Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 41 to 59 of 59

Thread: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

  1. #41
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    bedford
    Posts
    4,899
    Rep Power
    13

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by Demota
    My tuppenceworth : hey fellow dancers! don'chca like the exclusivity of being able to do something which the majority of the proletariat can't (but secretly want to) do?
    The majority of the proles don't know it exists, and most would be able to do it.
    I'm happy to be part of an exclusive club in which just about every body knows everybody else or at least on a nodding acquaintance.
    I hope it never becomes "exclusive".

    The swing scene is even "cosier"
    It does not matter how many people take it up, it can still be cosy. There are four jive/swing venues/ organisations within walking distance of me, and they all have their own clientele, character and degree of cosiness, with only minor interaction.

  2. #42
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Sussex by the Sea
    Posts
    9,276
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver
    I hope it never becomes "exclusive".
    I don't think we could be described as "exclusive", but I think that MJ is a bit like a village. Whenever you pop into the "village" you always bump into someone you know

    In this context the "village" is any MJ club within 50 miles (maybe more) of your regular club.

  3. #43
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    23
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    I hope it never becomes "exclusive".

    Oops! Maybe "exclusive" was the wrong word but in a way it is "inclusive" of those that have the chutzpah to get off their backsides and struggle through the initial learning process and the stigma of being labelled a cissy by Fat Bellied mates that reckon sinking 7 pints of lager is a more "manly" pursuit. I would say that the predominant factor in stopping guys and ladies taking up MJ is embarrassment.

  4. #44
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    20
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Ceroc will never be like ballroom dancing was in the 1920s to the 1960s - that is, something you had to learn to do in order to have any sort of social life where you could meet the opposite sex outside of work, school and church!! Once popular music changed, dancing changed, and you didn't need to learn anything any more. Ballroom dancing is now a minority interest, persued solely by skilled aficionados, almost as a sport (medals, certificates and competitions are BIG in ballroom), and people who learnt it first time round, that is, mainly people over 60.

    Press coverage of existing venues is nice, and gratifying for us, but I don't think any single article will be responsible for more than one or two people even coming through the door.

    Getting new people relies on existing dancers bringing their friends, and heavy, targetted publicity (paid for and non-paid for) that keeps up the pressure over several weeks at the start, and maintains it forever, until you are literally turning people away.

    This needs a lot of time and energy on the part of franchisees and members.

  5. #45
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Sussex by the Sea
    Posts
    9,276
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by Demota
    Oops! Maybe "exclusive" was the wrong word but in a way it is "inclusive" of those that have the chutzpah to get off their backsides and struggle through the initial learning process and the stigma of being labelled a cissy by Fat Bellied mates that reckon sinking 7 pints of lager is a more "manly" pursuit.
    I often marvel at this. One of my Rugby playing, hard drinking friends was making fun of my 'new' interest in becoming a dancing cissy* - I compared it to his Rugby.

    Rugby - Keeps you fit: played with a loads of muddy guys who try to squash you on a cold wet field: then drinking to oblivion and setting fire to your flatus

    Dancing - Keeps you fit: played with loads of sexy women in lycra who wiggle and smile at you.


    He now dances in Croydon


    *compared to my previous long-term, fairly manly, hobbies of Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon-Do and Fencing - although I've always thought of Fencing as quite camp

  6. #46
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    3,166
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Ballroom dancing is now a minority interest, persued solely by skilled aficionados


    Well I wonder what ballroom "aficionados" say about us, on their forum

  7. #47
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    3,166
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    OK ... challenge for you ... find a way pf describing MJ in two sentences that both reflects the reality but also "sells the sizzle" ... not easy is it?
    I think the tramp has answered this


    Dancing - Keeps you fit: played with loads of sexy women in lycra who wiggle and smile at you


    Have to confess this is what addicted me

  8. #48
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    20
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove
    Well I wonder what ballroom "aficionados" say about us, on their forum

    I dunno....they probably look down on us because of our worrying lack of make up and hair-spray.

    And that's just the men boom boom.

  9. #49
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Sussex by the Sea
    Posts
    9,276
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by HeatherX
    And that's just the men boom boom.
    ..some of them, anyway

  10. #50
    Registered User White Knuckle Ride's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brighton
    Posts
    27
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by Gus
    With all the improvements going on, all the publiciity and (apprently) all these new clubs openning up ... why is there only about a 5% yaer on year increase in numbers? Is it that the rest of the population really dont know what they are missing
    Methinks it's the trinity of names. We have the Ceroc brand name. Leroc, Modern Jive, French Jive (Ok that's four!) When I first started I thought they were all different and I still hear people getting confused to this day. Further, in Modern Jive, the noun tends to overpower the adjective to the extent that when I first heard it I thought it was some sort of Grease tribute thing. Compare it all with Salsa that has a very positive name.
    The times have moved on and we seem to be dancing stolen goods that have been unashamedly swiped from other dance formats so the parameters between different dances are more like grey areas than firm lines. Think p'haps we all need to agree on a common name n'est pas?

