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Marzocchi committing brand suicide?

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Marzocchi committing brand suicide?
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flag m47h13u
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 12:59 Quote
Ok, so here's the deal. I was recently surfing the web, looking at bikes and bike parts, and I came up to Marzocchi's site and saw their 08 lineup. I instantly noticed that they changed the look of most of their forks. Then after seeing that I realized that I can't tell the difference between the new Marzocchi forks and every other fork.

Brand identity is something very important in the 21st century, it helps people know the difference between your product and everyone else's. The first thing I notice on a bike is a fork, and the 'm' arch and crown was how I told Marzocchi from Rock-Shox, and from Fox. Ever since 2003, and even earlier I knew what kind of fork a bike was sporting by just looking at it's shape.

So I ask, ado you think Marzocchi is committing identity suicide?
flag freerider4lyfe
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:06 Quote
this should be a good argument, cant wait to hear what others say, but if i do say so myself, they may look sorta like other forks in the industry, but you have to remember . . . fork companies are speciall and have their own "identity" by the way they ride, not their looks . . .
flag mcnaughty
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:08 Quote
No. Marzocchi is still a strong brand and will only continue to get stronger. If you cant tell the difference between a Fox, Rock Shox and a marzocchi fork then look a bit closer the 'M' arch is still there, maybe not as obvious but still there.
A Marzocchi fork is still very much a Marzocchi fork and thats not going to change.
flag m47h13u
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:08 Quote
@ freerider4lyfe


Yeah, that is also true, but I thinking that by looking like everyone else, they are losing visibility.
flag t3rry
Mod
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:13 Quote
I was just looking at the 08's too, and noticed that the M's are even more pronounced compared to some other years and are super visible.. I just hate how they are going into graphics and stuff on forks.. what happened to the gold old days of just the name in block letters and that's it...Frown
flag alex-420
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:13 Quote
m47h13u wrote:

Yeah, that is also true, but I thinking that by looking like everyone else, they are losing visibility.

agreed, the 08 dirt jumpers have really similar graphics to the argyles

its a bad move in my opinion
flag muskokabiker1
O+
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:15 Quote
I think it was a bad decision to copy Rock-shox in terms of graphics. Not saying the Rock-shox design looks bad but its was their own trademark look and when another company copies that it kinda tells me they are losing sales to them and trying to get more sales back. I don't know if they ever were losing sales but it just looks that way. I think they old forks looked sweet especially the 66's and 888's with the big 3-d numbers, that really stood out and told me it was a Marzocchi, now I honestly think they look a bit cheap
flag freeridemassacre19
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:22 Quote
i think its good that they did it. they might not have the m arch they are known for but by changing the look of there product they kind of step up a bit. take cars for example. car companies change the model of there cars every year, they make a few little changes each year and every 4-5 years or so they change the model of that car and give it a fresh new more modern look. b/c marzocchi has changed the design of there forks they will most likely produce more sales and people will be more interested in them.
flag dg85
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:33 Quote
i thought the same that they look the same as the other guys but i saw some 1st hand and still has marzocchi trade marks thats for sure. i actually quite like the thicker looking arch on there forks now to. looks allot beefier. not as big a fan of the decals tho. some look a bit poor. the 55's look ok.
flag d0nik
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:44 Quote
fork companies are speciall and have i"identity" by the way they ride, not their looks . . . Manitou. the most "identity" i think but, have it any word about in this thread? trere are 3(!) threads at a time about marzocchi and no one of other brand. what suicide are you talking about?
flag duggla55fir
O+
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 13:51 Quote
Marizocchi has been around since the early 90's, I had a 1994 or maybe 1996 fork of theirs for awhile but threw it out.

They introduced the M arch in 2002 and have been changing and refining it ever since. From 2003-2007 it seemed to remain relatively the same, and so that's likely what the topic author is referring to.

Before I got a marizocchi I always wanted one strictly for the M arch, once I had one and relaized "hey this 2004 dj3 ways a metric ton, and it doesn't even say bomber on it" I didn't really give a crap any more.

