Roadtreking becomes RVLifestyle

[gregmchugh]

It is official

https://rvlifestyle.com/announcement...-rv-lifestyle/

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

It is official

https://rvlifestyle.com/announcement...-rv-lifestyle/

Thanks for sharing...

I'm confused. For almost a decade they have been riding around extolling the virtues of the Roadtreks they have 'owned' YET the moment the FREE Roadtrek is not an option they turn it in FAST? Why did they not simply buy it and actually use it for more than one year like every other owner?

We're not sure. We're shopping. We've considered getting a unit from a rental fleet to use for awhile. Maybe we'll buy another used RV. Maybe we can find a way to, gulp, purchase a new one. Or maybe we'll become brand ambassadors for another company.

Gone Too Soon - Complete Tour of Our New Ultimate Class B RV | 2018 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL

Jen Was Finishing The 17 Ways She Personalized and Modded Their New RV - When They 'Chose' to Give It Back to EHG NA

Mike Has An Interesting Background



Update: The comments below are directed to anyone involved in taking EHG NA funds in a criminal act and potentially causing harm to those innocent workers in Kitchener.

I will guarantee we will be seeing charges / language like this in a future announcement from EHG NA
In contract law, unjust enrichment occurs when one person is enriched at the expense of another in circumstances that the law sees as unjust.[1] Where an individual is unjustly enriched, the law imposes an obligation upon the recipient to make restitution, subject to defences such as change of position. Liability for an unjust (or unjustified) enrichment arises irrespective of wrongdoing on the part of the recipient. The concept of unjust enrichment can be traced to Roman law and the maxim that "no one should be benefited at another's expense": nemo locupletari potest aliena iactura or nemo locupletari debet cum aliena iactura.

[AlexJ]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

It is official

https://rvlifestyle.com/announcement...-rv-lifestyle/

So odds are they'll be next seen in a rental fleet used Advanced RV.

[gregmchugh]

Let the comments from those who don’t like Mike Wendland begin...

Not sure about the dislike for Jennifer however, what did she ever do to generate such animosity?

Maybe you don’t like their style but given that their Facebook group and their business seems to be very successful (at least successful enough to support their RV life and a house in Michigan and a condo in Florida), I wonder if some of this is just sour grapes. They spend a lot of time on this business and they seem to enjoy it so more power to them.

Has Mike always made it obvious on his various internet sites that they are being well compensated from Roadtrek? Maybe not at first but long ago he made it clear and it was well known that he was being compensated for doing what was clearly Public Relations work for Roadtrek.

Has he been heavy handed in his moderation of his Facebook group? He was in the past but not so much in the last couple years. It is pretty clear what you can post on his group and what you can’t but separate Roadtrek and Hymer owner groups allow open dialogue about issues and difficulties which you won’t find on Mike’s group. But, it is his group and his business and he can control it as he sees fit just like other group owners who have also been known to rule with an iron fist anyone who they don’t like (I have only been ejected from 2 Facebook groups and now only one where I am still blocked, Mike allowed me back in and the one where I am still blocked will remain nameless )

Bottom line is that he is running a business and needs sponsors to make it a viable so I wish him well in finding a replacement for Roadtrek as a major sponsor of his business...

[B Eventually]

Originally Posted by AlexJ

So odds are they'll be next seen in a rental fleet used Advanced RV.

Except that ARV already has more business than they can handle, so I'm not sure there's much benefit in that arrangement for ARV.

Also, showcasing the benefits of the RV Lifestyle in a 3-400k RV feels a little ridiculous. I love that ARV exists and I even got a chance to tour one in a Walmart parking lot once, but they're not for everyone.

[B Eventually]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Bottom line is that he is running a business and needs sponsors to make it a viable so I wish him well in finding a replacement for Roadtrek as a major sponsor of his business...

