brainstorming ideas for club growth

here are great minds on this message board. What are some realistic ideas for promoting the DeSoto to a new generation

Don't know if I qualify for the "great mind" group but a couple of thoughts on this.
This comes up quite often at our local car club that is also expierancing a decline in membership. Most of us in the NDC today are old enough that we remember back when we had a DeSoto or our parents did and we remember the cars. It is a nostalgia thing. Many younger people today don't have a clue about what a DeSoto is and just don't have an interest.
Anytime we are at a local show and someone shows an interest in the car I always try to show them some feature of the car and have a conversation about DeSotos. I usually get it into the conversation that we are members of the NDC and how much we enjoy the conventions and the Club. Something I haven't been doing, but am going to do, is put a copy of the Adventurer in the car to show interested people. Pretty basic stuff and I don't know if I have influenced anyone to buy a DeSoto but hopefully it will pique someones interest.

Well...sorry this is SO long...but ya asked!

I don't have kids, and I might be totally out of the loop, but here are some of my musings:

The majority of young people these days currently seem to share most information via social media sites and computer-based devices. For the first time since the television was invented, television viewing among young people has been declining, and it's in favour of the usage of computer-based devices. If a subject is to become interesting to most young folk these days, it will most likely have to be presented in a form that is easily shared via these devices. Club rosters, magazines, meeting minutes, show information and announcements, etc. really need to be "on-line" to gain and keep the interest of young people these days. Sorry to say it, but they have little time or patience for "snail mail".

Many of us are involved with social media sites, and in the use of all of the "new technologies", and that can help us to spread the word regarding the old car hobby. However, I think we must also rely heavily on the young folk out there who are already involved in the hobby to attract other members of their generation. Not only because they are usually already quite involved and well versed in the use of computers and cell phones and such, but also because they can attract folk their own age better than we can. When you were twenty-two, did you want to spend a lot of time with people in their sixties? No offense to any of us, but I think you know what I mean. If you're the parent, grandparent, older relative or family friend of a young person who shows any interest in the old car hobby, try your best to foster that interest whenever you can, and make it worth while for that young person and their friends to get involved and stay involved. Rewarding that young person will naturally draw them closer to the hobby. I have no children myself, but I'd rather leave my car to a worthy and enthusiastic young person that I would a museum.

The perception that the old car hobby is just for folk with grey hair needs to change if we are going to attract the young people. We are not slow, boring, and dusty, and it's time we prove it to the youngsters out there. I hope some of the following suggestions might help to sway perceptions:

- ask the young people themselves. Find out what they say regarding what would draw their interest regarding the old car hobby. Their answers might surprise us. And if we remain flexible regarding the "way things have always been done", we might be better able to accommodate their interests and priorities. Change the rules, inject energy renewed, and expect and welcome change. We can't live forever, and we may as well embrace the changes when we still have some influence rather than leaving it all to chance when the last of us is gone.

- drive your cars! We've all seen the staring and the pointing that driving our cars can bring. Drive them past the schools when the kids get out; stop and answer questions. Take your car to a kids' baseball or soccer game and park it where the kids can see it. Avoid looking like you have criminal intentions , and you might just spark some interest in cars among the young folk. Even detailing your car out in the open in your own driveway can attract curious young people, and can develop into a teaching opportunity.

- bring the kids to the cars. As an example, the huge "Carl Casper" show here in Louisville will bring in groups of kids prior to the show being opened to the public every day. School groups, camp groups, "The Boys and Girls Club of America", boy/girl scouts, and many other groups of young folk could be brought to a show at special times when no one else was allowed in. They would have the cars and the owners all to themselves if they had questions, or if they wanted to see a car "close up and personal". Perhaps provide a discounted entry fee to owners who are willing to show up early every day for these interested groups of young folk. I'm always a bit surprised by how many young people will ask how much an old car cost. Many of them seem surprised when they discover that the old car hobby just might be something that they can afford at a young age, especially if they learn some basic mechanical skills.

