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2nd Annual SNOWCAT Coffee Mug--HELP NEEDED!!!

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
When we started gathering here it was pretty easy to make up a snowcat coffee mug because we had about 40 owners of Aktiv Snow Trac snowcats here. Since then we have gathered a bunch of Kristi, Thiokol, Tucker, Bombardier, LMC/DMC and other brand owners here.

So now I need some help.
I can make up a mug design that has 3 snowcats on it. Which 3 brands should I put on the mug? The majority of our members are Snow Trac owners, but the Tucker and Thiokol folks certainly have a strong following. Kristi is well represented too, but there are not a lot of them posting, but they still show up. And so do many other folks.

Here is the artwork for LAST YEAR's mug:
attachment.php


http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/attachment.php?attachmentid=3485&stc=1&d=1140723026

http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/attachment.php?attachmentid=3486&stc=1&d=1140723026

And if you have any 'line art' or if you are handy with photoshop and want to submit a design, or just a partial design then I would really appreciate seeing anything you can contribute.

To give anyone any ideas, here is a mug design that I made up, but never actually had made onto a coffee mug. I proposed the idea, but it was simply not implemented.
http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/attachment.php?attachmentid=3973&stc=1&d=1141391016


For graphic ideas you can see that there are 3 images side by side and they simply wrap around the mug. So if you have an image that you think would be good on a coffee mug, then please submit it to me for possible consideration. The images must be pretty high resolution and must be black and white line art. We can only add very limited colors if we want to keep teh cost down. If the image is not black & white, it is possible to convert it to black & white using special software, but sometimes the quality of the image degrades when that happens. I'm pretty much willing to try anything!

But I need your ideas! As always, all profits go to support the forums. And just so you know, these mugs, even if we gets started now, will NOT be ready in time for Christmas! This is something I work on in my spare time so they would be ready in LATE WINTER or EARLY SPRING.

:letitsnow:
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
Bob,
It should be time for an insulated thermal type travel mug with lid that can be used in the snow cat or in a vehicle. It could be used for hot or cold drinks. It should be at least 16 ounces so I don't spill any beer..........or hot coffee!!!!!
:myopinion: :my2cents: :letitsnow:
Bill
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I do like the idea of the thermal mug, but the cost would probably be $15 per mug, plus shipping (so about $20 each!) and the order minimum would be about 36 mugs. I'm not sure we can sell that many thermal mugs. I pay for all these out of my pocket and then resell them, the ForumsForums are not at any risk, but I personally don't want to have to buy 36 insulated mugs and then only be able to sell 3/4 of them. Plus, on thermal mugs, it is harder to get a detailed image or a wrap around image.

With a ceramic mug, the price is much lower and many people last time ordered several mugs so it was pretty easy to sell a bunch of them.

But I am certainly open to any suggestions and if enough people would prefer a thermal mug and are not scared away by an ESTIMATED $20 price tag, then we can go for it.

But I still need artwork suggestions!!!
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I would vote for: A Red Snow Trac, an orange Tucker443 steel track, and a J5 Muskeg tractor or Bombi in Yellow. The "Classics" in the factory original colors.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I can do colors, but it does raise the price a little bit. A 4 color image (black, red, orange & yellow) would probably raise the price $2 per mug in the small quantities we order.
Not sure I can have them climbing the Matterhorn. :hide:

The key is getting some good artwork of the other brands. I've got plenty of Snow Trac artwork but not nearly as much art that would be usable for other brands. I'm really hoping some of the other members will be able to pitch in with images that we might be able to use.
 

Vance

Member
Have you considered www.cafepress.com ??

I have seen them used with other ventures and it has been reasonable. Once you generate the artwork a virtual store is established and you can even collect a little profit for the site.

ymmv,

Vance

P.S. I like the idea of an insulated mug but don't see one there. They might be able to do it tho.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Vance, I've tried to work with CafePress, but they take way too much of the profit. If we do it on our own, like we did last time, then we get to give about TRIPLE the the amount of profit to the Forums. The CafePress people do a good job of making things simple, but they are not as flexible as some of the other companies. I have a small advantage in that my company works with some of the companies that make up logo-wear and logo-merchandise so I tend to shop around between these suppliers and then get a good deal for the Forums.
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
B_Skurka said:
I do like the idea of the thermal mug, but the cost would probably be $15 per mug, plus shipping (so about $20 each!) and the order minimum would be about 36 mugs. I'm not sure we can sell that many thermal mugs. I pay for all these out of my pocket and then resell them, the ForumsForums are not at any risk, but I personally don't want to have to buy 36 insulated mugs and then only be able to sell 3/4 of them. Plus, on thermal mugs, it is harder to get a detailed image or a wrap around image.

