When I was in my early teens, a very large company name Coca Cola did something that they thought would help their slumping sales and market share. They changed the recipe for their flagship product. What had once simply been "Coca Cola" was now "New Coke."
Now, Coca Cola didn't just add a new product to their line. They replaced the original product entirely—the one that had made them a dominant cola company in the market.
The result? Their loyal Coke drinkers were extremely upset. As in, extremely.
But, the higher-ups at Coca Cola were a smart bunch of people. Rather than refuse to acknowledge the hole they'd just blown in their ship on their way to the bottom, they fixed the hole and righted the ship. It took them 78 days to commit to a full and complete restoration of their original product. And they made good on it. They re-released their flagship product with its original recipe. In a monumental twist of irony here, they renamed the original "Classic" Coke.
Sales went up. What had been a languishing market share rebounded incredibly. And Coca Cola has never looked back.
Imagine what would have happened had they promised to restore the original recipe, but still tossed in a couple of the newer ingredients. Imagine how their market would have responded to such misrepresentation.
Well, fortunately for Coca Cola and Coke lovers, they embraced the feedback of their loyal customers, which surely took some humility, and they went back to the original product. Not a slightly modified version of the original. The EXACT original. After a time, even the "Classic" title was removed from the product, and the "new" Coke product was retired permanently. Coca Cola was back, and everyone was happy.
It's important to note that it was the recipe that made the product. Not the can and not the label and not even the title. Changes in the makeup of the aluminum in the can would have been acceptable to customers, because those weren't the product. Changes in the branding on the can would have been acceptable as well. They were not the product. The product was what was inside. It was the recipe. And customers were loyal to it. And passionately, even fanatically so. And the Coca Cola company rewarded that passion with the product they loved—and stood up for.
Please apply this history lesson to your World of Warcraft product. You had a great game. You changed it and gave us something "new." But we don't like your new game. We want the original back. And we let you know we did. And you promised that you'd restore it.
Don't now go and give us a modified recipe. We don't care if you change the logo on the can, or the makeup of the aluminum, or even add "Classic" to the title. Just like with Coca Cola fans, these aren't changes to the product. But if you keep a few of the ingredients that you've tossed into your "new" product, you are not giving us the original product. And, just like the Coca Cola fans of the 80s, we will reject it. With fervor.
Be like Coca Cola. Embrace the feedback of your customers. Restore the original WoW. Wholly and entirely. Without regret and without contempt. Don't pollute it with bits and pieces of the version we rejected.
Just give us Vanilla. You promised. Please deliver.
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+1
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All this over a very rushed and unfinished demo? They're obviously no where near release ready.
Well said bro!
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Blizzard will never admit that they're wrong. They hate classic, it goes against their current vision for WoW. It's no surprise that we get this half-assed demo.
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lol i didnt know about this thread but i told this story in a different post. Great minds think alike
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Can't hurt to be clear about what you want, and expect.
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Blizzard ALREADY said that they're altering the recipe. This isn't speculation. It's the plan.11/02/2018 06:44 PMPosted by LokubiAll this over a very rushed and unfinished demo? They're obviously no where near release ready.
The time for passion is now. BEFORE they screw it up entirely. If you don't care that Classic is Vanilla, then you needn't be involved in the discussion. You'll get what you get and be happy with it. Nothing wrong with that. But the writing is on the wall, and it doesn't read "V A N I L L A." I reads " V Y N I L L A." And if we say nothing, then soon it will read "B Y N I F L Y." And everyone will have wasted their time.
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They should go back to putting crack in their drinks. Blizz is too busy smoking it all though.
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When I was in my early teens, a very large company name Coca Cola did something that they thought would help their slumping sales and market share. They changed the recipe for their flagship product. What had once simply been "Coca Cola" was now "New Coke."
Now, Coca Cola didn't just add a new product to their line. They replaced the original product entirely—the one that had made them a dominant cola company in the market.
The result? Their loyal Coke drinkers were extremely upset. As in, extremely.
But, the higher-ups at Coca Cola were a smart bunch of people. Rather than refuse to acknowledge the hole they'd just blown in their ship on their way to the bottom, they fixed the hole and righted the ship. It took them 78 days to commit to a full and complete restoration of their original product. And they made good on it. They re-released their flagship product with its original recipe. In a monumental twist of irony here, they renamed the original "Classic" Coke.
Sales went up. What had been a languishing market share rebounded incredibly. And Coca Cola has never looked back.
Imagine what would have happened had they promised to restore the original recipe, but still tossed in a couple of the newer ingredients. Imagine how their market would have responded to such misrepresentation.
Well, fortunately for Coca Cola and Coke lovers, they embraced the feedback of their loyal customers, which surely took some humility, and they went back to the original product. Not a slightly modified version of the original. The EXACT original. After a time, even the "Classic" title was removed from the product, and the "new" Coke product was retired permanently. Coca Cola was back, and everyone was happy.
It's important to note that it was the recipe that made the product. Not the can and not the label and not even the title. Changes in the makeup of the aluminum in the can would have been acceptable to customers, because those weren't the product. Changes in the branding on the can would have been acceptable as well. They were not the product. The product was what was inside. It was the recipe. And customers were damn loyal to it. And passionately, even fanatically so. And the Coca Cola company rewarded that passion with the product they loved—and stood up for.
Please apply this history lesson to your World of Warcraft product. You had a great game. You changed it and gave us something "new." But we don't like your new game. We want the original back. And we let you know we did. And you promised that you'd restore it.
Don't now go and give us a modified recipe. We don't care if you change the logo on the can, or the makeup of the aluminum, or even add "Classic" to the title. Just like with Coca Cola fans, these aren't changes to the product. But if you keep a few of the ingredients that you'd tossed into your "new" product, you are not giving us the original product. And, just like the Coca Cola fans of the 80s, we will reject it. With fervor.
Be like Coca Cola. Embrace the feedback of your customers. Restore the original WoW. Wholly and entirely. Without regret and without contempt. Don't pollute it with bits of pieces of the version we rejected.
Just give us Vanilla. You promised. Please deliver.
I remember that all clearly. Unfortunately those in charge at blizzard were likely born after that point in history.
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I would have gone with a George Lucas analogy. You could have replaced that entire wall of text with #hanshotfirst.
Coka Cola is like taking a shotgun blast to your teeth.
Coka Cola is like taking a shotgun blast to your teeth.
11/02/2018 06:44 PMPosted by LokubiAll this over a very rushed and unfinished demo? They're obviously no where near release ready.
And yet they announced a release some time next summer? 8 months give or take?
That's pretty close, and the demo is pretty far from right...
This post is pure GOLD. My only regret is that I have but one like to give.
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History repeats itself, over and over.
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11/02/2018 06:44 PMPosted by LokubiAll this over a very rushed and unfinished demo? They're obviously no where near release ready.
Yup.
Meh. Start your own thread.11/02/2018 06:56 PMPosted by JohnnyderpI would have gone with a George Lucas analogy. You could have replaced that entire wall of text with #hanshotfirst.
And video games are a waste of time. Both are beside the point.11/02/2018 06:56 PMPosted by JohnnyderpCoka Cola is like taking a shotgun blast to your teeth.
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11/02/2018 06:51 PMPosted by FoxkinThey should go back to putting crack in their drinks. Blizz is too busy smoking it all though.
Hah! That was great!
This is a phenomenal post.
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It's crazy. Coca Cola wanted to make their cola product more like those of their competitors. They lost sight of their roots. Of the passion that started it all. And it all went south on them.11/02/2018 06:53 PMPosted by ThermissI remember that all clearly. Unfortunately those in charge at blizzard were likely born after that point in history.
Let's hope Blizzard execs end up showing that they are at least as perceptive and reasonable as the Coke execs ultimately were.
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There are studies that suggest that gaming can develop some aspects of crucial skills. At the bare minimum, it enhances typing skills. It also exposes people to art and culture.11/02/2018 07:02 PMPosted by ClasicislifeAnd video games are a waste of time. Both are beside the point.
Coca Cola is one of the biggest reasons we became an obese nation. Imagine what would happen if not only your food became extra rich, but your liquids were too.
Yes, gaming can have the same effect, but it can also have the opposite effect. How many extra skinny gamers are there out there? I'll start you out with basically all of Asia.