Reds 2011

[TOCC]

With Memberships on sale for just 10 weeks and the 2011 Super Rugby Season still two months away the Queensland Reds have already signed-up more Members this year than the total sold for each of the past five seasons.

The campaign has resulted in more people signing on as Members, at this stage of the campaign, than at any other stage since 2002. With more Queenslanders signing up every day, and with Memberships being purchased as Christmas gifts, it is expected that new benchmarks could be set in coming weeks.

I think the point of the article was that the Reds have signed up more members then the past 5 years added together..

 

[Bowside]

I just watched a replay of reds v tahs 2006.......

I now remember why I hate the mexicans so much, especially Baxter and Waugh.

 

[RugbyReg]

nup, no way. just more than they sold for each of those years in total

 

[Set piece magic]

I was at the Wendels A Wanka game in 06 bowside, but was only 11 so can't remember much other than the eastern stand blaring out wendels a wanka. Is their a spot i can download it?

Good to see the membership drive is going well.

 

[Doc]

nup, no way. just more than they sold for each of those years in total

Must be past the 10k mark, which is pretty darn good for us.

 

[TOCC]

if it works out so well, expect to see the ARU pass on the marketing package to the other provinces in 2011..Im thinking this is largely driven by the ARU trying to get the QRU back into financial stability, you have to wonder how things slipped so bad over the past 5years or so.

 

[Set piece magic]

Whatever the case Jim Carmichael must be grinning - when he's done here he can say that he brought a union that was ****** right back into it. Would look a treat on his resume

 

[en_force_er]

I think what the Reds are doing is just terrific, but that doesn't mean membership marketing campaigns like this always work. They are riding on some very positive publicity.

The Heart tried a very very similar campaign before their inaugural season kicked off and all they got was 4000 members, many of which were school kids paying $20 a season just because there was no reason not to.

A huge membership drive is a heap of resources for no guaranteed gain.

 

[TOCC]

I think what the Reds are doing is just terrific, but that doesn't mean membership marketing campaigns like this always work. They are riding on some very positive publicity.

The Heart tried a very very similar campaign before their inaugural season kicked off and all they got was 4000 members, many of which were school kids paying $20 a season just because there was no reason not to.

A huge membership drive is a heap of resources for no guaranteed gain.

You base the cost expenditure of a marketing campaign by the potential returns which is dictated by market conditions, thats a given.

What sets this campaign apart from all the other provinces this year has been the utilisation of other cost effective means of communication , no other union has utilised the social networking medium as well as the QRU has this year. ACT have set a very high standard of membership recruitment over the years, and the western force was initally able to use the momentum of the AFL membership culture to drive there sales, its just a evolving marketplace.

 

[Ash]

When are the membership packs supposed to arrive?

 

[en_force_er]

What sets this campaign apart from all the other provinces this year has been the utilisation of other cost effective means of communication , no other union has utilised the social networking medium as well as the QRU has this year. ACT have set a very high standard of membership recruitment over the years, and the western force was initally able to use the momentum of the AFL membership culture to drive there sales, its just a evolving marketplace.

Certainly true but just because the Red's use social media well doesn't mean that's the primary reason they are getting results from their membership drive.

Social media is the new thing and everyone is keen to use it for promotion but the reality is you can't quantify the results it gets you. It could be the thing that's getting the Reds attention or it could be barely helping, you just can't track that stuff directly.

What I'm trying to say is that the Reds made their membership charge at the right time (this year when opinions are positive rather then last year when they weren't). It's been said the other Super sides should try similar campaigns but the trouble is that this kind of a social media campaign is merely a part of a bigger plan and won't necessarily see results unless all the cards fall into place.