With a ceramic mug, the price is much lower and many people last time ordered several mugs so it was pretty easy to sell a bunch of them.

But I am certainly open to any suggestions and if enough people would prefer a thermal mug and are not scared away by an ESTIMATED $20 price tag, then we can go for it.

If you do the right images, :yum: or at least one right image. I would take several (6) of the thermal mugs. I would also throw in some of the investment money required for doing the thermal mugs to help defer your out of pocket expenses. Get an estimate on both and let the members (buyers) vote in a poll as to the type, quantity and how much they are willing to spend for a thermal mug or a ceramic cup.
:letitsnow: :myopinion: :my2cents:
 

Eric L

Member
Site Supporter
I'll vote for a Tucker as one of the images, and a commuter style would be more likely to see actual use by me. I'll take one of whatever style if its got a Tucker on it. Price is kinda a non-issue to me,10 v. 15 v. 20, I realize the limited production and the fact that the $ go to the forum.

how about pre-pay, maybe a discount for pre-pay? I've had to front money for t-shirt orders before, found it worked well to get a $ commitment before the order went in.

Eric
 

Ice Queen

Bronze Member
SUPER Site Supporter
I will add my two pence worth (I am English!) and suggest that a Military snowtrac would be nice - you would have it in black and white anyway!! Hope to make a start on the change to military spec on mine this winter - well we have no snow to speak of, so I have to play with it somehow!
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
OK folks, here is a LOW RESOLUTION mock up of a possible mug design.

The real mug would look better.

The big problem with this design is the blue color in the Tucker logo, that small amount of blue will probably increase the cost of the mug by $1 each. I'm going to hunt around and see if I can find another logo from Tucker that will work better. Also, we will probably have to get permission from Tucker to use their logo and other images as they are in business and these images may have some copyright issues.

Again, this is just a PRELIMINARY LOW RESOLUTION mock up of what might be wrapped around the coffee mug.

I'd like your opinions. :hide:


By the way, DVDs are still available, about 1/2 of them have been sold: http://www.forumsforums.com/dvd1.html
 

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SNOW WOLF TRACS

New member
IF IT'S POSSIBLE, WHY NOT PUT ORDERS OUT FOR EACH ONE OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DESIGNS ALONG WITH THE PRE-PAY OPTION ? THAT WAY EVERYONE CAN GET WHAT THEY DO OR DON'T WANT. PERSONALY, I'LL PRE-PAY FOR 9 (NINE), CERAMIC, WITH THE FIRST GO ROUND NON-IMPLEMENTED DESIGN MUGS AND IF THE DESIGNS COME OUT NICE OF THE OTHER SNO-RIGS ON CERAMIC, I'LL PICK UP SOME OF THEM TO. 'BE FUN TO MIX AND MACH'EM!
 

alaska741

New member
Would it be possible to just put the word TUCKER in black on the pontoons then you don't need the logo.:my2cents:
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
Lets see, I have a LMC, VMC and Bombardier and no mug with a picture of any of these. I guess Bob is gonna make me buy another snow cat so I can have a mug and snow cat with a picture that fits.......:confused2:

Still think you should look at an insulated thermal mug for working guys that do not have a desk to showplace a ceramic mug. :whistle: The ceramic mug won't last long bouncing around on the dash in a work truck, on the shop work bench, or in the snow cat......:eek:
 

docmaple

New member
I JUST SAW THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE NEW MUG. I THINK IT LOOKS FANTASTIC!!!!! I'LL TAKE 4. LET ME KNOW WHEN THEY ARE READY
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Hey Bob !!

I have used up all of my old Snow Trac cups from last year that I got at the flea market . Launching them in my skeet machine and blasting them with my old 12ga was a kick :hide: :cool2: .

