Wilson / Wilson Staff mixed message

[joeylough]

Does anyone else feel that one of the major mistakes Wilson sporting goods is making with the golf brand is the confusing name?

 

Is it Wilson or is it Wilson staff? they only seem to have started doing it on the new products.

 

Take the Cortex - W/S logo (wonderful premium), then near the hosel the Wilson logo (for me in golf screams low end)

 

The same with the new D7 irons......why???

 

Don't get me on the mixed message of the typography of the two logos clashing.

 

Anyone else agree? looks like a real easy fix

 

Driver vs Driver - loved the show, but where is the W/S logo, the logo that people want to see from there Wilson staff products! We get it you are part of Wilson sporting goods. Cobra is part of Puma, I don't see puma on every club???!?

 

Sorry rant over.

[boggyman]

Resorting back to “Wilson”seems like. It’s on the front of new hats, staff bags carries just Wilson on them also. Confusing somewhat, as ithe Wilson brand was known as their box set stuff in the past. Still bringing it regardless in my book. Top notch equipment. I’m digging the new D7 after reading a full article on them.

[swing thoughts]

I wasn't really confused about it until now.

[propman]

It would be nice if clubs were strictly judged on how they perform. Personally, I could give a sh@t what the brand name is. Of course, I'm probably in the minority.

[LifeStory]

hmm

[cgasucks]

I've never had that confusion with Wilson and Wilson Staff. To me Wilson = Boxed sets and cheap clubs found at big box stores. Wilson Staff = Tour level clubs sold only at specialty golf shops and green grass stores (like TM and its TP Line).

[tobiasjd]

They were the king of the hill. The real mistake was allowing the Wilson brand to get to a point where it was viewed as being equated with cheap products. That put them in a spot where they had almost no choice but to recreate themselves again to at least claw back some level of respectability.

[dingusflingers]

What's there to confuse? There's no mixed message. There's no message at all.

 

The plain "Wilson" script has some history and it looks nice. It's recognizable. I don't think anyone thinks Troy Merritt is using a box set he picked up at K-Mart because his hat has "Staff" omitted.

 

There's little to lose here for Wilson.

[GoGoErky]

It doesn’t confuse me but definitely has the avg consumer confused which is one of the reasons they have the current brand perception of being cheap.

 

I may be mis remembering but I thought I read they were going to be doing away with the staff name and logo. I don’t think that bodes well for their push to be looked at as an elite brand like they are trying with the cortex.

[hardten]

Does anyone else feel that one of the major mistakes Wilson sporting goods is making with the golf brand is the confusing name?

 

Is it Wilson or is it Wilson staff? they only seem to have started doing it on the new products.

 

Take the Cortex - W/S logo (wonderful premium), then near the hosel the Wilson logo (for me in golf screams low end)

 

The same with the new D7 irons......why???

 

Don't get me on the mixed message of the typography of the two logos clashing.

 

Anyone else agree? looks like a real easy fix

 

Driver vs Driver - loved the show, but where is the W/S logo, the logo that people want to see from there Wilson staff products! We get it you are part of Wilson sporting goods. Cobra is part of Puma, I don't see puma on every club???!?

 

Sorry rant over.

FWIW my C-300 FORGED Wilson/Staff irons have the name Wilson/Staff on the Lamkin Crossline grips. I gotta say many here know I been thru irons like #### thru a goose and really surprised more here haven't looked seriously at these beautiful irons. Very classy and very functional as a "players distance " iron.

[propman]

Does anyone else feel that one of the major mistakes Wilson sporting goods is making with the golf brand is the confusing name?

 

Is it Wilson or is it Wilson staff? they only seem to have started doing it on the new products.

 

Take the Cortex - W/S logo (wonderful premium), then near the hosel the Wilson logo (for me in golf screams low end)

 

The same with the new D7 irons......why???

 

Don't get me on the mixed message of the typography of the two logos clashing.

 

Anyone else agree? looks like a real easy fix

 

Driver vs Driver - loved the show, but where is the W/S logo, the logo that people want to see from there Wilson staff products! We get it you are part of Wilson sporting goods. Cobra is part of Puma, I don't see puma on every club???!?

 

Sorry rant over.

FWIW my C-300 FORGED Wilson/Staff irons have the name Wilson/Staff on the Lamkin Crossline grips. I gotta say many here know I been thru irons like #### thru a goose and really surprised more here haven't looked seriously at these beautiful irons. Very classy and very functional as a "players distance " iron.

 

 

Really like the look of these irons. Definitely have been on radar screen.

[dxdgenert]

I said this in another thread but the very fact that anyone is talking about Wilson and/or Wilson Staff means they are succeeding. Several years ago, they were almost forgotten and largely irrelevant. Now, barely a day goes by that there isn’t a Wilson thread on this site. That, is how you begin a comeback.

