Suggested new line for corgi

[stan]

I’m going to try and keep this thread focussed and not go into a ramble, however having seen comments on several threads, witnessed the interest in signings at Elvington and recall the Merlins Over Malta special set, I’d like to gauge interest in a suggested new line for Corgi.

I’ve made the following assumptions (some are bigger than others):

• The next few years are going to be hard for everyone
• Corgi has to make the most of its existing moulds
• Corgi has to widen its sphere of collectors
• Quality sells
• Corgi can adopt a medium to long term planning approach
• The number of WW2 schemes (IE ‘Brown & Green’) are limited in terms of saturation for most collectors
• WW2 veterans are, sadly, a diminishing number


Suggested line is for a series of limited edition ‘signed’ issues.

If it were to go ahead Corgi would need to NOW:

Look at their existing moulds
Identify veterans with links to those moulds
Design & print a collectable, good quality numbered certificate/insert (Details of the veteran, photo of the veteran etc)
Either through associations, or by linking with one of the established Aviation Art publishers, arrange for the veterans to sign a given number of the certificates

In the medium to long term

• Research and produce models in relevant schemes
• Design specific packaging
• Issue at a premium (but still reasonable no connoisseur insanity) rate these models- moulds that have ‘paid for themselves’ could perhaps be very limited editions, others may need to be produced as per the Merlins Set- E.g open & limited editions


These editions would widen the appeal to signature collectors and general enthusiasts (I came into this caper via the Merlins Set so once hooked...) Further imagination could bring in others- a signed set with a copy medal inserted would arouse interest in the Militaria press and most copy medals can be purchased retail for between £10-15 so wholesale should be much less. (Would probably require special packaging though).

By using a certificate or insert costs would be a minimum as items for signing could be transported worldwide easily—unlike models and they could be obtained and stockpiled without risking too much financially should the veteran pass away before the model is available.

Now, I don’t know who is actively signing or how much they charge but how would the following appeal:

• Cruickshank’s Catalina
• Sharkey Ward’s Harrier
• US D-Day Dakota signed by Easy Company (Band of Brothers- very actively signing currently)
• Gulf Tornado Peters and Nichols
• Vietnam Huey (not my period but someone must have an idea!

To bring in other autograph nuts how about ‘tie ins’:

• Gibson Lanc (or even Mossie) signed by Richard Todd

Anyway you get the idea, feel free to add your two penn’orth.

[kevjb64]

Was considered / discussed at the first ever Corgi / Forum meeting . At the next one they informed us they would not be going forward with the idea . :(

[prune]

Good idea stan.To add to your list there are still a few Battle of Britain aces around,Pete Brothers,Tom Neil,Bob Doe,Allan Wright ,Ken Mackenzie come to mind.
Problem here is who would want a Corgi 1/72 Spitfire.The 1/32 Spitfire and Hurricane range could be used but is the market ready for this yet.
As you say,signed inserts could be done now ready for future release.

[klepto4]

I’m going to try and keep this thread focussed and not go into a ramble, however having seen comments on several threads, witnessed the interest in signings at Elvington and recall the Merlins Over Malta special set, I’d like to gauge interest in a suggested new line for Corgi.

I’ve made the following assumptions (some are bigger than others):

• The next few years are going to be hard for everyone
• Corgi has to make the most of its existing moulds
• Corgi has to widen its sphere of collectors
• Quality sells
• Corgi can adopt a medium to long term planning approach
• The number of WW2 schemes (IE ‘Brown & Green’) are limited in terms of saturation for most collectors
• WW2 veterans are, sadly, a diminishing number


Suggested line is for a series of limited edition ‘signed’ issues.

If it were to go ahead Corgi would need to NOW:

Look at their existing moulds
Identify veterans with links to those moulds
Design & print a collectable, good quality numbered certificate/insert (Details of the veteran, photo of the veteran etc)
Either through associations, or by linking with one of the established Aviation Art publishers, arrange for the veterans to sign a given number of the certificates

In the medium to long term

• Research and produce models in relevant schemes
• Design specific packaging
• Issue at a premium (but still reasonable no connoisseur insanity) rate these models- moulds that have ‘paid for themselves’ could perhaps be very limited editions, others may need to be produced as per the Merlins Set- E.g open & limited editions


These editions would widen the appeal to signature collectors and general enthusiasts (I came into this caper via the Merlins Set so once hooked...) Further imagination could bring in others- a signed set with a copy medal inserted would arouse interest in the Militaria press and most copy medals can be purchased retail for between £10-15 so wholesale should be much less. (Would probably require special packaging though).