I am siding with Mtnflopper and think a Travel mug is the way to go . Maybe a logo of a Kristi pulling a stuck Snot Track while pushing a "lead sled" Tucker , would be a hot seller :5boobs: !!! A Kristi should be on the logo so when I have to go get parts for your broken down Snot Trac or Mtnflopper's lawn mower, you can use you coffee mug to identify me as I come back to save the day .:tiphat:
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Ok just because you are all being so damn picky about the travel mug thing :hide: I went back to one of the suppliers I've used in the past and came back with a lot of bad news.

On an insulated travel mug:
  • If the mug is STAINLESS STEEL the image wears off over time. The image is only available in 1 color ink (my sample image is 2 color). The image cannot "wrap around the mug" like the sample image I show above).
  • If the mug is PAINTED STEEL the image typically won't wear off, but we are still limited to 1 color ink, and also a very small image. (see the blue
  • If the mug is PLASTIC with a stainless interior, the image typically won't wear off, but we are still limited to 1 color ink, and also a very small image. (See the orange mug below)
So with a travel mug, we would end up with an image that is approximately 2" by 2" in total size. Whatever image is on ONE side of the mug could be DUPLICATED onto the other side of the mug, but we could NOT have a different image on each side.

So if you would like to pick ONE SNOWCAT BRAND, then I could do a TRAVEL MUG. The cost of a PAINTED STEEL travel mug, as shown below, would be about $12.50 (including shipping). The cost for a PLASTIC and STEEL travel mug would be about $15.00 (including shipping). Those prices would include a modest donation (about $3.00) to the Forums website. The prices are based on making 36 mugs, and honestly if we only choose 1 brand, then I'm not sure we could sell 36 mugs!
 

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Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
What ever happened to good old porcelin coffey mug? Think about it; any cup that rolled around in one of my snow cats would be unfit to drink out of after one season! regardless of wether it's beer or coffee, it's going to end up on the floor. I want a cup that I can hide my rum & coke in while I sittin at Big Al's shop listening to what he plans to do next to the Kristi/ converted space shuttle, or one that I can take to BP/Arco scheduling meetings.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Lyndon, from the practical standpoint, a ceramic mug is our best option.

We struggle with a couple problems. First is the low volume of production we need. Last year we sold 48 mugs. This year based on a lot of new members and additional interest expressed, we can probably sell between 60 and 72 mugs? Many printing companies want minimums of 72 or even 144 mugs.

Second is the risk-reward ratio. I make these mugs up and pay for them myself. I do it to support the ForumsForums (I do not own this forum website). I was invited here to be a member/moderator and I was given the freedom to start up this snowcat area. I appreciate the latitude I was given, but I also understand if we want these pages to remain free, then raising a little bit of money whenever possible helps us all. So I am willing to buy the mugs, but it doesn't do anyone any good if I buy $500 worth of mugs and only sell $300 worth of mugs.

Also, I've looked at places like CafePress, they specialize in low volume printing. But they upcharge so much that there is no room for profit for the ForumsForums. So while there is no risk with CafePress, there is no real reward for the ForumsForums website either, and that is my motivation for going through the effort to make things like the mugs & the DVDs available.

So we are back to the traditional coffee mugs because I just can't make a low volume travel mug work. HOWEVER, if someone else can find a company that imprints travel mugs in SMALL quantities with a WRAP AROUND IMPRINT then I will gladly do a travel mug! But I have not found a company that does BOTH and we need BOTH. So if anyone knows of such a company, please contact me. Bear in mind, we will sell FEWER travel mugs than coffee mugs, so I'd probably be looking for 36 to 48 travel mugs.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Re: "thinking outside the box"

Perhaps we should target a larger crowd. Is there anyway we can get our mugs in a Ski Magazine and /or a Snow Mobile Magazine? I would guess that a lot of Ski People, maybe even Ski Lodges and restraunts would pick up on them. More customers, more money. There's alot of Skiiers out there that wouldn't think of owning a Personal Snow Cat, but would consider buying a mug.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Does ANYONE have any THIOKOL logos or artwork that they can email me so I can work on revising the mug artwork?
 
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