What the hell is a "lifestyle brand" anyway?

Wrong Gary. Its only pinball.

Yeah but isn't pinball a lifestyle for a lot of pinheads out there? Oh yeah still have no idea what a lifestyle brand is.

It's a lame term, but I think technically Gary is correct.

They started selling T-shirt’s.
Like a Hot Topic store from the 90s.

Lifestyle brands: Harley Davidson, Nike, Apple. They are, like, brands that define a lifestyle for its customers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifestyle_brand

It’s just a new fancy term that marketing people came up with.....dramatic. Sorta like weather people coming up with terms like polar vortex or bomb cyclone.....etc

"A lifestyle brand is a brand that attempts to embody the values, aspirations, interests, attitudes, or opinions of a group or a culture for marketing purposes. Lifestyle brands seek to inspire, guide, and motivate people, with the goal of their products contributing to the definition of the consumer's way of life."

Waiting nearly 30 months for Ghostbusters code doesn't really inspire, motivate, or align with most consumers way of life. Wife "Can you get this done?". "Sure, the task has been delayed but remains in my schedule" repeat monthly for next 2 1/2 years lol.

Supreme.

Put their name on a thing and it sells. Then it resells for even more. Gary saw that firsthand. Connect the dots from there (Beatles Diamond edition).

Maybe they call it that because a significant portion of my disposable income lands in their bank account?

Their insistence on trying to make the ridiculous “lifestyle brand” concept stick is beyond a doubt the most annoying thing about Stern.

Lack of ghostbusters code would be about 20th on the list.

He's really pushing this idea, and I have a feeling it's coming from other senior management to try and distance themselves from the traditional enthusiast market. Problem is, there is nothing really behind it. Does making a few crappy t-shirts make you a lifestyle brand now? No idea...

It’s just a buzz word. There’s no meaning in “lifestyle brand” unless you think that it makes their product more desirable.

Every time I see that ridiculous "Lifestyle Brand" tag, it makes me think they are trying to target groups of swingers. For those of you who aren't informed on modern culture, swinging couples do not refer to themselves as swingers any more...they call it "the lifestyle".

Whatever it is it doesn't come cheap.

Pinball is hard....and not cheap either.

You can thank the guys that keep shouting out “I would pay XXX for that”......

Yup. After watching enough guests on Ridiculousness, I've learned that purely a marketing front for a brand to say "hey, like, we're all about love, and loving each other, and doing what you love to do, you know?" (millennial audience then clapping wildly)

... when in reality it's just a ploy to get young people loyal to their product and make more money because only 1% of businesses out to change the world truly mean it. The rest (*cough* Stern *cough*) are just in it for the money.

The difference here between regular brands and successful lifestyle brands (like Red Bull) is that lifestyle brands see identity and subculture as the greater ends. They go above and beyond traditional marketing so they can embed themselves in their audience’s lives in the long run, instead of co-opting a subculture for short-term gain.

I put it closer to 100% of businesses are just in it for the money, and those that are not, do not stay in business very long. For Stern, it is all about selling games (as it should be). If they can expand that market, they should try to. All Stern is doing is trying to make a game that makes someone say "Hey, I wanna by that for my gameroom" or, "Hey, I'd like a pinball machine too". If Stern wants to label themselves as a lifestyle, sure, whatever.

Any brand with a fan club

I mean, it's a very cynical view. I think there are companies out there that need profit to stay afloat but also are in it to do some good.

I just wish Stern would explain what this "lifestyle" is and what it incorporates. It's BS just to use a buzz term and not mean it or explain it.

lifestyle brand (resized).jpg

Hey I can post my meme again

2u2t7g (resized).jpg

Coming soon to a distributor near you - the Stern Pinball Fork and Knife Set - Now With Code Updates!

Ah yes I remember that one

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-launches-stern-insider-all-access-program

I didn't choose the pinball lifestyle the pinball lifestyle chose me.

Makes me laugh when Stern try to push this. There are brands that can be called lifestyle brands, but Stern is definitely not one of them.

I remember a comment from Stern about how they see themselves like Harley Davidson. But they really haven’t succeeded in injecting any emotional connection into the brand. I seriously doubt it’s even possible with Pinball.

They did make a Supreme pinball machine however- that’s probably as close as they’ll get to a lifestyle brand.

