A welcome change of names

[Backwoods Savage]

http://blog.woodstove.com/2013/10/a-new-name-for-steel-stove-new-logo.html



Woodstock did listen to their customers who did not like the name of their new stove so now have changed to the Ideal Steel hybrid rather than the Steal. Thank you Woodstock.

 

[Todd]

Much better, I like it.

 

[mellow]

Hrmm.. I think I will call it badass instead.

 

[Todd]

Also noticed they have posted some testing numbers in their blog. 82% efficiency is pretty dang good.

 

[webbie]

I sorta liked the theme of Union they had going, but I know that upsets some! So Ideal is always Ideal. In fact, the roadrunner and other cartoon characters probably prefer Ideal brand products to their usual ACME brand.

 

[blades]

Aw, I don't think there is any thing wrong with Acme, but rather Wiley's implementation . Always seems to work fine when he is in the target zone.

 

[Oldhippie]

Very cool! The Blog made the point that the original name was a surprise quick response to the Washington DC event when required to fill out the form. This is a little more well thought out (seems to be anyway) and the announcement of the new logo sets the stage that more is yet to come. Plus the customization capability to really "make it yours" ...as we say in Harley parlance.

 

[webbie]

Sorta funny - We were asked what we thought and I told the honest truth without gloss!
Oldhippie, if you are truly an old hippie then Steal this Stove makes you think of Abbie Hoffman!

It's a negative word IMHO - cute for development, but not for the general public. I did like the whole union thing because that meant to me the union of the states, etc...

 

[Oldhippie]

Sorta funny - We were asked what we thought and I told the honest truth without gloss!
Oldhippie, if you are truly an old hippie then Steal this Stove makes you think of Abbie Hoffman!

It's a negative word IMHO - cute for development, but not for the general public. I did like the whole union thing because that meant to me the union of the states, etc...

I didn't see the connection to Abbie but you just reminded me of the Steal This Book, I certainly do remember Abbie Hoffma, lotta dead brain cells. But I too didn't care for the negative of Steal.. but I did like the idea of Steel Union.. or something like that.

It's certainly interesting to see this focus to the point of creating a new logo and the Gear Head brand and all of that. It's nice to see them focusing in on price and performance. I know they also are looking other innovative ideas for next generation stoves.

Gotta' love competition, as a consumer it just keeps bring us more and better choices.

 

[webbie]

Marketing is a science in itself, although many will cringe when I say that.

Gearhead and Steel are words unlikely to appeal to the women in the family, but the price and the glass view and the cleanliness will. So the guy is gonna get sucked in by the names, logo's, etc. then he will have to convince the better 1/2.

Speaking generally of course!

A friend who was the top marketer for Vermont Castings in the early day helped us with a theme for the Tarm boiler way back when. It was hard to sell them because oil was cheap then (1990 or so). So he came up with - and we used....

"The Warmth Machines" - this described what it provides for you. Warmth is a nice soft word
and
"Heat for the Thinker" - This was more a theme for our newsletter and communications. The idea was that folks who don't think deeply about heat were not likely going to buy $8,000 clean burning boilers. So we did a little newsletter ( I still have some) which had a pic of "The Thinker" on it and wrote very intelligently in it - hoping to appeal to those who thought past the thermostat and oil tank.

Anyway, I found that one of the most fun parts and was glad this outside expert helped us come up with marketing ideas.

For those who don't know- I think Tom (at woodstock) was also an early VC employee, although not sure what his job was. He was gone by the time I started dealing with them - but, we used to sell woodstock in our shops in NJ (they had dealers way back when).

 

[Oldhippie]

Marketing is a science in itself, although many will cringe when I say that.

Gearhead and Steel are words unlikely to appeal to the women in the family, but the price and the glass view and the cleanliness will. So the guy is gonna get sucked in by the names, logo's, etc. then he will have to convince the better 1/2.

Speaking generally of course!

A friend who was the top marketer for Vermont Castings in the early day helped us with a theme for the Tarm boiler way back when. It was hard to sell them because oil was cheap then (1990 or so). So he came up with - and we used....

"The Warmth Machines" - this described what it provides for you. Warmth is a nice soft word
and
"Heat for the Thinker" - This was more a theme for our newsletter and communications. The idea was that folks who don't think deeply about heat were not likely going to buy $8,000 clean burning boilers. So we did a little newsletter ( I still have some) which had a pic of "The Thinker" on it and wrote very intelligently in it - hoping to appeal to those who thought past the thermostat and oil tank.

