How visible is ExplorOz on the road?

I see stickers occasionally Val. Last week driving around Bunbury there was a vehicle with one on the rear bumper right in front of me. Ours is only on the vehicle we tow with.

I quite agree; I like to see a bit about the member's vehicle and camper at the least. Sometime a question is asked and it is hard to answer without knowing if they will be towing and if so what. So before answering i look to see what they have, and more often than not, nothing about their rig is shown.

Motherhen

Val, you obviously haven't seen us on the road, on the front of the roof rack we have the windscreen sticker, (can't miss that) on the back window we have the little round sticker but on the spare wheel we have the EO Wheel cover, (it's the only one we could find that easily covers the tyre) can't be missed from either direction, that of course is on our Patrol, we also have one of the oblong stickers on the back of the caravan.
The last couple of trips we've been on we haven't seen any EO stickers around, earlier when we first joined up they were everywhere, I think a lot of the older members (not meaning age here) have left and it doesn't appear that a number of the newer members have taken up the practice of sticking the stickers onto the vehicles. The windscreen sticker is really hard to miss as is the Wheel cover.

Cheers

D

funny, i called in at a remote place called "Silverton" and it had a big banner proclaiming EXPLOROZ..... and members came and found me, i did not even have to look for them.......
hahahaha..

But in answer to the question maybe caps, beanies, jumpers ..... there is a lot of ways it can be displayed and a lot probally mean to put on the sticker but just never get around to it or simply cant make up there mind as to where it should go on the car, some people dont like putting any stickers on the cars at all.............. i must confess i kept forgetting to put mine on, and i have 2 now, until i got one off Dave and put it on at Silverton ........ 1/4 of the way through the trip ...
Joe

In 3 yrs on the road we met a few members. We met a lot of people who knew the site but weren't members. We had the windscreen sticker on the front and the round sticker on the back. I also have the T-shirt which I wore a lot when on the road. I have seen stickers on bikes and trucks as well. Must admitt for the number of people on here you don't really see that many on the road

Josh

Hey Val

Just shamed me into "coming out!"

We don't like to put stickers onto the trailer but perhaps we could make it something for the kids to get involved with, buying stickers from places we have been? Something to think about

Richard

Hi Val, I'd like to think we do our bit for EO promotion. The windscreen sticker is across the C/t tailgate, another round sticker on the pole carrier, together with one in
the Jack rear window, & the wheel cover of course. But I must admit in 40 odd k of
touring we have seen one sticker..on a Patrol in the Maritime Museum carpark in
Freo in 09. I'm sure Heather & John had one on their rig, at Mt Field ,in Tas earlier
this year. I'm in favour of a Members sticker, after all we are prepared to support the
site financially in return for what we take from it. I'm off for cover now, may be some
incoming missiles..:))))).........oldbaz.

G'day, when I remewed my membership a couple of months ago I placed an order for some stickers & still havn't received any, maybe they are in short supply. I like to show off "the badge". Recently in Sydney I followed a maroon 80 series with plenty of asian writing on the windows & a "badge"..... hoo roo

Hi John and Val,

A members only sticker is an interesting idea, I might put the question to all of the members in today's Member's Voice newsletter - thanks for the suggestion.

A bit over a week ago I walked up the main streets of Thargomindah and Quilpie, two of the main roads to the outback and desert, looking at all 4WDs and not an ExploreOz sticker in sight. I have never seen a sticker on another vehicle, nor have I seen an ExploreOz wheel cover.
I have stickers on windscreen and back window but no one has ever commented on them. But then, I have much bigger Angel Flight stickers as well and no one comments on them either.
May be there are more dreamers on this forum than we realise.
Kevin

G'day John and Val

You raise an interesting point regarding ExplorOz membership - promotion.

I have through the course of my travells, in and around the Pilbara but also on various road trips south to the big smoke, seen a few promotional stickers from ExplorOz, plastered on various vehicles and camper/caravans they were towing.

The stickers identify the the vehicle owner as a member and I guess only another actual member would recognize the symbol and what it represents, I spent a fair while talking with a mature age gentleman and his wife at the Morawa caravan park in WA's mid west region, the gentleman was the one who started the initial conversation ~ the ExplorOz ~ sticker was the catalyst.

The sticker in question was on the rear window of my vehicle at the time, we talked about Australia, Politics, Religion, the mid west wildflowers and the ugly side of society, mining and tourism. He then asked me quite as a matter of factly "How much do they pay you, to display their business" as he pointed to the new sticker. I of course replied simply with ZIP.

This made me think for a very long while about marketing and actual advertising of a product through membership, even membership to an organization as genuinely useful and possibly wholesome like ExplorOz.

I have always regarded this site as important for all of us who choose to add a little to the Forum or Blogs pages, there are some members who add an immense amount of time ~ passion and pride into their chosen subject, so its content comes across to the viewer, be they a named member or someone who Lurks in the shadows using a "stage" name, as some thing worth while.

But as I say, I thought long and hard about this "Sticker" and have removed it from my vehicle and caravan.

Why, you might ask, I ~ as a member ~ must not suggest or promote what might imply that I operate a business, this possible promotion goes as far as displaying images of my vehicle, which carries my buiness name and web detail.

I guess, I will have to justify opening dialogue with some one who has a ExplorOz sticker in pride of place on their vehicle.

Safe Travells :

I couldn't find a clean patch on the car for the sticker to adhere to.

Seriously though, I am not a sticker on my car sort of guy.

I might be tempted by a discrete brass and ceramic badge (like the old auto club badges that were affixed to bumpers).

