Interesting that JA have taken a leaf out of Ceroc's book, branding-wise (i.e. silly names).
Also, the logo looks a bit familiar...
Caister is more famous imho for Soul weekenders. And they do it pretty well from people I know who have been.
Looking at the web site - I think it puts a lot of the Ceroc/JA etc to shame - so professional and packed with info.
Check out The World Famous Caister Soul Weekender
I don't think Caister fits with the JA promise of great accommodation - unless you think a caravan/tent is superior to a luxurious Pontins apartment with Dove shower gel. (Hmmm - maybe it is....).
As I've said, quite a few times, I think names should have a "default" association, not one that has to be worked for to achieve. They should have a meaning from the get-go.
For example, "Storm" now works - it's the one in Spring at Camber, I think most people can remember that now. But it's taken 2 years for it to establish that identity. "Swish" is quite good also - "the posh one" is easy to remember.
But I could never remember the difference between "Bliss" and "Breeze".
And "Splash"? What was that about? And why on Earth is the Scottish one called "Blaze"?
Both JiveTime and JiveAddiction fell into the same branding trap - their weekenders were known to all as "Camber" and "Southport". The obvious problem is that this brand is not portable. So they had weak branding (Again, I could never remember which "Jiving You Crazy / Wild / Mad" event was which).
Ceroc Escape events have consistent and strong branding, but the actual weekender names themselves are generally not informative. Mostly, any association has to be created, which is hard work.
So, I'd say that Storm and Blaze have (for me) created a brand, through association, and that Swish had such a brand from the start, but that the others haven't done well.
And I can't see any particularly-useful association with the name "Eclipse" either.
As for alternatives...Hmmm... I guess if they're doing one event in Spring, one in Summer and one in Autumn, then possibly some sort of seasonal theme would be in order? Or, possibly a "time of day" brand - "Sunrise" / "Noon" / "Sunset"? Something like that would at least provide an association in terms of time-of-year, if not geographically.
Good grief, this was a short post when I started it...
The "Partyweekender" in Warmwell (nr Weymouth) is held at a Haven site.
The accommodation is lovely, with spacious and well equipped wooden 'lodges'.
However, certainly at Warmwell they don't allow through the night dancing.
I heard that Wolsey Hall in Cheshunt was a top contender and there's plenty of room for tents in the car park .
Pontins are off the list I guess. Haven, Butlins, Warner, Centreparcs are all big enough, but are not particularly exciting.
Universities have enough rooms out of term time. Quite a few do business conferences and the like, so they can't all be dumps. The Feb Eclipse dates suggest not.
Conference centres - mostly too small, but Harrogate might be about the right size, with many rooms nearby.
Nightclubs - plenty are big enough. Few have accommodation nearby.
Haileybury - GNSH is here, but limited on-site accommodation.
The Dome/O2 - well it must be good for something!
Personally, I'd book a cruise ship for the weekend. It wouldn't have to leave port. They have lots of rooms and dance floors and decent restaurants. Looking at the cruise websites, you could get rooms from £30-40/night.
PS ... Post 1000 ... Go me!
That sounds like a brilliant idea! By the very nature of a cruise ship most of the cabins are small, and of course they wouldn't be self catering. But for an all-inclusive (AKA Swish...don't worry, I'm not opening that one up again ) event everything that you need is close by, no problems with the weather etc. etc. That end of the market, i.e a bit up from the Butlins/Pontins boxes, is missing from the MJ scene.
One word: Segway
The hot babes
A good point, the one word association works better it seems, people always did use "southport" rather than "jiving you wild".Both JiveTime and JiveAddiction fell into the same branding trap - their weekenders were known to all as "Camber" and "Southport". The obvious problem is that this brand is not portable.
Look, theres that Blush smiley.Good grief, this was a short post when I started it...
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