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Old 15th Nov 2022, 10:20 am   #1
David G4EBT
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Default Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

I mentioned in another thread that the Velleman Group (a Belgian company), which does far more than just produce electronic kits and modules, has decided to re-brand that strand of its business as 'Whadda'. In so doing, the product numbers have changed, so for example, the popular K7000 mini-kit signal tracer/injector, which has featured in several forum threads over the years, and amplifier is now WSM17000.

They've created a transition list showing the old and new product codes, which is searchable, so if you type in the old kit number it will give the new number, or you can just scroll down the list:

https://whadda.com/product-transition-list/

In 2007 ESR Electronic Components Ltd became the sole independent UK retailer for Velleman, and stock the full range of their kits and modules, (though there are other UK suppliers, such as Quasar Electronics):

https://www.esr.co.uk/shop/contents/...__Modules.html

The kits have increased in price considerably this last two years - perhaps due in part to the poor exchange rate of the £GBP/Euro. The K7000 (as was) signal injector/tracer used to be £7.00ish but is now £12.34. That said, whilst it's true that a simple injector/tracer can be built for less, for novices it's a simple well proven kit to build and use. The only shortcoming is that because the amplifier and injector aren't separately switched, there is some breakthrough if the injector tone when using the tracer amplifier. It's no big deal.

One thing I've noticed, is that you whereas could view the full manual for each module without buying the kit, not now it seems.

Hope that might be helpful.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 11:01 am   #2
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Thanks David.

Why change such a well-known and reputable name to something new and childish-sounding though?!

And why re-number everything?

I hope I'm not right, but this kind of thing can be a last gasp before a company goes under.

Cheers,

Nick.

P.S. The "Cebek" stuff is good and more affordable: https://esr.co.uk/cebek/index.htm
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 12:21 pm   #3
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

You could be right, though I sure hope you're not. There's a new director (who had no experience in the electronic field whatsoever), I think for a year now, and at least one of their travelling salesmen went home with a burnout... They're also branching out in reselling somewhat decent Chinese tat under the Perel brand.

Also, Whadda was supposed to be easier to pronounce in other languages, but in English for some reason it reminds me of the well known expression of surprise "whadda fsck?", just as Perel makes me think of peril....

Last edited by Maarten; 15th Nov 2022 at 12:49 pm.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 12:57 pm   #4
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

It's an odd decision. 'Velleman' is not a problem for any of the major European languages that I'm familiar with, particularly the Germanic ones like German, English or Dutch. Germanic names also imply good quality. On the other hand, the 'Wh' sound in Whadda is problematic in some places.

For a Brit, it's reminiscent of 'Whadda ya mean?' ('What do you mean?' with a New York accent).
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 1:14 pm   #5
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

They've thrown away a lot of favourable name recognition as well as starting out in several new directions - All at once.

This sort of thing sometimes happens after a company is bought out. It seems silly buying something and then changing the name, because the name and its reputation is a fair proportion of the value.

It often doesn't end well.

If in this case it stems from a new director at the helm, it sounds like he/she hasn't got much of a clue about what made the brand reputable. If they have no real background in electronics, then things are going to go downhill from here. The post office survived their Consignia moment, but that was because they performed an essential service. This may be more of a Ratner moment.

If it aint broke, don't fix it.

I've seen several cases where a new manager is put into a business, declares that his new empire is underperforming says "I'll change that" has a moment of supreme self confidence and gets stuck into sudden changes designed mostly to look like 'strong medicine' Having a lack of experience in that business segment helps with impelling the subsequent disaster.

I fear that there are signs that we're going to lose a source of fairly well trusted kits.

David
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 1:19 pm   #6
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Selling somewhat decent Chinese tat under the Perel (sounds like Peril) brand?

Oh dear, I hope that wasn't thought up.....

David
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 1:40 pm   #7
Al (astral highway)
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Interesting, thanks David. On reading the blurb in your link, looks my take is that they've fallen for the current obsession with 'stories' and specifically brand stories, which is an impact from social media. Companies in more and more sectors pay attention to whether top people are all over this.

They're suggesting that after twenty years that the kits have existed, hobbyists are suddenly now called 'makers' instead. Remarkable, since 'maker faire' events have been around for ages, and I'd prefer to self-describe as a maker than a hobbyist any day.

In this way they're signaling that they are trying to attract young millennials to gen Z to the 'brand'. As others have said, it's a foolish intervention by someone with no engagement will electronics. Reminds me of the last days of Maplin, when it became filled with consumer electronics and devoid of components.