To me, colour is a lot more important, the old marizocchi's were characterized by their bright colours: powder orange, fleuescent green, red, blue, etc.

"STYLE" is a much more commom theme throughout the history of marizocchi, and styles have changed so that companies only make forks in white black and silver.

There is no such thing as brand suicide in this case, I believe. Marzocchi is perhaps seeking to change their image to less asthetic and more functional, kindof like manitou or rock shox (totem's are ugly as hell, and I would still buy one)

Besides, they didn't get rid of it completely, they could always bring it back, they change their castings pretty much every year.
flag mtbman1980
O+ FL
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 15:13 Quote
Well with all the people on here saying i need white this and want to buy everything in this color regardless of quality and cost sometimes. It was a move that they needed to make.
flag THEMANGLER
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 15:23 Quote
m47h13u wrote:
Ok, so here's the deal. I was recently surfing the web, looking at bikes and bike parts, and I came up to Marzocchi's site and saw their 08 lineup. I instantly noticed that they changed the look of most of their forks. Then after seeing that I realized that I can't tell the difference between the new Marzocchi forks and every other fork.

Brand identity is something very important in the 21st century, it helps people know the difference between your product and everyone else's. The first thing I notice on a bike is a fork, and the 'm' arch and crown was how I told Marzocchi from Rock-Shox, and from Fox. Ever since 2003, and even earlier I knew what kind of fork a bike was sporting by just looking at it's shape.

So I ask, ado you think Marzocchi is committing identity suicide?

Wow. All I can say is wow. I mean, really? Wow.
flag m47h13u
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 15:24 Quote
THEMANGLER wrote:
m47h13u wrote:
Ok, so here's the deal. I was recently surfing the web, looking at bikes and bike parts, and I came up to Marzocchi's site and saw their 08 lineup. I instantly noticed that they changed the look of most of their forks. Then after seeing that I realized that I can't tell the difference between the new Marzocchi forks and every other fork.

Brand identity is something very important in the 21st century, it helps people know the difference between your product and everyone else's. The first thing I notice on a bike is a fork, and the 'm' arch and crown was how I told Marzocchi from Rock-Shox, and from Fox. Ever since 2003, and even earlier I knew what kind of fork a bike was sporting by just looking at it's shape.

So I ask, ado you think Marzocchi is committing identity suicide?

Wow. All I can say is wow. I mean, really? Wow.

Really? Oh, oh wow, like I'm amazed.
flag THEMANGLER
Posted: Oct 24, 2007 at 15:34 Quote
m47h13u wrote:
THEMANGLER wrote:
m47h13u wrote:
Ok, so here's the deal. I was recently surfing the web, looking at bikes and bike parts, and I came up to Marzocchi's site and saw their 08 lineup. I instantly noticed that they changed the look of most of their forks. Then after seeing that I realized that I can't tell the difference between the new Marzocchi forks and every other fork.

Brand identity is something very important in the 21st century, it helps people know the difference between your product and everyone else's. The first thing I notice on a bike is a fork, and the 'm' arch and crown was how I told Marzocchi from Rock-Shox, and from Fox. Ever since 2003, and even earlier I knew what kind of fork a bike was sporting by just looking at it's shape.

So I ask, ado you think Marzocchi is committing identity suicide?

Wow. All I can say is wow. I mean, really? Wow.

Really? Oh, oh wow, like I'm amazed.

I'm sorry, I was temporarily speechless. It is sad that all you identify a fork with is the logo. If there is one company that is virtually incapable of "brand suicide" its Marzocchi. Partially because of the people that actually ride, and partially because they are O.E. on 3/4 of the mountain bikes sold. They sponsor the biggest events and are one of the original companies to jump on the freeride bandwagon. Get off the internet and go ride your bike. See if you can figure out the real reason people love marzocchi. I'll give you a hint, it has nothing to do with the "M" arch. Genius.
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