[jonsnow]

Wilson Staff=legendary irons;

 

Wilson=a volleyball in "Castaway"...

[LaymanM]

Does anyone else feel that one of the major mistakes Wilson sporting goods is making with the golf brand is the confusing name?

 

Is it Wilson or is it Wilson staff? they only seem to have started doing it on the new products.

 

Take the Cortex - W/S logo (wonderful premium), then near the hosel the Wilson logo (for me in golf screams low end)

 

The same with the new D7 irons......why???

 

Don't get me on the mixed message of the typography of the two logos clashing.

 

Anyone else agree? looks like a real easy fix

 

Driver vs Driver - loved the show, but where is the W/S logo, the logo that people want to see from there Wilson staff products! We get it you are part of Wilson sporting goods. Cobra is part of Puma, I don't see puma on every club???!?

 

Sorry rant over.

 

Out of curiosity, how old are you?

[toc]

I think the only real error lies in pricing their new driver.

[LaymanM]

Just saw they have V6 Tour irons in raw. Damn sexy. Too bad I just bought Srixon Z785. I bet those V6 raw feel great and will look amazing

[matchavez]

I don't know that you have brand dilution. The pricing handles that. Wilson doesn't deal in the JDM-level of premium. If they did that, they'd need a different name altogether.

 

In fact, I think them stamping that ugly W on everything from a $499 box set to a $499 driver does them a favour; if anything it says they meet you anywhere from Walmart to Golf Big Box, and you can stick to the brand all the way through. In fact, that's why they probably went with "staff" for a while.

 

No one says a Ford Mustang is terrible *because* of the Ford Escort. Etc. etc. (Corvette/Cavalier, pick your analogy)

[CheckJV]

I’ve always thought of this analogy:

 

Wilson - TaylorMade

 

Wilson Staff - TaylorMade Tour Preferred

 

Not that the products are equivalents.

[the bishop]

I don't know that you have brand dilution. The pricing handles that. Wilson doesn't deal in the JDM-level of premium. If they did that, they'd need a different name altogether.

 

In fact, I think them stamping that ugly W on everything from a $499 box set to a $499 driver does them a favour; if anything it says they meet you anywhere from Walmart to Golf Big Box, and you can stick to the brand all the way through. In fact, that's why they probably went with "staff" for a while.

 

No one says a Ford Mustang is terrible *because* of the Ford Escort. Etc. etc. (Corvette/Cavalier, pick your analogy)

For a while? The first iteration of the W/S shield appeared on irons and wedges in 1960. The first appearance of the shield in any form on Staff model clubs was 1958 but instead of W/S inside the shield there was what appeared to be a golf hole with a couple of flagsticks in it. For certain years they did remove it from irons but would leave it on woods. But the word "Staff" always remained on their top line clubs.

[Sixcat]

I assume Callaway Rogue and Cobra King are equally confusing to you?!?!?

[elwhippy]

I see Wilson as one company. Always have done. Do you get really baffled by Warbird and Chrome Soft coming from the same company?

[MtlJeff]

I understand what the OP is saying. I didn't find it particularly confusing but from a marketing perspective it's weird. They used the staff moniker for a while for their good stuff, but seem to be dropping it without much communication

 

It would be like Lexus just being called Toyota again one day , which could happen, but they'd publicize it a bit

[Harry Putter]

I see Wilson as one company. Always have done. Do you get really baffled by Warbird and Chrome Soft coming from the same company?

 

I think it would be a little more confusing if the Warbird was stamped with Callaway and the Chrome Soft was stamped with Callaway Staff.

 

But they both say Callaway.

[dunn]

I could give a chit to be honest....if the club looks good it can say flash on it (hopefully not) but it's about the product

[jslane57]

I think any brand that wants to have pro level equipment as well as beginner starter sets, or a urethane golf ball and a SpongeBob golf ball needs a way to differentiate their products. The "Staff" was always that reference point. I've never been confused.

 

Hmm...I think my teal Ford Escort wagon is exactly why I'm not and will never be impressed by any Ford Mustang built after my car buying days began...

[Halebopp]

It was weird how much they pushed the Wilson brand in Driver vs Driver as opposed to the Wilson Staff brand, yet the new blades have simply "Staff" stamped on them with the W/S logo in the toe.

 

Hopefully the probable new Chinese ownership will respect the history of the W/S brand and reconsider how they want the Wilson and W/S be seen on the market. To me that would mean pushing Wilson Staff and moving away from the "Seriously?" style.

[QuigleyDU]

I think the "staff" moniker used to be for their more high end stuff. There was wilson golf clubs, than the wilson/staff clubs that were they good stuff. For example taylormade, and Taylormade T/P or tour preferred irons, drivers, etc.

 

I am not sure that is the case anymore

[Ri_Redneck]

 

BT