Time for a name change?

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Mike P
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Time for a name change?

Post by Mike P »

Does anyone else think that ‘Cactus World’ is an odd title for the journal of the British cactus and succulent society? It has a slightly 1960’s television show feel about it as in ‘Tomorrows world or ‘Whicker’s world’ and ignores the fact that a lot of its readers are probably far more interested in succulents in general rather than cacti in particular. Any plans to review it I wonder? Maybe call it ‘The journal of the British cactus and succulent society’ or something similar......?
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habanerocat
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by habanerocat »

Ha, that's what it was called, more or less.
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Acid John
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Acid John »

That last sentence sounds like you want a title from the 60's🤣
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Phil_SK
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Phil_SK »

The two-sentence penultimate paragraph of the editorial by Roy Mottram in CactusWorld 2006, 24(1), 4-5 sums up my feelings on this perfectly.
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
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Mike P
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Mike P »

Hi Phil
I will look that up if I can find it.
The suggestion of returning to a title which mentioned the society by name was prompted in part by a discussion over Christmas with a group of folk with no interest in Cacti and Succulents who felt the title Cactus world lacked gravitas.
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Peter
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Peter »

Mike P wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:16 am Hi Phil
I will look that up if I can find it.
The suggestion of returning to a title which mentioned the society by name was prompted in part by a discussion over Christmas with a group of folk with no interest in Cacti and Succulents who felt the title Cactus world lacked gravitas.
I tend to not have discussions about cacti and succulents with people who have no interest in cacti and succulents because I like to keep my friends. However, I seem to recall that the previous title perhaps had too much gravitas, was staid and off-putting and that something more embracing to a wider audience was needed. Indeed, some thought that given a more appealing title it might even have been possible to get it onto W.H.Smith's shelves (no, not top shelf, wrapped in polythene). Sadly, that never happened.

I struggle to think of another name - but what about - 'Have I got succulents for you !'
Terry S.

Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Terry S. »

I have never liked "Cactus World" as the title, but when it was introduced most people just though of all succulents as cacti. Now that there is a boom in succulents as house plants, it is the leafy types which are most popular and people realise that these are not cacti. So has the title become off-putting because it just refers to cacti?
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Chez2 »

I keep a few cacti but succulents are my main focus. Cactus world does seem very dated but the word 'journal' makes me think it may be a bit 'dry', something a bit too detailed for the average hobby plant keeper. I do read technical books from cover to cover but the word journal would still make me think twice.

When doing a re brand a lot of companies use something quite catchy so its memorable and a talking point. I'm not always a fan of this myself but I have noticed the younger generation who have recently taken up the hobby use their plants in a more playful way. They make designs and fairy gardens with their collections. The pots are often shaped like animals or are brightly coloured. If it was just for cactus and appealing to the younger generation I might have suggested 'Spike' as a name for the publication. I'm struggling for something to include cacti and succulents that strikes a balance.
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by el48tel »

Chez2 wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 11:54 am I keep a few cacti but succulents are my main focus. Cactus world does seem very dated but the word 'journal' makes me think it may be a bit 'dry', something a bit too detailed for the average hobby plant keeper. I do read technical books from cover to cover but the word journal would still make me think twice.

When doing a re brand a lot of companies use something quite catchy so its memorable and a talking point. I'm not always a fan of this myself but I have noticed the younger generation who have recently taken up the hobby use their plants in a more playful way. They make designs and fairy gardens with their collections. The pots are often shaped like animals or are brightly coloured. If it was just for cactus and appealing to the younger generation I might have suggested 'Spike' as a name for the publication. I'm struggling for something to include cacti and succulents that strikes a balance.
Rebranding --- an excuse for a PR/Marketing company to make a large sum of money out of the Society (and the last large sum spent on the IT system seems not to have come to fruition). the new name will be catchy and take us into the 20s, when ............. another re-brand will be required to take us the next decade!
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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Re: Time for a name change?

Post by Al Laius »

The point that seems to have been missed is that it is not Cactus World (two words) but was actually designed back in 2006 as CactusWorld just one word! Having the ‘W’ as a capital letter in the middle of the word was supposed to be the ‘modern’ part at the time. I don’t think that this concept really worked as everyone I know refers to the journal as 2 separate words.

The title has been discussed over the years and nobody has yet come up with a simple, snappy and up-to-date title that would encompass both cacti and the so called ‘other succulents’ though of course we all know that cacti are succulent plants :grin:

Let me have your views for suitable titles.

Al
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