His post makes it clear he's targeting the B-life and #vanlife markets with a little small RV thrown in the mix. If he's balking at today's prices, I was thinking he should consider a compact Class C. But then he wouldn't be able to target the lucrative B/Vlife segments.

[booster]

I think that early on, Mike was pretty much in the pocket of Roadtrek and "encouraged" to address, or attack depending on your interpretation, any and all comments that weren't Roadtrek friendly. It wasn't just him, but also the other ambassadors and some Roadtrek employees. Not Mike, but the others were on this forum for a while doing their duty.


I think he has just realized over time, and maybe because of how the


other RV sites have managed to weave through the system of sponsorships, that he needed to be less tied to a particular brand. I think he has done that slowly over the years, and the Roadtrek loss of market over the last couple of years, and now the scandal, just accelerated things.



Early on, I didn't care for how he did things, but now he is not really much off of the other RV sites, so not a big deal for me. I don't often go to his site or watch his stuff, because lifestyle and social topics aren't particularly my interest, but no complaints of how he is doing it now.


I also would predict he is likely to wind up in an ARV rental, probably retrofitted to what he needs to a degree and probably at a reduced rate.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Let the comments from those who don’t like Mike Wendland begin...

Not sure about the dislike for Jennifer however, what did she ever do to generate such animosity?

I think almost 7-years in, you can't separate the actions of Mike from Jen. They were both Ambassadors for Roadtrek and up to 2017 always used the term 'own / our Roadtrek'. I see no animosity but I do see Jen as a contributor to the confusion about their 'special relationship' with Roadtrek over 5-years.

I had no idea they were being given FREE unlimited use of a $150K+ Roadtrek. As a former senior leader in several Fortune 500 companies, this is considered a 'material fact' and should have been disclosed on each and every video / communication. It was not until recently.

My beef with Mike is clear - He Was A Journalist and Knows Better

Journalist know when they are reviewing or commenting on a product / story where they are getting compensation / enrichment from that manufacturer OR have a personal conflict (reporting on a family member for example), they should disclose that benefit/material fact in the article each and every time to provide context to their content and commentary to the viewing audience.

Auto journalist disclose when manufacturers send them to new car launches, YouTubers disclose when they free review products from Amazon, as do many others who are professional journalists. When CNN reports on a Time Warner story, they clarify the relationship (parent company) each and every time.

@gregmchugh It is not about not liking Mike and Jen but concern that they present themselves as independent agents yet are receiving substantial compensation from an RV manufacturer, reviewing other brands / products, and not clearly disclosing that material fact each and every time.

I applaud Winnebago for not letting them review their Revel. They recognized a potential conflict of interest and acted properly. It speaks volumes.

Back to our regular programming... Have a great week.

[booster]

All you need to do is look for "reviews and ratings" for any product you want, and you will get a Google list a mile long. Almost all portray themselves as impartial reviewer sites, but nearly all also link the reviewed products to specific vendors or manufacturers. What are the odds that all of the top 25 toasters are available at a particular vendor? Of course they are getting spiff on each referral, and it is nearly never stated.


This is the way of the internet these days, so it is always best to assume that anyone recommending a product may be biased, until you know otherwise.

[mumkin]

Thanks for the links Greg.

I haven't noticed negative comments about Jen in the past. She seems so innocuous to me. Plenty on his moderation of the FB page (where I too was banned merely for reporting that probably the first lithium system out of the factory was totally dead after 10 days... and it was just a plea for help on the weekend... where I got yelled at by Hammill and banned/deleted by Mike's mods.)

I do and will continue to check out his video reviews. A shame they couldn't have just purchased that new rig that they just got in December. It is a beauty.

Wonder if the Russos will also lose their rig. The Carey's rig was theirs before they were hired... so at least they are a bit protected.

[ClassB4Me]

I got yelled at by Hammill and banned/deleted by Mike's mods

At least two regulars here banned from Mike's site?

This Mike guy sounds like a tough Sheriff with a couple of Deputies (moderators) determined to kick the 'baddies' out of town. That Hammill guy sounds like the wealthy business owner who owns the town and the police force.


