Stihl Ad in USA TODAY

[Ga_Boy]

I am on the road this week, picked up a copy of Tuesday's USATODAY and saw a full page add for Stihl.

The ad was telling consumers why you will not find a Stihl saw in a big box store.

Did anyone else see this?

Just wondering, thought the add was a neat idea.

[Onthesauk]

Seems like kind of an odd publication to reach the chainsaw buying customer.  Reaches a lot of people, just not sure it's the right market.

[boboak]

  I heard they also had one in Wall St. Journal...thats really a stretch.  I think they're just trying to defend their market share against the big box stores.  I hope we never see Stihl at Wal Mart.  What'll happen to the saw shops if they have to depend on service work and not sales?  Think service prices might go up?

[crtreedude]

Perhaps they are used by headhunters? Or, perhaps people called into to trim the dead wood from companies.

If so, I am staying here! 

[Ianab]

I'm guessing that becuase Stihl make a whole lot of different products, weedwhackers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers etc that are sold to homeowners.
We tend think of Stihl as pro chainsaws, but I bet thats only a small part of their overall business.
But of course a big pro chainsaw looks much more impressive in the adverts than a weedwhacker  :D

Ian

[boboak]

I'm guessing that becuase Stihl make a whole lot of different products, weedwhackers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers etc that are sold to homeowners.
We tend think of Stihl as pro chainsaws, but I bet thats only a small part of their overall business.
But of course a big pro chainsaw looks much more impressive in the adverts than a weedwhacker  :D

Ian

Our local Stihl dealer used to be primarily a saw shop.   Now,with the decline in logging in this area,his primary income is weed eaters and leaf blowers and such.   Homeowners and landscapers  are his main customers.  He's still the best in the area for saw work but its not his main focus anymore.  Gotta change with the times I guess ...not much fun though.

[twistedtree]

My guess is that Stihl is trying to drive the dealers away from Husky and keep them all for themselves.

[StihlDoc]

Upscale suburban homeowners are a major market for lawn care products and occaisional use saws which represent the majority of the different types of products STIHL offers. The pro chain saw market is relatively small in comparison. Also, many owners and purchasing agents of landscape companies, municipalities, city maintenance departments, and aborists companies read The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

[mike_van]

Our local Agway USED to have seed corn, manure forks & milking machine parts - Nothing there now but dog food, birdseed & those stupid lawn ornaments.  Urban Farmers?   :'(

[rebocardo]

For the customers I have cut down trees, 1/2 owned Poulan and 1/2 owned Stihl chain saws. One customer I cut down trees for owned a new Stihl bigger then my Husky 365. Had to show him how to start it though ;-D

So, the USA Today ad just might be reaching the target market. I bet a large % have money and own their own homes as compared to TV Guide.

[Ga_Boy]

Can we say target market???!!!

But then again I have been drinking for the past 4 hours!!!!

[Max sawdust]

Can we say target market???!!!

But then again I have been drinking for the past 4 hours!!!!

:D :D :D :D :D :D
It is a bit concerning.  (Not the drinking that is) :D :D
But the marketing tactic.
I do medical sales when I am not in the woods logging or sawing or anything to do with wood :

I see companies and hospitals get some "educated" snot nose kid with a "marketing degree" take the company for a big nose dive.  THese kind of people in control of marketing really make the people who know the product and know the market real mad.

PS The small Finnish company I worked for 20 years got bought by GE which is run by LAWYERS.

Since I am a Husquvarna kinda guy I do really find this disturbing about Stihl ;)
Max

[StihlDoc]

I see companies and hospitals get some "educated" snot nose kid with a "marketing degree" take the company for a big nose dive.  THese kind of people in control of marketing really make the people who know the product and know the market real mad....
...I do really find this disturbing about Stihl
Max

Not quite sure what the summary of your message is but I can tell you that the person at the helm for the U.S. market has been with the company for 30 years and others making the marketing decisions have similar tenure with the company. They are a very active and team oriented group. STIHL prides itself on the number of employees that have been with the company 25+ years.

[Rocky_J]

Has anyone considered that the ad might have been designed to affect the Stihl dealers more than the Harry Homeowner? IMO this was a display created to reassure the local Stihl dealers that Corporate Stihl was going to back them all the way and not cut their throats like Husky has done to their dealers. The local dealers will make or break the corporation and Stihl needs to keep them from abandoning the product line.

[Max sawdust]

Not quite sure what the summary of your message is but I can tell you that the person at the helm for the U.S. market has been with the company for 30 years and others making the marketing decisions have similar tenure with the company. They are a very active and team oriented group. STIHL prides itself on the number of employees that have been with the company 25+ years.

StihlDoc,
Sorry, I was just polking fun. ;D  When you edited my quote, it took the humor out of it : Taking out the statement that I am a Husquvarna kinda guy makes it read as a serious statement instead of a friendly joust ;) 

Since I am a Husquvarna kinda guy I do really find this disturbing about Stihl ;)
Max

Rocky,
I have to agree with what you just said.
\Max

[Button]

 I think rocky is right. if stihl looses it dealers then they will be forced to sell at lowes, home depot etc. Then were will the service be ? Last year my father had a new engine put in his wheelhorse. The local dealer must have had 100 different riding mowers behind his shop that were waiting to be repaired. I couldn't help but think I am in the wrong business. Soon all local saw shops will be gone and Baileys will be having us send them our saws to be repaired. Hey thats an idea, a one stop repair shop for all your outdoor powersport equipment. Put a bar inside and you won't be able keep the guys away. :D :D :D enjoy
Peter

[isassi]

You know guys, I admire Stihl a lot due to their support of small shops. I bought my MS440 primarily because I have a Concrete saw with the same powerhead and its been great. Of course, after owning this saw, I would rather tell my wife I hate her cooking then go back to a poulan or homelite. I have noticed Stihl makes a few saws that are competitive (sort of) with the box store priced cheapys, but their image is what helps sell them, no doubt. If I was only cutting a few ricks of wood a year, I couldn't justif the cost. One last thing about the local saw shops. Here in Oklahoma, we are at the mercy of the lawnmower guy  ;) but as I have grown up, the locals have gone away...usually because there was no one to step up to the business. Where I am, the oilfield pays 15 to 20 or more per hour. Who expects a young guy to get excited about working on small engines or scraping a living selling lawnmowers, ect. when the economy has outpaced the small service business. And how many of you guys have seen the "throw away" attitude about this...just chunk that weedeater/mower/chainsaw 'cause I didn't take care of it and run down to Lowes and buy another. Ain't like they cost much, cheaper then supporting the small engine shop and the guy who trys to make a living.  :(

[sawguy21]

Here is a very interesting story. Makes me proud to be selling Snapper and Stihl
http://www.fastcompany.com/subscr/102/open_snapper.html

[jerry-m]

Sawguy, Thanks for that link...  Very interesting story about the quality of some it not all wal-mart products...