I am a huge C3 fangirl. Most of my throws are from C3 and I’ve spent a lot on C3 throws. I always recommend C3 throws and I always say good things about them. They have a great team and they make awesome videos. Anybody can see how great the company is. But I’ve recently come to realize that my brand loyalty was based mainly on the fact that I wanted to be sponsored by them. All the yoyos that I have bought recently have been C3 yoyos, with the exception of a Fiesta XX, and I’m finally seeing how much I’m missing out on. I thought that maybe if all I threw was C3 then maybe C3 would sponsor me, maybe they would see how dedicated I was to them. I also thought that buying expensive yoyos would make be a better yoyoer. I’ve come to realize how ignorant I was and how ignorant I still am. I’ve missed a lot of great deals because of brand loyalty and I’ve made some stupid trades as well. I’m probably going to be selling off some of my C3 throws because they don’t get the attention that they deserve. I’m going to start buying throws from other companies and manufacturers, a step forward into being less ignorant. I’m not posting this to get sponsored, I’m posting this because I’d like to know about other peoples’ experiences.
Brand loyalty is over rated imho. Buying from only one brand all the time can get boring and expensive very fast, I would know. By buying from only one company it means that you miss out on a lot of other great throws.
So, tell your stories of brand loyalty or finally getting rid of the ‘Get sponsored mentality’. Or just say nothing at all. Questions, comments, or anything you wanna say can be left here in this thread.
I like trying new stuff. I’m not really partial to a single brand. Plus, I figure if I want to be sponsored, I have to be at least as good as Kazuya (Man, that 6 year old rules!). So yeah, I’m pretty far off from being sponsored.
Kazuya is crazy good, both him and his brother are sponsored. But if a company wants to sponsor you, they’ll pick you up regardless of what yoyo you were using when you caught their eye. You just have to be able to use one of their throws though after you get sponsored:D
You can still experience many throws as a sponsored player. I know several sponsored players that will throw yoyos of other companies in their own privacy if they want to. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying what other companies have to offer so long as you’re representing your company first and foremost. I can’t speak for all companies but as a previously sponsored player myself I would’t say there’s anything wrong with a brand loyalty mentality while still playing with yoyos from different brands.
I don’t have “brand loyalty” per se. I own yo-yos from more than 30 different companies, American made, foreign manufactured, big companies, small companies…a diverse collection indeed. I have my opinions about what companies are performing well in different areas, but for me the bottom line is whether they make a good yo-yo. I participate in the forum, but don’t get caught up in, “I have to hate this company in order to like that one.” I’m just not that caught up in the soap opera of things to miss a good release due to any yo-yo drama. At the end of the day, I’m involved in this to buy and play good yo-yos, so my feelings about everything else take a back seat.
I will say that the company I have bought from lately, who has wowed me the most recently is YoyoFactory. They have been on fire from that Doomsday Genesis, to the H.O.T, and the Ricochet. Three great playing yo-yos. That Delrin Severe is another recent great one. There have been several hits, with no misses lately, so I like what’s going on. But, I buy what product interests me most, despite the brand. The companies I keep track of the most would be YoyoFactory, One Drop, YoyoJam, and Oxygene. By keeping track, it means I’m tuned in to recent news, Facebook and all that.
I have no comments on the sponsorship side of things. I’m just interested in buying good yo-yos.
Well Werrd are local for me, not even a 15min drive, and I like supporting local companies, especially ones that sell to the world. And even more importantly now that I’ve thrown some Werrd stuff… let’s just say I was pretty disappointed going back to my stuff, straight after. That said after that I grabbed a 2nd hand YYF and CLYW (see sig) and they’ve kept me happy while waiting for my POO (which arrived today, and my 86400 which I should have any day now.
Couldn’t agree more. I have no brand loyalty but the majority of my collection (as well as most of my favourites) are yoyofactory throws. I’ll be adding a new Superstar to that list in… 3 hours and 53 minutes. =D
Gotta admit that after purchasing my first Onedrop (Chik) I was incredibly impressed. I definately plan on picking up a few more of their throws.