By using a certificate or insert costs would be a minimum as items for signing could be transported worldwide easily—unlike models and they could be obtained and stockpiled without risking too much financially should the veteran pass away before the model is available.

Now, I don’t know who is actively signing or how much they charge but how would the following appeal:

• Cruickshank’s Catalina
• Sharkey Ward’s Harrier
• US D-Day Dakota signed by Easy Company (Band of Brothers- very actively signing currently)
• Gulf Tornado Peters and Nichols
• Vietnam Huey (not my period but someone must have an idea!

To bring in other autograph nuts how about ‘tie ins’:

• Gibson Lanc (or even Mossie) signed by Richard Todd

Anyway you get the idea, feel free to add your two penn’orth.

Certainly makes for interesting reading, well done stan. I would've just given a list of aircraft and demanded corgi do 'em :LOL:
Anyway I think "Listening to their customers" is the biggest problem they have had in the past and one which can be definitely improved (like duh!). Plus recognising the right people to listen too would be somewhat essential aswell me thinks. This is all stating the obvious of course and 'sumpfink' that has been continuously buzzing around the forum for years and still yet HUGE deaf ears at the Diecast Battersea Dogs Home equivalent.

Another thing that maybe worth a gamble but could be commercial suicide (hence I said a gamble), but still do a corgi version of other manufacturers models. A big one would be a British Phantom without a road map lines all over it. This could be a huge morale booster for the work force if you can beat other competition at their own game he he. What the other companies fail at is another companies opportunistic market steal (if that makes sense)
I would very much like to see corgi interpretations because I really don't like HM and CW's, plus take them away and you haven't many left to choose from. I understand many people love their HM and CW's but there is or rather must be a profit to be made from people like me (but you're not having all me money :D )

I can't think of anyother thing right now as Stan seems to have covered any thing that given an extrordinarily amount of time I may have come up with myself........eventually :LOL:

[fozzy45]

Great idea but I would imagine that the big sellers in this line would be WW11 single engined fighters and Corgi's existing line up (with the possible exception of the elderly Me 109e and Hurri) is just too old and sub standard to hit the target. The real bread and butter items such as the P51 (especially that horrendous B model), P47, Spit and FW 190 are just not up to it. Corgi need to bite the bullet and come up with some state of the art WW11 'standards'. We know they are capable of producing the stuff as witnessed by the finess shown in the Glad, Swordfish and Lysander moulds. Some new moulds such as a Tempest, Me 109K, FW190D and a Martlet would also, in my view, be top sellers.

[Craig]

Sounds a great idea Stan, I really think Corgi need to widen the net a bit, they're worried that the next generation of collectors aren't interested, and OK I dare say there are few like me who used to spend my paper round money on diecast back in the day, but there's still definately a market out there beyond the plain diecast market. Signatures seems perfect, or as I suggested a few months ago, a litary tie in with books like "The Big Show", Full Circle or "Sea Harrier over the Falklands". All of this is just an attempt to give these models that bit of "edge" that will make them stand out :)

[blue steel]

I agree with the idea, anything positive that adds a bit of extra interest. I suggested to Corgi in 'better days' that a Nicholls/Peters Tornado and a first attack on Port Stanley Sea Harrier (I counted them all out and I counted them all back...) would probably be of interest as these were major conflicts involving UK air power and still fresh in the mind. Perhaps a couple of news headlines detailing events could have been included with the models etc. Might be possible for a tie-in with a stamp or post-card run too

[zed550]

good ideas but corgi dont want to know.
also who would want a model of tired mould even with the added bits?
the best thing corgi can do at this time is concentrate on getting anything they release in the future upto the same standards as the glad,swordfish,lysander,wessex and a few other castings that are not to bad.

[fozzy45]

Absolutely, could'nt agree more.