Taking a look at another brand needing life support, what the hell happened to Hagstrom? For years, they owned the maps, directions and how to “get there from here” category. There was no MapQuest. No, “Doug-Doug.” For those not familiar with it, a Hagstrom was as invaluable to your trip as a stint at rehab is for a Hollywood actor’s floundering career today. No matter where you were, you could stop at a service area or 7-11 and always find one, and off you went.Lost? It was either a Hagstrom or a toothless cashier in some truck stop off I-40 dispensing local directional wisdom. (No offence to toothless cashiers off I-40 reading this.) And now? The brand has almost no relevance in that same Tom-Tom Google Maps world. The latter being our weapon of choice on tour.
And now, while you can still buy them, why would you need to, short of a complete meltdown of your car’s GPS? Sure, there’s nothing quite like unfolding 22 panels in the front seat all the while muttering to yourself “I know it’s here somewhere,” but there’s also nothing like step-by-step directions telling you to “Turn left here and proceed for .4 miles,” and damn if it isn’t right most times.
And they did it to themselves by failing to act sooner. Hagstrom could have easily incorporated the same rudimentary online system as that other bastion of travel print, AAA. If nothing else, this would’ve at least given them a seat at the online directions table. Or at least the kids’ table. Because before you leave home now, you almost always print out directions you find, whether on Yahoo!, MapQuest or Google. Hagstrom could have–CAUTION: MARKETING TERMS AHEAD–leveraged the extensive brand equity they had in the category by offering the same thing to customers.
This may also be a case where even if they did go the online route now, it might just be too late. They’ve been out-Hagstromized by every other online service going. Especially odd considering the parent company, Langenscheidt Publishing Group, publishes Berlitz titles, who have an online learning program that compliments the print editions. They’ve had it for years. So if I said what’s the first name in learning a foreign language you think of, you might say a Rosetta Stone or Berlitz, yah? Now, same question about maps and directions.
Is Hagstrom even among the choices?
Tags: Hagstrom maps
2 comments:
Most people don't have GPS. But Hagstrom sure missed an opportunity to create their own version of Mapquest. Or even their own branded GPS.
Oh well.
(FWIW, I still prefer Hagstrom maps to a GPS because they're much bigger, physically-- you can get a real sense of where you are in relation to other things by unfolding one of those bad boys.
Plus, you look like a real man with a Hagstrom spread out across the hood while you point with one hand like The Babe calling his shot and rub the back of your neck in mock “I‘m really lost now” disgust.
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