Many years ago I worked with a fellow who whenever he bought a new car which by the way was as soon as the ashtray was full "debadged" the whole of the vehicle , asked why, his reply , " they do not pay me to advertise their product so why should I drive around advertising what I have paid for " ... nuff said , and then of course we have the stickers like graffitti plastered in iconic places declaring we was there , lovely ,,,,

Same story - I have 3 stickers on the car and camper - Never seen one on another vehicle on the road and in the park - Asked a few people on the CB Once and they had heard of or used the site but not members

Cheers Tony

Interesting that there seem to be 2 schools of thought here. Some want to identify themselves with the site and what it stands for. Some avoid,or even reject the opportunity to provide any endorsement. I see it as a quiet way of announcing my allegiance and maybe making the acquaintance of like minded others. Bit like wearing a blue T shirt in NSW, maroon in Qld!

The other view, that it is simply advertising, is probably pretty valid too. It really annoys me that a new car will leave the showroom carrying the dealer's stickers. Just standardized graffiti really spoiling a new car and no more attractive than that sprayed on "Wicked" hire vans.

I'm happy to be counted among the ExplorOz community and wear the club colours. Pity the ExplorOz wheel covers are so expensive. Troopy would look really good with one of those!

Gotta go, put on my blue T shirt and ask that big Queenslander how much they pay him to wear that maroon football top! Hope he's got a sense of humour!

Cheers

John

Hello Val,

Not trying to be an alarmist, you're wondering why more people don't put more info in their blogs.

I'm not a paying member. The only reason anyone knows I exist on site is because I post very infrequently. If I don't post, I'm a 'lurker'. What can a lurker do you may ask...

Reggo is
Nsw
Rki 361
You store the following at home
Communication: Codan 8525 HF radio, tapped antenna, GME UHF, Uniden 2W handheld UHF, mobile phone, am/fm radio. EPIRB.
Navigation: 2 x GPS, HP e-PC running Oziexplorer, numerous electronic and paper maps Acer Laptop. Compass.
Recreation: Sevylor 12 foot inflatable boat with MinKota electric outboard, Lumix FZ20 5MP and FZ50 10MP digital cameras.

If I'm even somewhat savory and tech inclined, you've basically just told me where you live and what you've got for me to take.

Blogs are great...but online security is better.

What about my wind deflector??? Michael

We've got the little sticker on the back of our Delica and I've been hanging out for someone to notice it. No takers yet. Obviously the country is so large that we are all moving in far wider circles than we realise - sharing the space, but not on top of each other.

Hi Val,

Had a sticker on the back of the Pajero and got one on the back of the Rodeo. I saw a guy with an EO hat on at a recent caravan show and I see quite a few travelling the newell or barrier hwy.

These 2 hwy's are the 2 most important roads in Australia as far as getting to a destination so they get used quite a bit by EO members.

Cheers Wilko

Hi All,
We are really proud to display our stickers and wheel covers in the hope we meet other members. Our car has wheel cover and the caravan does too and even on the work car we have a sticker.
Have never seen any on the road myself, (except up at the Wiluna National )but we did get spotted in SA once. Yes may be it is advertising but that only makes for a greater site for all of us to use. Its a great conversation piece and travellers often ask us about it.
cheers

Have only ever seen a handful of stickers on cars while travelling over the years but quite a few as graffitti stuck on tourist attractions. ("ExplorOz was here") Displayed mine proudly for years on the cars & even had one on the work truck but all have been removed now as the advertising on this site increased, the speed decreased & the visitor features reduced :-( I suppose it was my quiet little protest)
I think the vast majority of stickers handed out would never hit the back of a car as many would see them as just more advertising rather than being part of an organization. I still display other web site stickers & even donate funds to help run them but ExOz is a full blown commercial site so in some ways see their sticker as similar to one from ARB.
Having said that as the property officer I've recently slapped one on the Club trailer in recognition of being listed in the 4x4 club section.
Cheers Craig............

Gooday John & Val : We camped near some people last July at willow springs ( Flinders rangers ) they had the www.explore oz on there camper , we had a bit of a chat to them . As we walked back I said to the wife I,m going to put one of those sticks on "here" cruiser , she just looked at me and said JUST TRY . as she's got 20 kg on me I thought maybe not . but I do have the round ones on the camper & my ute . But like you I don't think I have seen many
cheers nick

I too have been mildly disappointed the number of EO stickers I've seen on the road or around town. I've lived in Katherine now a couple of years now, but have rarely seen the stickers. I have the windscreen banner on the front and the small rectangular one on the back. I get to pass the "i" car park sometimes a couple of times a day, but have yet to spot a member's vehicle. The build-up is kicking off so the number of visitors is starting to drop off now. If you spy me, say hello, after all that's why we fly the colours.
Cheers, AllanK

I had them when I was a member and travelled over 30,000k with the windscreen sticker on.

Did not get one comment or contact ever.

Broke the windscreen so never replaced the sticker.

hi all,
we have been away for 6 weeks in nsw and vic and still have not spotted a sticker or wheel cover.
I think when i get on the road, my sticker and wheel cover must go into a sort of stealth mode as well.
GeoffImage Could Not Be FoundImage Could Not Be FoundImage Could Not Be Found

People have approached us and said, 'Great to meet you. Are you the owners of Exploreoz?'

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I was too slack to renew my membership back in June. Pitty really I cant post any photos anymore. Anyhow we have a wheel cover on the back of the camper. Currently on the last leg of our out back trip. Havnt seen one cover or sticker.
On our way to a EO Easter gathering this year we stoped at a servo to walk the dog and I over herd a fella say to his wife as they walked past the back of the camper " thats those EO people I told you about on the internet". What he ment about that is anyones guess. My opinion is the cover says it all "we are exploring oz and damn proud of it"

Sharon
"Old Girl"