  11. #51
    Teacher Paul F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Caterham, Surrey
    Posts
    2,408
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove
    Well I wonder what ballroom "aficionados" say about us, on their forum
    Surprisingly (for me anyway) most of the other people I speak to through my other dance interests (including ballroom) seem to quite like MJ. Ok, when I say 'like' I guess,in cases, it could be more along the lines of 'tolerate' but the feedback is not entirely negative.
    There are those I chat to on other forums (sorry Franck) that see it as 'not really dancing' but they are few and far between. Most I have spoken to see dancing as an expression of self. Whether a person chooses to do it via a structured examination of movement or by more lenient, less restricted, instruction is up to them. Either way they are are partaking in an activity in a manner that suits the individual.
    sorry, going deeply psychological here

    As for the discussion on the term MJ. In my opinion this restricts interest immediately to a wide demographic. One of the key things to cement into peoples minds in marketing is a suitable 'name'. People will then, as we all know, associate the name with the style. Examples are things like Kleenex in the states. Doesnt matter what brand of tissue they are stood in front of they will say "pass me a kleenex". Same things with things like velcro etc.

    It looks like Ceroc have built up this association with the name so I guess one of the first bulding blocks are there - The universal term.

  12. #52
    Commercial Operator
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Sussex by the Sea
    Posts
    9,276
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul F
    As for the discussion on the term MJ. In my opinion this restricts interest immediately to a wide demographic.
    I think this is right. If I tell people I jive they know exactly what I mean - and they usually see jive in a positive light. To those that say dancing is cissy I point out that Hells Angels jive and you wouldn't call one of them a cissy - I think I'd call them 'sir'

    I have a famous story of renaming/marketing to tell which might help explain what I'm proposing (I might get the finer detail wrong as I heard this story a long time ago).

    Many years ago there was a bed making company called Staples on a corner in Edgware Road in North London. I understand that the factory was originally just an number in the road. The owner thought up a way of increasing company awareness: he paid the bus fare for his staff to travel to work so long as they asked the conductor (remember them?) for a ticket for "Staples Corner" - which at the time didn't exist as an address. It wasn't long before the conductors were calling it Staples Corner, then it was written on the front of the buses and eventually found it's way onto signs, maps, etc.

    I think we could steal the word "jive" and use it to describe what we do. If we had a few hundred thousand people saying they jive the name would stick. Alternatively, someone could come up with another name and get everyone saying that with total confidence. Any suggestions?

  13. #53
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    3,166
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    It looks like Ceroc have built up this association with the name so I guess one of the first bulding blocks are there - The universal term.
    Yes but CeRoc like Kleenex is a registered trademark. When the people down ‘ere in Bristol stared teaching CeRoc they got into problems as they did not have a franchise

    So they change the name to LeRoc


    LeRoc is not a trademark. Anyone can use it, but it not well know outside of the South West

  14. #54
    The Forum Legend
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Nottingham
    Posts
    10,672
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul F
    It looks like Ceroc have built up this association with the name so I guess one of the first bulding blocks are there - The universal term.
    We've already had this discussion....

    It's nothing like 'Kleenex'.

    Yeah, in certain areas of the country (London, Scotland, Midlands?), most (though by no means all, even in those areas) people go to 'Ceroc'. In other areas, people go to 'LeRoc', or 'MoJive', or 'Blitz', or other local names. Ceroc is not even close to being a 'universal term', and will never be so....

    Trampy

  15. #55
    The Forum Legend
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Nottingham
    Posts
    10,672
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove
    LeRoc is not a trademark. Anyone can use it, but it not well know outside of the South West
    Or the South East (Brighton area), or some people in Scotland who dance at LeRoc venues. And probably other areas too....

    Trampy

  16. #56
    Teacher Paul F's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Caterham, Surrey
    Posts
    2,408
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    By universal term I was a bit misleading, sorry . What I meant was a term not directly related to a 'style' of dancing , in this case, MJ. I didnt mean universal as in everyone uses the term.
    I was essentially getting at the fact that, as a marketing strategy, it is nearly always advised to use a (cant think of appropriate word) word that is unique to that company and that people will learn to recognise.
    My claim that Ceroc have got that is because
    - it is widely used
    - it is taken as a verb in many contexts and not as a noun.

    I have never heard anyone say I am going to MoJive or Blitz etc (due respect to those names) as a verb.

  17. #57
    The Forum Legend
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Nottingham
    Posts
    10,672
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Have you ever talked to people who go to those venues exclusively?

    I've heard plenty of people say that....

    Trampy

  18. #58
    Not a spoon! Lou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Holby
    Posts
    3,772
    Blog Entries
    2
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul F
    I have never heard anyone say I am going to MoJive or Blitz etc (due respect to those names) as a verb.


    Apart from the fact it's a noun, not a verb (but I'm not the grammar police!) I'd be quite happy to say I dance Ceroc TM, but your guys won't let me!

  19. #59
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Worcester, UK
    Posts
    4,157
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: Why hasn't Ceroc taken over the World??

    I like *roc as a generic name online, but it's not so good offline.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. The End of the World is Ni
    By Dreadful Scathe in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 33
    Last Post: 11th-August-2007, 12:38 AM
  2. Ceroc NI Hits The World Wide Web
    By drathzel in forum Social events
    Replies: 50
    Last Post: 20th-July-2006, 11:49 PM
  3. World Cup
    By Winnie in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 13th-June-2006, 12:44 PM
  4. Ceroc - Business Enterprise or "Gift to the World"?
    By Gus in forum Let's talk about dance
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 2nd-January-2004, 03:54 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •