Tribes

TRIBES!

Over the past few years Jackie and I have been talking incessantly about tribes - especially types of consumer tribe and how they relate, react and interact with business development (and if you have not caught any of my lectures/talks or articles on this - check out the blog or send me an email via the Newport Business school). Well I thought I share with you two excellent examples of 'tribes' that I have been either part of or witnessed in the last few weeks. Firstly the 'Vanfest' pics (above and below). Vanfest is Europe's largest gathering of VW camper vans at Malvern every September - this year there was an estimated 50 thousand people attending but critically only about 10 thousand vans...which suggests that a lot of people are at the 'wannabe' stage of tribal membership. Similarly the 'HOGGING THE BRIDGE' event (October) - this is an event organised by the Harley-Davidson Owners Group (HOG) which comprises a 'ride' across the 'old' Severn bridge from England into Wales and back through the villages to Chepstow - the parade is a real spectacle and takes in excess of an hour to pass! It draws people from allover South wales as participants and spectators and this year an estimated 2 thousand HOGs took place but - and this is the bit - a further 2 thousand non HOG bikers...do they also want a HOG? So two pretty interesting examples of 'Tribes' - and I know I use these examples frequently - so for my MBA students this term - here are some photos! (there is even one that combines the tribes of VW and HOG!).

Jonathan