- contact the folks who really know kids. Contact local kids' groups such as the ones I mentioned above. See if you can arrange outings for these groups to visit your local car club/shops/garages, and to see your cars. The group leaders take care of the "permission slips", transportation, and other legalities, and you end up with the educational opportunities. The next time your car club is involved in a parade, make sure that you fill every spare seat with a young person.

- stop and take time for the kids. When I see little kids and young people looking at my car, I try to take the time to see if they have any questions...especially the little girls. I've let a few sit in my car and pretend they are driving, and I let them honk the horn. Ask them if they and their parent(s) want a ride when the car is being moved. You can do this at a car show, or when you are just out and about with your car. Yeah, you end up with finger prints and dust in the car, but the "hands on" experience might just be something that the kid will remember and find inspirational. You never know what will influence a kid, or what they will remember for the rest of their lives.

- mentor whenever you can. If you have skills and knowledge, share it with a young person, and start when they are really young if possible. Share your knowledge and enthusiasm; it can be infectious. Many of us "come alive" when we talk about old cars, and this renewed energy might change a young person's mind about us all being "old and slow". Show up at "career day" at your local school; start a scholarship at a technical school, or make sure your local car club has a "youth award" given to a worthy young person at the yearly awards banquet.

- strength in numbers. Attend car shows, parades, road trips, "drive-thru Fridays", car club outings, etc.. Any opportunity to get your old cars out where they can be seen, especially in large numbers, is an opportunity to be noticed by, and to gain interest from the young folk. Imagine how impressive and memorable a large group of old cars can look to a young person who has never seen (or heard) a real, vintage car.

- join and support clubs. Take your kids and their friends to club events whenever you can. Offer to host your club's kid-based events (trip to the zoo, as an example), and encourage members to bring their old cars for the kids to enjoy. Have goody bags like they do at birthday parties for the younger kids, and throw in some toy "old cars" among the candy...and stickers...kids still love stickers. You can't start young enough, methinks.

- let them get their hands dirty. Nothing helps a young person become interested in a subject moreso than when the subject provides them with a sense of accomplishment. Let them help detail or repair/maintain your old car to foster their feelings of enjoyment, ownership, and pride. A job well done is often its own reward, and a child is never too young to learn and remember this life lesson. And if they associate this reward with the participation in the old car hobby, so much the better.

- visit and support car museums and collections. Take the kids and make it a fun and educational outing. There are many great museums and local collections out there to be enjoyed, and many of them are free, or at least free to children. Don't let those old cars sit, alone and forgotten in the dust. Even on-line collections such as "Jay's Garage" (Jay Leno) are interesting on many levels, and most include videos regarding such issues as model histories, and mechanical tips/advice.

- employ what ya got. Make use of car movies, videos, computer games, phone app's, etc.. Back in the day, among a baby's first words was usually "Truck!"...don't let that tradition fade. Start them out young watching Disney-Pixar's "Cars" movies for kids, and move along to other movies such as "American Graffiti". Point out the car models in the movies, and show them the real thing the next time you're at a car show, or searching on-line. Yes, kids; "Lightning McQueen" exists!

Anyway...that's a few of my ideas.

Not that I've given it any thought or anything...

Reality check. I think the club and convention scene is going the way of passenger trains, steam ships, and, the postal service. Some of those things are still functioning. But we need to understand that membership in all clubs is dwindling. So what to do?

Next years NDC meet is a good start. Combining the NDC and WPC meets is a great idea. Why not combine the clubs? Add in the Dodge Brothers and Plymouth Owners clubs and then you might have a viable solution. Can you imagine the publication you could put out? OK, then add the Imperial club with all those guys willing to share knowledge. It might be as good as the HET club.