 

[TOCC]

What I'm trying to say is that the Reds made their membership charge at the right time (this year when opinions are positive rather then last year when they weren't). It's been said the other Super sides should try similar campaigns but the trouble is that this kind of a social media campaign is merely a part of a bigger plan and won't necessarily see results unless all the cards fall into place.

no shit, what do you think im talking about when i say market conditions and contributing factors...marketing 101 go on

 

[Bruce Ross]

Certainly true but just because the Red's use social media well doesn't mean that's the primary reason they are getting results from their membership drive.

Social media is the new thing and everyone is keen to use it for promotion but the reality is you can't quantify the results it gets you. It could be the thing that's getting the Reds attention or it could be barely helping, you just can't track that stuff directly.

What I'm trying to say is that the Reds made their membership charge at the right time (this year when opinions are positive rather then last year when they weren't). It's been said the other Super sides should try similar campaigns but the trouble is that this kind of a social media campaign is merely a part of a bigger plan and won't necessarily see results unless all the cards fall into place.

no shit, what do you think im talking about when i say market conditions and contributing factors...marketing 101 go on

I'm starting to grasp the logic of letting Melbourne into the competition. The cane toads feuding with the Mexicans. It gives us in the senior state a bit of peace and quiet.

 

[Tangawizi]

If someone has yet to release a thesis analysing the relationship between win/loss ratio and financial success of a Professional Sporting organisation, I may be just the man the for the job. Imagine the "compulsory study tours" involved in that PhD.... Anfield, Old Trafford, Staples Center, Ralph Wilson Field, Mile High Stadium, the Bombonera, the Nou Camp, Ballymore.....

Realistically pro-sports is all about winning but the Reds have done well to capitalise on the positive energy created by their on-field performances this season and have begun to turn that field-good factor into cold hard cash. In prior years, we've seen all hopes of a brighter future descimated by a seemingly endless succession of big name stars (Sharpe, Moore, Barnes, Blake, Madness, Chapman, Schmoo, Diggers) walking off to other Super clubs or overseas, but this season the sqaud has largely held together.

The Reds membership drive is doing well because for the first time in a long time, the vibe around town is not one of despair. It's more that the Reds will not only make the Finals, but they'll win the comp or go very close to it. In 2011, anything less than finals will be regarded as a failure by the Reds coaching staff and management.

In fact, given the promotional work around the Reds being Bigger, Faster & Stronger in 2011, all that's been missing from the ad campaign so far has been a mash-up of Reds highlights against this classic track.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLYD_-A_X5E&NR=1

Actualy, a QC (Quade Cooper) and Diggers version of that clip would probably boost the female memberships by a fair margin. So QRU - get to it.

 

[TOCC]

I'm starting to grasp the logic of letting Melbourne into the competition. The cane toads feuding with the Mexicans. It gives us in the senior state a bit of peace and quiet.

of all the adjectives you could have used to decribe your state you chose 'senior', if thats NSW's claim to fame then let them have it lol

 

[Bruce Ross]

of all the adjectives you could have used to decribe your state you chose 'senior', if thats NSW's claim to fame then let them have it lol

While we're having a chuckle, TOCC, let's recall the story of Queensland's first white settlers, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"On October 23, 1823, Surveyor General John Oxley set out with a party in the cutter "Mermaid" from Sydney to "survey Port Curtis [now Gladstone], Moreton Bay and Port Bowen, with a view to forming convict settlements there". The party reached Port Curtis on November 5. Oxley suggested that the location was unsuitable for a settlement, since it would be difficult to maintain.

"As he approached Point Skirmish into Moreton Bay, he noticed several Indigenous Australians approaching him, one whom they described as being 'much lighter in colour than the rest'. The white man turned out to be a shipwrecked timbergetter by the name of Thomas Pamphlett who, along with John Finnegan, Richard Parsons and John Thompson, had left Sydney on March 21 of the same year to sail south along the coast to bring cedar from Illawarra but during a large storm were pushed north. Not knowing where they were, they attempted to get back to Sydney, eventually being shipwrecked on Moreton Island on 16 April. They had been living with the Indigenous tribe for seven months."