Honestly, the basis of my collection was always to have variety. I really wanted to try and get the one or two throws from each that I really thought were the “special” ones, either because they were the top model in a rare colorway, or just because it was a yoyo where the manufacturer really tried something different that in some way defined the company.
So, I never really had much of an issue here. I’ve got a little something special from everybody and that’s how I like it. (this can still get absurdly expensive).
I think that’s one of the biggest downsides to being sponsored really. You only get to throw one company when there’s so many great different throws out there…
It completely depends on the sponsor. I know many sponsored players who own and play with “off brand” throws. They just train with and throw their sponsor’s brand on stage. They still have the freedom to play whatever they want. I remember Ed Haponik talking about how Steve from SPYY told him that he could compete using a No-Jive if he wanted to. As a sponsored player one of your major jobs is to rep the brand… it just so happens that some brands are cool enough to let you still be you.
I think most sponsored players play whatever they want to when not competing, being on contests etc. As long as they’re competing and making vids with their brand. A brand can always tell their players that they only can play their throws, though it wouldn’t work out pretty good, would it?
I don’t have a problem with brand loyalty. I like to have a bit of variety as well. If I were to become sponsored, however, I wouldn’t mind using just that brand when I’m out and about.
I thought I would chime in sice I am a sponsored player and could give my personal insight. I love deadly spins and that is one of my favorite brands but its not all I throw. I have about 60 yoyos and not all are wraths and prides haha. I own about 6 DS throws and that will only increase. I have so many yoyos from different companies and I enjoy them. I play whatever my hand desires to be honest. On a daily I usually play what I most recently got. My sponsors actually encourage us to play other brands and enjoy them. Why limit yourself to just using our throws. They’re favorite companies are others that aren’t DS. I however have a brand loyalty so I won’t record videos or compete (which I haven’t, NY states will be the first time) without using a DS throw. But on a daily I play so many other brands as well. Today ill be carrying my Ywet in my pocket. Doesn’t mean I don’t love DS, just need to play other yoyos.
When I first started out I was trying as many companies as I could. I was drawn to the smaller companies as I like the whole “home grown” “boutique” feel of a smaller company. I had One Drop, CLYW, General Yo, ILYY, Chico, 3yo3, Spin Dynamics, G2, C3, Deadly Spins, String Theory, Turning Point, Yoyo Joker, Yoyo Rec, and finally YYJ and YYF. I tried them all. I have gravitated to what I consider the “big three” that is One Drop, CLYW and General Yo. For some reson they in my opinion make the best yoyos on the market or shall I say make what I believe to be the best yoyos.
I also go through stages where I will buy a ton of yoyos then sell a ton too. Recently I went from 10 CLYW down to 3. Right now I have One Drop, CLYW, Spin Dynamics, YYJ and Turning Point in my collection. That could change though…
If you genuinely like a company’s products, I don’t think brand loyalty is necessarily bad. However, if you won’t try any other company’s products or accept that there may be a better brand, than it’s a problem.
i use to be only yyf for a while then branched to a hspin then exploded with so many different brands. some have stayed some have gone. while I was a huge trader I got to try a good amount of diffrent yoyos, and fine what I enjoy and slowly those yoyos are starting to keep a nice home in my case. still need some more but it’ll slowly happen.
Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel. I’m big on variety, I like that if I get bored with a throw, I have a bunch of awesome options available to me. I also like trying out new companies - traded for a DS Wrath recently and I can’t wait to try it, and I discovered how awesome G2 is as well. Havent tried any C3 yet, though I really want to. Same with RecRev, and XCube.
In regards to being sponsored, yeah I don’t think any companies care what yoyo you’re throwing when they discover you, it’s all about what tricks you’re doing at that point. Once you’re sponsored, I think the only real “obligation” is you need to use your company’s throws for competitions, and maybe to favor them in “public” like on the forums or at yoyo meetings, etc.
