I think this is the final triumph of the "professional" charity managers over the undead corpse of the old CTC. On reflection, it's probably time I cancelled my membership. Nothing much worth supporting any more, and third party insurance? Available elsewhere these days if required...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
" ... is to rebrand as Cycling UK"
(118 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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the final triumph of the "professional" charity managers over the undead corpse of the old CTC
Indeed. Right over the top and down the other side, into unwitting condescension.
My first thought always "So how much is the CEO on, and his direct reports?"
Posted 8 years ago # -
CTC Scotland is still worth supporting, in my opinion. They have put a lot of resources into We Walk, We Cycle, We Vote for instance & also supported POP from the outset. Their affiliate groups make running any sort of cycling activity much easier than it used to be by providing excellent third party insurance.
The CTC generally has also changed (perhaps a bit reluctantly) from being reflexively about the right to ride on the road and distrustful of infrastructure to campaigning for conditions where everyone can cycle. We probably wouldn't invent it the way it is if it didn't already exist, but it's still the biggest voice for the everyday cyclist there is and I think it's better to be in there trying to make sure that voice is talking sense than walking away from it.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
We are petitioning the CTC to demand a poll of the whole club so CTC members will have the opportunity to indorse or overturn the motion.
"
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/change-branding-name-ctc-cycling-uk-demand-poll-whole-philip-benstead
Posted 8 years ago # -
I'll probably pay about as much attention to the new name as I did with the Southern General.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Through the rebrand process we engaged with over 2000 members, supporters, partners and local and national government departments across the UK. Based on this comprehensive research, and listening to your views, we are confident that this change is one that reflects the pride that we all take in our charity, and that helps to magnify the great work that we do to inspire people into cycling, campaign to protect the gift of cycling, and help people to overcome personal barriers to cycling.
"
https://www.e-activist.com/ea-campaign/action.handleViewInBrowser.do?templateId=82543%20
Posted 8 years ago # -
"we engaged with over 2000 members, supporters, partners and local and national government departments across the UK"
CTC has 67,000 members apparently.
How many will it continue to have following the 'rebrand'?
Posted 8 years ago # -
I probably will for the reasons listed above, magazine and insurance.
I don't go on the runs because I'm busy with weans but I'll get round to it one of these days. It used to be fun turning up on a Brompton.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Is this actually relevant? Automobile clubs have the most ridiculous names and abbreviations (how about ÖAMTC?) and it doesn't do them any harm or brings driving into disrepute.
"Cycling UK" has the advantage of being obviously about cycling, whereas "CTC" is more cryptic until you look it up - but then people who have a little bit of interest will know the organisation whatever it is called, but people who don't can't make much sense of "Cycling UK" either and probably think it's the Olympic team name or something.
The issue is not really the name of an organisation, but that cycling is stigmatised in the UK.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yes.... no-one calls a car an automobile (except in Ry Cooder song).
CTC are crazy as most existing 'brands' were established last century and their one has a great winged wheel logo still seen on buildings.
The new one won't last as long as an Ikea flat pack.
'Heritage' is part of cycling. If you've got it, flaunt it. Pretending to be related to macmillan or some charity is 'me too' logo designing and will date.
Reliable and rounded. Like a wheel within a wheel (another song coming on...!)Posted 8 years ago # -
And IKEA has changed. For years we've been saying Eye Kee Ahh but current ads are pronouncing it as Ik Eee Ahh.
And I was amazed to find I'd been saying Dobbies garden centres wrongly. I assumed it was the same as Capt Dobbie from Starsky and Hutch but it's actually like Harry Potter's sock elf.
Posted 8 years ago # -
As a long time member of the CTC, I would be very disappointed if they didn't bother to consult their membership.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"I would be very disappointed if they didn't bother to consult their membership."
From what I've read, looks like they have no intention of doing so, as apparently it would cost £14k+ to ballot members. I wonder what the marketing consultants have cost so far?
I have now cancelled my direct debit. When renewal comes up in May, my membership of CTC (or Cycling UK as it will be called by then) will lapse.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Hi folks, I am a CTC member and was consulted on the rebrand exercise. I think they only took a sample of members.