Anyway, I found that one of the most fun parts and was glad this outside expert helped us come up with marketing ideas.

For those who don't know- I think Tom (at woodstock) was also an early VC employee, although not sure what his job was. He was gone by the time I started dealing with them - but, we used to sell woodstock in our shops in NJ (they had dealers way back when).

Interesting history.

These days I stop into the local Stove Shop near me now and then.. they always have all the Stove eye candy, Hearthstone, Jotul, and Vermont Castings are their key brands, and then they also sell these "Egg" grills and smokers.

Anyway, they really push the VCs and/or the Hearthstones if the customer is leaning towards soapstone. I'll say this, the Vermont Castings of today are still eye-candy to people walking into stove shops, and they still carry high brand recognition.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So what would you name this one?



btw, there is a video on the Woodstock blog showing this stove burning. We will be seeing more of it soon.

 

[webbie]

I'd name that "too much time on my hands with the waterjet" or something like that.

Now you know why the wifey wouldn't let me buy one of the plasmacam units. She put her foot down.

http://www.plasmacam.com/indexfla.php

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It certainly could be fun to play with something like that.

 

[Charles1981]

That is a cry for help from someone snowed in for 4 months in the upper peninsula.

 

[mudr]

Somewhat on topic: any guess as to what the cost will be on this sucker. They talk about making this affordable (I don't want to say "budget"), but what would that mean? What is currently the most reasonably priced large cat stove on the market? Just installed a 30, which is dirt cheap, but the thoughts of lower shoulder burns and longer times in the future are enticing...

 

[webbie]

Well, 2K+- would be cheap compared to most other large cat stoves on the market, right???

I suppose some may depend on options and perhaps they may make a smaller one someday, etc.

I don't think they intend to get in the ring with Englander, US Stove and the others....that's almost impossible.

So I think inexpensive for what you get....is more the key. When you consider it will probably be less than all their other wood stoves, yet heat much more - I think that's the idea.

Of course, I have no insider knowledge and anything heard through the grapevine is just that. Until a design is 100% final and mass production is started, exact costs are hard to figure.

 

[bubbasdad]

I read that they are planning a price below 2K. Not bad at all!!

 

[bsruther]

I would've called it R2D2. I'm sorry, but no matter how much I try, I can't like that stove.

I'm in the market for a new stove and if I showed the wife a picture of that thing and said I wanted to install it,
She'd tell me to put it in the laundry room.

 

[weatherguy]

I would've called it R2D2. I'm sorry, but no matter how much I try, I can't like that stove.

I'm in the market for a new stove and if I showed the wife a picture of that thing and said I wanted to install it,
She'd tell me to put it in the laundry room.

I think my wife would do the same, though I have a BK so what do I know.

 

[BrotherBart]

I am feeling really good about the steel stove I already have right about now.

 

[begreen]

You should, it looks better.

 

[alforit]

http://blog.woodstove.com/2013/10/a-new-name-for-steel-stove-new-logo.html

View attachment 116210

Woodstock did listen to their customers who did not like the name of their new stove so now have changed to the Ideal Steel hybrid rather than the Steal. Thank you Woodstock.

No offense to Woodstock but that name went from bad to worse............jeeez

 

[mudr]

Well, 2K+- would be cheap compared to most other large cat stoves on the market, right???

I suppose some may depend on options and perhaps they may make a smaller one someday, etc.

I don't think they intend to get in the ring with Englander, US Stove and the others....that's almost impossible.

So I think inexpensive for what you get....is more the key. When you consider it will probably be less than all their other wood stoves, yet heat much more - I think that's the idea.

Of course, I have no insider knowledge and anything heard through the grapevine is just that. Until a design is 100% final and mass production is started, exact costs are hard to figure.

Oh, I had no expectation of it being on the Englander/US Stove level. But, if it ends up just under $2000 (as someone said above), that is a great deal. I like the 30 thus far, but, I have always hated shoulder seasons with both my stoves thus far. Also, man, that efficiency... Dang....That'd be sweet.

 

[tom dee]

I'd name that "too much time on my hands with the waterjet" or something like that.

Now you know why the wifey wouldn't let me buy one of the plasmacam units. She put her foot down.

http://www.plasmacam.com/indexfla.php

how much is plasma cam ??