How would you change the Alton Towers 'brand'?

[Chris1]

Having taken a glance at some old park maps and leaflets I had mulling about under my bed, it got me thinking about how the parks brand has changed over recent years...

It's clear the park has struggled to replace the magical marketing of the 90's with anything memorable, relying on buzzwords such as 'extraordinary' and 'fantastical' to do sell the place to us. The current marking at the moment is ok but the quality of some the press images are pretty cringeworthy. However, the worst aspect of the current brand is the park logo in my opinion, it looks hideous.The gold pipes look good on posters, flyers and the website but it makes the logo look really naff, and the oversized 'Resort' logo version is even worse...

Please use this topic to describe how you would change the brand or any aspect of the parks marketing for the better...


I would start by removing the gold pipes from the current logo...

[CoasterCrazyChris]

[quote=""Chrïs""]Having taken a glance at some old park maps and leaflets I had mulling about under my bed, it got me thinking about how the parks brand has changed over recent years...

It's clear the park has struggled to replace the magical marketing of the 90's with anything memorable, relying on buzzwords such as 'extraordinary' and 'fantastical' to do sell the place to us. The current marking at the moment is ok but the quality of some the press images are pretty cringeworthy. However, the worst aspect of the current brand is the park logo in my opinion, it looks hideous.The gold pipes look good on posters, flyers and the website but it makes the logo look really naff, and the oversized 'Resort' logo version is even worse...

Please use this topic to describe how you would change the brand or any aspect of the parks marketing for the better...


I would start by removing the gold pipes from the current logo...

[/quote]


Oh, thank goodness someone is on my wavelength in regards to the park marketing/logo.

The way they market the park these days really 'dumbs' it down, it is something I would expect at Chessington.

They don't use any attraction logo's (why you fools?) and on the website the quality of the attraction desriptions stated is dire.

The logo, well yes it loos good without the pipes and makes the inner colours stand out more but it wouldn't look magical without the swirly bubble.

[[Archive]]

I didn't know how much I hated the swirly bubble until it was scrapped. When they introduced the new logo it made me realise how overly CGI'd and emphasised the swirly bits were without adding much depth. However, the gold pipes kind of cancel out the effect taking away the swirly bubble had because it adds a horrible yellowish clash to the image.

However, I quite like the current brand image. In some places they promote it well, but in others they promote it badly and it looks awful (entrance signage, tut tut). When it first came out they had a fixation with gold pipes, but that seems to have very almost worn off now. They hardly use them anymore and stick with the crazy vibrant colours and CGI sparkles and stars, etc. I thinkl that's the best way to describe it. :-k

[Big Dave]

I still feel that they should have sticked with using magic etc in their marketing. Just because Disney used magic didnt mean Alton Towers had to drop it from their marketing. Alton Towers IS a magical place and they should have sticked with using it. They will find it very hard to get some slogan to stick better than the "where the magic never ends" did.

[Kaycee]

M-A-G-I-C

[Big Dave]

Here's a video showing both stock footage and the 1996 TV advert, both clearly showing how much they believed in the magic back then.

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[Wes]

Keep the pipes! I would use them to 'pump the magic' around the resort.


Alton Towers is a MAGICAL place. It just is! Regardless if it's 1990's - It sums up the Resort perfectly. Just bring it back.

[Big Dave]

Pipes AND magic could work very well as you said. Yeah I like that idea!

[haydn!]

I think the pipes working brilliantly. I was a bit sceptical at first, but I think they've been used really well so far and more importantly consistently! The current park image attempts to be family friendly, yet high quality and sophisticated and I think it handles this balance quite well. Plus, it must be working, as they've stuck with this style for three years now, instead of refreshing with something completely new every year like they were doing between 2003-2007.

The park do use ride logos around the park and on selected marketing, but there isn't the need for it to be done constantly. Marketing and advertising trends have changed massively since the 90's - as great as the "magical" style was then, I think it would look rather cheap and cheesy if done today. Some things are better off left in the past.

[Cheese]

I realise I'm very much in the minority, but while there is definitely something special about the feel of the park, I always cringe when people describe it as magical. I don't think there's too much wrong with the current branding, as it's pretty distinctive. Any complaints of mine would be directed towards the map and marketing/press releases. I do think your altered logo is an improvement though Chris!

[Crofty]

I think they have almost got the balance just right with the current branding.

Back in 2006/07 we were crying out for the 'Magic' to return after the park went all modern and in your face.

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In 2008 we got the magic back in some form and we can see this also from the advertising

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Mixed with a modern twist, I think it works well. Things have definitely improved, along with the park. I don't think anyone would want to go back to the Splash Karts, zip wire and hlaf arsed efforts at a map of 2006.

[Chris1]

I think they should bring the magic back in a more subtle way, I really like the idea of pumping the magic through the pipes and into the resort Wes, that could work really well...

The park doesn't need to call it magic neccessarily, just use the right kind of imagery to suggest it's still there...

[Big Dave]

There is nothing wrong with using magic and its not cheesy unless the park advertise it in a cheesy way. Just look at the image above and you can see how magic can be used, yet keeping it stylish and simple.

[Benedique]

I'm happy with the brand, the advertising works well... look at ITHOTMK for example, everybody knows it as 'the Alton Towers song'.

I like the 'magic'

[PeteB]

[quote=""Chrïs""]how you would change the brand or any aspect of the parks marketing for the better...
[/quote]

Get rid of the marketing director for a start.

[Big Dave]

[quote=""Benedique""]I'm happy with the brand, the advertising works well... look at ITHOTMK for example, everybody knows it as 'the Alton Towers song'.

I like the 'magic' [/quote]

Exactly, it was a great move back towards what was a magical era. An era where the park was a magical place and everyone could tell what an advert was about just because of a "theme tune".

[WillPS]

I still don't understand why they dropped 'Where the Magic Never Ends'!

[onair]

[quote=""PeteB""][quote=""Chrïs""]how you would change the brand or any aspect of the parks marketing for the better...
[/quote]

Get rid of the marketing director for a start.[/quote]


100% agree with you on that one !

[linzimoo6]

[quote=""WillPS""]I still don't understand why they dropped 'Where the Magic Never Ends'![/quote]


Im with you on that...infact I dont even know when they dropped it? Its a real shame that they did

[WillPS]

The logo was tweaked to remove it in 2003, however it took ages for he logo to disappear from signs and merchandise.