Posted 8 years ago # -
The CTC has done some good work over the years, and may continue to do so as Cycling UK.
What I can't quite understand is the need to waste time and money hiring in marketing consultants for a "rebrand". How will this help CTC/Cycling UK achieve its objectives?
The whole thing smacks of a "new broom" CEO who wants to turn CTC (now a charity) into something similar to where he came from prior to getting the job, i.e.. a campaign charity that no-one's ever heard of, with well meaning intentions, and a massively patronising, holier-than-thou communication strategy.
What on earth that has to do with anyone being a "member" (of what, exactly?) is beyond my ken. Anyway, I've reached the conclusion that whatever "membership" might mean in this context, it's not something I will continue to pay for.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Charity change management specialist. Expertise in re-building and re-focusing charities into successful organisations with sound governance and financial management. Paul has now taken three charities from the brink of extinction to profitability. Missing People is one of the UK’s major success stories in how to re-organise and develop a charity into a forward thinking organisation that now owns the issue of ‘missing’, advising government and connecting organisations in the field. 'Mentor' - a drug and alcohol prevention charity for young people was in debt on arrival and now has income of £1m plus. Mentor is now widely seen as the authoritative voice on drug and alcohol prevention. Paul will take up his next challenge with the CTC - the national cycling charity. As a passionate cyclist all his life, Paul aims to modernise and increase the CTC's capacity to be the champion organisation for cyclists and to encourage all who ride bikes to join the biggest cycling club in the world.
"
Posted 8 years ago # -
Oh dear. I don't have much of an opinion about the name, but reading that blurb about profitability and becoming a "champion for cyclists" I think I'll cancel my membership.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I think his problem is going to be that he is going to lose half the membership before he can start to 're-focus' the charity. I'm not even a member any more and even I want to cancel.
Posted 8 years ago # -
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how to re-organise and develop a charity into a forward thinking organisation that now owns the issue of ‘missing’, advising government
"
Perhaps that is part of 'this' problem.
Maybe "missing" didn't have many competing/overlapping orgs - AND a government wanting to listen!!
Posted 8 years ago # -
Maybe a distasteful corporate interlude is for the best in the long run
The greybeards descending on York Rally this year can pow-wow well into the night and put together a five year plan to return the org to grassroots glory
Posted 8 years ago # -
Posted 8 years ago #
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a forward thinking organisation that now owns the issue of ‘missing’
Can anyone translate this gobbledegook?
Posted 8 years ago # -
As someone who works with text a lot, my gut feeling is that the word "missing" may have been a placeholder for something else they were trying to work out, and slipped through the proofreading net somehow. As in "that now owns the issue of "text to be inserted here"...
So either they need a new proofreader or a new copy writer!
Posted 8 years ago # -
Ah! Hehehe. :-)
Posted 8 years ago # -
"my gut feeling is that the word "missing" may have been a placeholder for something else"
Nope, no missing words -
"
Missing People is the only charity in the UK which specialises in, and is dedicated to, bringing missing children and adults back together with their families. Some missing people you will have heard of, but many more you won’t.
"
https://www.missingpeople.org.uk
Of course governments will like this sort of thing because it saves money (police).
'Cycling' costs money because governments aren't smart enough to work out the medium term benefits - or know fine that 'the benefits' will go to the next government.
Posted 8 years ago # -
"
Last night when I told you all that stuff
About the way things are
You didn't understand a word
But you said you did"
Posted 8 years ago # -
Yes, my bad. I just skimmed over it as I often do when reading these blurbs. Solid blocks of text do encourage that, I'm afraid.
Posted 8 years ago # -
Nope, no missing words -
Oh okay, I missed the post further up where that quote came from.
Posted 8 years ago # -
i did wonder, but the fact that none of us had heard of the charity suggests the rebrand was not as successful as they suggest?
Posted 8 years ago # -
"suggests the rebrand was not as successful as they suggest?"
Depends.
I'm sure the various bits of gov that deal with "missing" know that they are THE 'go to charity'.
Won't happen with 'cycling'.
Posted 8 years ago #
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