornby would still get their daily traffic of entries, even more so in fact, and everyone could enter, it’s win win.

[atom3624]

I agree with DRC.

I'm not going to join 15 different manners of 'social media' just to participate.

It appears the 'middle to older fraternity' are frequenting it more than the younger generation now anyway!!

Al.

[Yelrow]

Good thread this. Some very differing views. Pity Hornby don’t monitor it, although, Simon is aware of my views.

[DarkRedCape]

Surely someone from Hornby must pop their head in here from time to time. How people view their company, their business stance, good or bad, is all here.

Although, as I write this, it occurs to me that maybe they get their feedback from social media these days, and what’s said here is no longer of interest to them.

[RB51]

It is probably more accurate to say that Hornby do not regularly monitor the forum. The moderators will feedback matters that we think require it and forum members personally make contact with Hornby directly. R-

[VESPA]

Personally I think it is sad that Hornby can only do all this via the woke systems leaving the older, somewhat more cash viable regular customers, unable to enter because they don't do woke. I think someone in their 20s/30s in marketing at Hornby has decided this mad method. Now hands up those who know many followers of model railways under 30? I am not talking about trainsets at Christmas never to be played with again after Easter. Most are into computer games and football. Some prefer to hang about on street corners. I await being cancelled.

[sir john]

I agree vespa I have 8 grand children aged between 17 and 31, 6 boys 2 girls none of them are interested in model railways .?They are all on social media and think I am a dinosaur but I am happy in my ignorance apart from not being able to take part in the advent calendar event and being told to" follow us on Facebook "

[dBerriff]

As a marketing ploy I question what it will achieve. The only reason to spend the marketing budget by giving away prizes is to change behaviour. The above posts suggest this is not going to happen. I feel the same way.

[Bulleidboy]

You would think that Hornby would put a questionnaire out on this forum, to get peoples views on a number of things - it might(!) get answers from an age range that know what they are talking about. The problem is, and I have seen it on here and other forums, it's mostly moans that Hornby have not produced a 2-10-10-2 in green or some other loco.

I expect most of the marketing staff (how many can there be?) are all young in their twenties and early thirties, who probably live for social media, therefore assume everyone else does. The new TT120 range looks good, but how many existing railway modellers - with a layout - are going to scrap everything and start again - I would guess not many.

It's a pity they do not read this forum - but then again..................

[LTSR_NSE]

From a marketing strategy, it is of no benefit to Hornby to provide free stuff to those who both can afford it & would purchase it anyway. The only benefit is to attract/entice those who were previously unaware of/unable to afford their products into reconsidering.

Therefore it makes almost no sense to offer prizes to existing customers/fans (e.g. forum members - much better to offer them the rewards/loyalty scheme) & keep the prizes for those who are willing to assist Hornby with their annual social media advertising campaign.

Disclaimer: Whilst my age makes me a member of the social media ‘generation’ (the Internet arrived in schools the year before I started GCSEs) - as a former IT Manager responsible for introducing Internet filtering & GDPR policies and ensuring compliance by 1500+ children & adults - I have an absolute loathing for and do not use any of them!

[ellocoloco]

@what about the bee - well put.

@VESPA - I think 'the older, somewhat more cash viable regular customers' are quite capable of using social media if they want. After all there are plenty of older members on this forum, which is social media. None of them are that difficult. Fully agree regarding under 30s. The future looks bleak for the hobby and I applaud their efforts to try and bring in new blood.

@Sir John - I'm probably a bit younger than you but still don't have a smartphone - no need. I did however join FB and really enjoy the exchanges on the model railway and railway groups I belong to. I access via a laptop. Remember, you only need to share what you want, but better not to post anything if a second bottle of Malbec has been opened.....sunglasses

[Yelrow]

Normally every year they ask us to write x amount of words about Xmas,judge it, award to someone only after a free set, which then appears on EBay. You think this a good Strategy,? This year, apparently, they have thought better of it.

[sir john]

@ellocoloco

All my grandchildren are on social media as are my sons and daughter in law's.From what they tell me I'm well out of it .one of my sons friends seems to enjoy posting when they visit a&e or are going out for a meal showing all courses. What ever floats your boat I suppose but not for me .I'm 79 by the way and my grandsons think im tech savvy which is a compliment (I think)