So the first settlers in the north, i.e., Messrs Pamphlett, Finnegan, Parsons and Thompson, while attempting to sail to what is now Wollongong ended up travelling all the way up to Moreton Bay. Presumably not one of them noticed that the coastline was on their left rather than their right.

These then were the founding fathers of Queensland. 180 years later not much has changed.

 

[Lance Free]

Whatever the case Jim Carmichael must be grinning - when he's done here he can say that he brought a union that was ****** right back into it. Would look a treat on his resume

Love the avatar Spikhaza - my youngest played for the BBC First XV last year. In the photo did Nudgee flog you?

 

[cyclopath]

While we're having a chuckle, TOCC, let's recall the story of Queensland's first white settlers, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"On October 23, 1823, Surveyor General John Oxley set out with a party in the cutter "Mermaid" from Sydney to "survey Port Curtis [now Gladstone], Moreton Bay and Port Bowen, with a view to forming convict settlements there". The party reached Port Curtis on November 5. Oxley suggested that the location was unsuitable for a settlement, since it would be difficult to maintain.

"As he approached Point Skirmish into Moreton Bay, he noticed several Indigenous Australians approaching him, one whom they described as being 'much lighter in colour than the rest'. The white man turned out to be a shipwrecked timbergetter by the name of Thomas Pamphlett who, along with John Finnegan, Richard Parsons and John Thompson, had left Sydney on March 21 of the same year to sail south along the coast to bring cedar from Illawarra but during a large storm were pushed north. Not knowing where they were, they attempted to get back to Sydney, eventually being shipwrecked on Moreton Island on 16 April. They had been living with the Indigenous tribe for seven months."

So the first settlers in the north, i.e., Messrs Pamphlett, Finnegan, Parsons and Thompson, while attempting to sail to what is now Wollongong ended up travelling all the way up to Moreton Bay. Presumably not one of them noticed that the coastline was on their left rather than their right.

These then were the founding fathers of Queensland. 180 years later not much has changed.

Maybe they thought it was NZ, and were trying like hell not to end up there?

 

[Lee Grant]

Bruce - thanks for the history lesson. It explains a lot of things.

 

[TOCC]

While we're having a chuckle, TOCC, let's recall the story of Queensland's first white settlers, courtesy of Wikipedia:

"On October 23, 1823, Surveyor General John Oxley set out with a party in the cutter "Mermaid" from Sydney to "survey Port Curtis [now Gladstone], Moreton Bay and Port Bowen, with a view to forming convict settlements there". The party reached Port Curtis on November 5. Oxley suggested that the location was unsuitable for a settlement, since it would be difficult to maintain.

"As he approached Point Skirmish into Moreton Bay, he noticed several Indigenous Australians approaching him, one whom they described as being 'much lighter in colour than the rest'. The white man turned out to be a shipwrecked timbergetter by the name of Thomas Pamphlett who, along with John Finnegan, Richard Parsons and John Thompson, had left Sydney on March 21 of the same year to sail south along the coast to bring cedar from Illawarra but during a large storm were pushed north. Not knowing where they were, they attempted to get back to Sydney, eventually being shipwrecked on Moreton Island on 16 April. They had been living with the Indigenous tribe for seven months."

So the first settlers in the north, i.e., Messrs Pamphlett, Finnegan, Parsons and Thompson, while attempting to sail to what is now Wollongong ended up travelling all the way up to Moreton Bay. Presumably not one of them noticed that the coastline was on their left rather than their right.

These then were the founding fathers of Queensland. 180 years later not much has changed.

If NSW is happy to dwell one events from 180yrs ago then good on them, QLD's will live in the modern age:

GSP (Chain Volume Measure) - Avg Annual Compound Growth %
(1998/99 to 2009/10)

WA 4.4
QLD 4.1
NT 3.7
Australia 3.1
VIC 2.8
SA 2.8
ACT 2.7
TAS 2.6
NSW 2.3

(Source: ABS State Accounts 5220.0)