I did find some kits handy in the past, before they became quite novelty-oriented. The electronic ignition module was a handy way to keep a clapped-out vehicle on the road for a few years. Oh well...

whadda-ya gonna do about it?
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 1:42 pm   #8
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

I made one of their Christmas tree kits with hundreds of solder joints to do. Great fun (thinking about it afterwards!).
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 2:33 pm   #9
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

They’ve changed the packaging to cardboard instead of plastic. It’s smaller and more easily stocked in stores with a pegboard rack.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 2:38 pm   #10
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Well, that bit sounds sensible, at least.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 2:40 pm   #11
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al (astral highway) View Post
Reminds me of the last days of Maplin, when it became filled with consumer electronics and devoid of components.
Yes, me too!

Having said that, CPC went in that direction, and they're still with us.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 3:31 pm   #12
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

As a former director of an international company operating in the electronics marcom sector advising companies on PR matters, I can say that there are several reasons why rebranding happens - and not always for the right reasons.

1) To identify a change of company direction, product lines etc
2) If something majorly bad has happened to the company giving them a really bad name, to move on from that with a new name, image etc etc.
3) The new owner's ego is such that they just want to stamp 'their name' on things.
4) A new 'whizzy' name that more reflects a modern company, the old name being staid and dated.
5) To distance the company from another with a similar name.
5) For a company being reborn following a crash.

And so on.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 3:43 pm   #13
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Whadda load of......

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Old 15th Nov 2022, 4:26 pm   #14
David G4EBT
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Velleman was founded as a family company by Koen Velleman in 1974 to produce electronic kits, and for almost 50 years has created a solid well respect brand image familiar to hobbyists, schools, colleges and universities in more than 80 countries around the world.

To quote from their website:

"Velleman - founded in 1974 - has a core DNA and heritage in producing electronic products and solutions. With a product offering of more than 15.000 products, Velleman is present in more than 80 countries and supplying high quality and compliant products directly to professionals and retail organizations in Electronics and Do-It-Yourself".

Unquote.

https://www.vellemangroup.eu/about-us

The say they've 'created a new brand', but they haven't. A new brand would be a 'start up' with different products aimed at different market segments and a different client base'. What they done, is to create a new unfamiliar 'brand wrapper' to wrap around the existing well known Velleman brand, in so doing, masking the goodwill associated with that brand.

In doing that, they've forgotten what made them famous and by re-branding now have to promote the new name, which will divert internal marketing resources. I wonder if they did any market research before they went off on this frolic? 'Whadda' has hardly taken the market by storm - the brand name was introduced two years ago, and even now, suppliers of kits now refer to them not as 'Whadda' but as:

https://quasarelectronics.co.uk/Cate...butor-stockist

Thats right - not 'Whadda' but 'Velleman Whadda' Electronic Kits & Modules.

So, if you take away 'Whadda' you're left with the company name that the market has come to know and is familiar with.

But take 'Velleman' away and you're left with an enigma - not a brand.

Oh well, good to know that Velleman are still very much in business and their kits are still available.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 4:35 pm   #15
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

To help decide, there's always one of these:

http://www.velleman.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p61.html

Lawrence.
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 5:33 pm   #16
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

It's completely illogical.
I can't see any reason to want to change the business name from an easily recognised and well respected one to that awful one. Brand image, I think not. What were they thinking?

Regards,
Symon
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 5:35 pm   #17
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ms660 View Post
To help decide, there's always one of these:

http://www.velleman.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p61.html

Lawrence.


Symon
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 5:43 pm   #18
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Two things to say...
"KISS: Keep it simple stupid" and "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 5:45 pm   #19
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Philips210 View Post
It's completely illogical.
I can't see any reason to want to change the business name from an easily recognised and well respected one to that awful one. Brand image, I think not. What were they thinking?

Regards,
Symon
It's all too common. Think of the mobile phone providers.

But remember the outcry when Royal Mail wanted to become Consignia?
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Old 15th Nov 2022, 7:11 pm   #20
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Default Re: Velleman kits & modules - transition to Whadda brand.

This is a real shame. I have often used odd bits of Velleman kits in conjunction with my own projects, simply because I needed a PCB that was ready-made & that I could adapt in a few minutes, to do something else.

I've also used their amplifier kits in electronic organs, & they have proved incredibly reliable.
I do hope they keep to what they were very good at.
I certainly did not know that the name had changed.

There was another organisation that churned out small kits very similar to the Velleman, but aimed more at the educational market. They were backed up by Trent Park University, & sold through Maplin. Now all gone of course. I used to buy some of these in quantity for specific projects, where it wasn't worth making a one-off board. These were also of excellent quality, & fantastic value for money.

David.
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