The Hudson Essex Terraplane Club has a great organization. Back when I had my '31 Hudson Greater 8, I could post a question on the HET forum and get numerous replies, e mail, and even copies of wiring diagrams mailed to me. Those guys know how to run a club, and they have a great publication, the White Triangle News. They also tolerated eccentric people that they may not personally like. Once one of those folks helps you fix your car, you start to like them and put up with their eccentricities. Lots of DeSoto owners are eccentric.

$.02
Steve

Some of the issue that you have with the NDC is that you don't have the strength in numbers for the local chapters and you have to rely on the scattered national involvement. I also have a Model A and we formed a local chapter in 2007 in Kansas City (where there were already 2 others) and we have over 100 members in 5 years. For a club event yesterday we had almost 40 participants. I joined the NDC because (obviously) I have a DeSoto and its the closest thing to getting together with other DeSoto owners that is available. I haven't been to a national yet but plan to when one is geographically convenient now that both my kids are out of the house. I think within the group that is interested in cars, the clubs remain strong given the current economy. Yes, the youth movement involvement is an important area to address and I think its important to realize that there won't be a great solution to it. The younger generation as a whole treats cars as transportation at best and there is no romanticized history with the cars of their past. (I remember my first Prius and want to restore one now...) The focus needs to be capturing the minority that does take interest in the past. I own 7 older cars and 5 of the 7 were made before I was born, and none of them were anything that was a prior family vehicle. The closest is my '59 Buick (my grandfather had a '60). We have younger folks who have joined our clubs and I think the key is public exposure. Our Model A club grew so fast because we are always doing something, and in doing so picking up new members who have access to a car and decided now to get it out, or those who decide this is neat and go get one. The club exposure provides the assurance that technical and moral support is available. It allows someone the confidence to get involved with a project that they might not normally take on, and that I where the clubs can really shine.
Locally the closest thing I have available is the a generic Mopar club that tends to lean towards the newer muscle cars. As far as solutions? The combination events is an excellent suggestion. We have BOP (Buick/Olds/Pontiac) events here where various groups combine to make larger events. Regional events are another idea that could work. Many of the larger clubs that I belong to have greater participation in multi-state regional events than isolated national ones. The problem with this is that it really takes a local region to plan it, and you have to have the financing to seed it to make it profitable. The benefits are you get the membership out and involved doing things with their cars and not just sitting in yet another parking lot at the local cruise. The suggestion to coordinate with the WPC is another good one, there could be a DeSoto division but ultimately it takes owners who want to be active with their cars.

This may be slightly off topic but then maybe not..... I've kicked around for years the idea of having a DeSoto gathering for owners or whoever in the greater KC area. Looking at the roster there are probably 25-30 owners in the vicinity. I've been so busy (2 jobs plus all the stuff that seems to pile up around the house etc.) that I've never pursued the idea. Where to have it? Where else but DeSoto, KS!!

As a member of the Studebaker Drivers Club (SDC) I see a great level of participation by the smaller group of Avanti owners. On thier own, they are a small group and would not be able to sustain the activity level of the larger SDC. Even the Packard folks join in the SDC activities as a result of Packard's purchase Studebaker.

I would think the NDC could enjoy a broader level of activity by joining with other MOPAR clubs. Maybe the WPC and NDC should all combine into a MOPAR club that would appeal to Dodge, Plymouth and the Dodge truck enthusiasts.

Regards.

Here is a message from the SDC forum. It is an opportunty for DeSoto owners as well as serve as an idea for your area.

Ozark Trails Orphan Car Show Branson Sept 7-8

Everyone is invited to the Ozark Trails 17th Annual Orphan Car Show. The show will be held Fri and Saturday Sept. 7-8 at The Landing in downtown Branson, MO. This is a new location for the show and we are looking forward to hosting the show at this new location.

We are expecting a large turn out of orphan cars and trucks this year. We will be joined by the Muntz Jet owners and they are expecting 12 to 16 Muntz Jets to be in attendance. We also have been in contact with the owner of Tucker #17 and he has made the commitment to bring his Tucker to our show. There are very few Tuckers that are not in a permanant museum display and #17 is one of those cars. This will be a great opportunity to see a Tucker outside of a museum.