Well, they have already started down the road of selling overpriced ugly t-shirts. Maybe they can build Stern dealerships along every major highway, just to sell overpriced t-shirts instead of pinball machines. Just like Harley...

It was easier than we think: https://www.almostanything.com.au/marketing-strategy-branding/brand-value-statement-generator/

I got this one first try, it's super easy:

Here is your Brand Value Statement:

stern brings innovation and quality to pinball while helping customers have fun.

Don C.

Williams is my lifestyle brand.

Didn't Harley also jack their prices to the sky then it all came crashing down when their customers aged out of the hobby while young people had zero interest in motorcycles?

"Those who do not learn from history..."

Pinball is a lifestyle, for some it’s all about going to locations and playing all the time, most everyday of the week, playing tourneys and leagues, any and every chance to play is taken.
For others, it is buying, collecting, fixing, trading, talking, posting, and of course arguing and complaining about all things pinball (aka. Pinside)
I would call either a (pinball) lifestyle, and if you freaking LOVE Stern machines, as many do....Stern is your lifestyle brand.
True, it’s an annoying term, but i see the thinking.

Yup...know the story all too well. I live 15 minutes from Harley's (soon to be) only US plant. I also know a few former workers there who have paid the price for management foolishness.

Stickers soon to be seen on the back of every pinhauler:

stern_jeep_barf.jpg

Cause it provides Gary with a very nice lifestyle.

Harley Davidson: Yes, get a tattoo, drink beer & act like a tough guy on Sundays

Nike: Yes, drink smoothies, play racquetball or listen to hip hop music (We the best!)

Apple: ummm, not really...don’t we all have a laptop & cell phone?

Paging Mr. Dayhuff......

I think they mean people that hang around the stupid mall stores all day?

Wear tapered jeans, glasses without lenses, drink starbucks, drive a prius, be insufferable.

http://snapshot.numerator.com/brand/apple

I would call that totally false. Most of the people who buy a pinball for a gameroom, do not know about pinside, do not know how many different pinball companies their are, they're just buying a pinball game for their basement.

Pinball is consider a retro thing, and many things old are new again, same for pinball. If someone goes into a high end game room store, they'll buy the games based on the theme, not the brand. A lot of people want WOZ over all other themes because its so well themed. A lot of people buy Ghostbusters because they love those movies from the 80's. They don't care about the code, they don't even know that pinball is a strategy game, they just think when the ball comes down you hit it.

Pinball is a retro item, and the mass majority of all pinball games available to buy where NOT made by Stern. Even though Stern is selling the most today, and have been for years, the most cherished games are still those not created by Stern:

AFM, MM, TZ, to even today its games like WOZ. Williams Bally hasn't made a game since I'm not even sure the 90's and they've created way more games than Stern ever has, same goes for other brands.

Reality is things change fast look at Apple they just stopped ITUNES! Blockbuster closed. Disney is essentially trying to put Netflix out of business. Amazon has closed several retail brands. Everything changes. Right now the most successful games are redemption based not pinball.

There is only so many pinball games that will be sold over the next 10 years, and I don't think any of the current pinball suppliers can say they will be the leader without any doubt in 10 years. There is a lot of innovation that can happen in pinball, and the company that embraces that could run away with loyalty. Sorry by Stern is not pushing this thing down the road, they're standing pat. We'll see if a company like Deep Root actually changes the game, even they do things can change fast. Looks like JJP will embrace standard games only, making more games than in the past, and getting into cheaper pricing. As they're figure out how to mass produce they could take it over... because Stern is getting worse with effort not better.

Lifestyle?

When I want to actually appear "less cool" out in public, I choose pinball apparel.

Just don't be like Gibson Guitars. What a sh*tshow that turned into.

Love pinball, but definitely don't live the "lifestyle"

Pinball is old school too much innovation and it is no longer pinball think virtual pinball

I wonder if this "lifestyle brand" will be discussed in one of the chapters of their coffee table book....

Gimme a break... marketing wank...ugh.

Pinball/ arcade lifestyle and or hobby is popular.

Stern is a part of that. No doubt.

I'm listening to pantera so I would photo shop Gary stern being spanked by Antoinette from Marco. He would be wearing a shirt that says "lifestyle brand" and smiling ear to ear.