The meet hotel will be the Ramada Inn 1700 W. Hwy 76, Branson, MO 65616 phone 417-334-1000. Room rate is $50.72 per night. Please tell them you are with the Orphan Car Show. The Ramada is next door to Area 57 where we have held our Orphan Show before.

The Landing is a mile long outdoor upscale shopping area located next to the lake in downtown Branson. We want to park as many cars as possible down the center of the "Promenade". Cars parked in the "Prominade" will be asked to have their cars in place before 10:00 AM and will have to leave their car in position until 10:00 PM. The Landing will not allow vechicle traffic during business hours. There will also be parking for display on the north end of the Landing by the Belk's Deptment Store. There will be shuttle service avilable all day long from The Landing to the far west end of '76' and back.

For anyone that has attended the show in the past two years you should be getting a registration form in your mail within the next week. Fees and more information will be on the registration form. We will once again be providing a meet T-Shirt with each registration.

In mid February the Meet Committee had picked out a meet hotel and location but the February 29th tornado forced us to make new arrangements since both were heavily damaged.
We are trying to get the word out as fast we can and hope some of you can pass this information on to any orphan car owners you may know.

If you have never attended on of the Ozark Trails Orphan Car Shows you are missing a good time. This is also Drive Your Studebaker Day.
We feel like this will be a great show with the large assortment of Studebakers, Packards, Kaisers, Nashs and others plus the Tucker and the Muntz's.

For more details you may contact me via email.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Branson in Sept.

Regards

Mike DeLapp

I was out to dinner with 10 other car guys Monday night and talked briefly about getting younger generations into classic cars. It seems like when you go to shows there seems to be a growing number of hot rods and customs. The one great idea that stood out was go to your local high school and talk to the auto shop class teacher or teachers. See if they would take their class out on a field trip to the car shows or leave them a flyer to the weekend car shows. This would give the students a chance to go out and see the cars. Most owners have their cars in their garage or storage and students don't have access to them. Most school districts should be starting Fall semester around this time. I will go back to my old high school down the street and put the word out about the upcoming local events that students can go to.

Just to give us all hope for the future, here's a video that a twenty-one year old "Forward Look" era enthusiast posted on the FL site. He drove his old Chevy hundreds of miles to participate in the making of the video.

Not strictly DeSoto oriented, but encouraging nonetheless to see the young folk and old cars getting together and having fun.

http://vimeo.com/46229034

Pretty darn good Rosemary.

Regarding waning membership; I joined the NDC due to the WPC club being interested in Chrysler and Imperials. I was a member for several years at WPC starting in the late 70's as I was restoring a 36 Plymouth, a total waste of time, for parts or tech tips, I then found the Four/ Six Plymouth club, which is now the Plymouth Club. I later acquired the 59 DeSoto, however I had noticed WPC was primarily a Chrysler Club and thats why I am a member here.
It may be well to affiliate with the WPC, but I would assume the DeSotos would get short sheeted, after the Honeymoon, only because of limited space in their publications. Perhaps the Board of WPC would not care to take on the additional responsibility, has our Board discussed this possibility with the WPC ?

I am not aware of any interest by the NDC in formally merging with the WPC. That was merely an idea of Steve's.

If there ever was a merger I would be long gone

Rosemary hit it on the head with getting your car out and driving it so it can be seen. My '59 'Sweep is no show car, but always draws a crowd when I go out for breakfast. The huge smile on the face of the man who used to have one ("White convertible with red interior and a red stripe on the side. That car was fast!") was totally worth it. Brought back good memories and made his day.

The younger folk look and ask questions, and love to see the engine. It's the young folk that we need to rope in, otherwise the group will fizzle out through attrition.

Get the cars out and drive them. Just being visible is a good start.

Glenn