One 'false comment' and you'll get blasted out of my site, get'em fellas

[Bruceper]

So how many years were they violating Youtube policies?

Originally Posted by https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/154235?hl=en

You may include paid product placements, endorsements, or other content that requires disclosure to viewers ("Paid Promotion") in your video content. If you do, we require you to notify YouTube by checking the "video contains paid promotion" box in your Advanced Settings using the instructions below.

All Paid Promotion needs to conform to our Ad Policies. In addition, creators and brands are responsible for understanding and complying with their legal obligations to disclose Paid Promotion in their content, including when and how to disclose and to whom to disclose (so be sure to check and comply with your legal obligations).

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

I got yelled at by Hammill and banned/deleted by Mike's mods

At least two regulars here banned from Mike's site?

This Mike guy sounds like a tough Sheriff with a couple of Deputies (moderators) determined to kick the 'baddies' out of town. That Hammill guy sounds like the wealthy business owner who owns the town and the police force.


One 'false comment' and you'll get blasted out of my site, get'em fellas

Many of the original members of the Roadtrek Owners Group on Facebook were kicked out of Mike’s group or left because of the limits on discussion topics. I never had an issue with the limits on negative comments, his group, his rules. I got kicked out for something posted here that was a humorous comment that was presented to him as a serious comment by one of the several people who were here monitoring the discussions and reporting back to Mike. I did have an issue with the way he and his moderators used to run his group with lots of derisive comments and quick ejections. Still a little of that but not like it used to be.

[Viperml]

They are nothing but beggars.
They had a chat today where it was a live chat where you can you ask them a question about anything. So i asked them which rv companies are they going to solicit to become ambassadors for. They immediately put me in timeout and deleted my question.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Viperml

They are nothing but beggars.
They had a chat today where it was a live chat where you can you ask them a question about anything. So i asked them which rv companies are they going to solicit to become ambassadors for. They immediately put me in timeout and deleted my question.

Did you really expect him to answer that question?

[B Eventually]

Originally Posted by Viperml

They are nothing but beggars.
They had a chat today where it was a live chat where you can you ask them a question about anything. So i asked them which rv companies are they going to solicit to become ambassadors for. They immediately put me in timeout and deleted my question.

Heh heh, that's how you know he has a background in the media.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by B Eventually

Heh heh, that's how you know he has a background in the media.

Funny that Mike Wendland thinks his old name "Roadtreking" made others suspicious that he held a pro-Roadtrek bias, but thinks that replacing his van with one under a sponsorship from another maker and changing his blog name will suddenly make him be seen as impartial? I think this insults the inteligence of his audience.
.

[booster]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Funny that Mike Wendland thinks his old name "Roadtreking" made others suspicious that he held a pro-Roadtrek bias, but thinks that replacing his van with one under a sponsorship from another maker and changing his blog name will suddenly make him be seen as impartial? I think this insults the inteligence of his audience.
.

He probably figures a lot of people remember early on when he did seem to be a lot closer to Roadtrek and doing some of their bidding and censoring. I doubt he will make that mistake again, but who knows if it will change the perception, or not.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

It is official

https://rvlifestyle.com/announcement...-rv-lifestyle/

Thanks Greg - for posting this link. From reading it I get a real sense that the Wendlands are doing damage control to protect their brand that is more important to them than a shaky future with Roadtrek. The text below from Mike's comments clearly shows that Hymer NA was changing their deal with likely less favorable terms...

"In response to the financial downturn Hymer of North America has announced, the company has begun a strict cost-cutting program that changed some of the terms of our old sponsorship agreement. While they asked us to sign a new agreement two weeks ago, we chose to take the ultimate step in completing our branding change by removing ourselves as Roadtrek's on-the-road ambassadors and returning the latest vehicle they provided."

[Chris Hayden]

I like to watch their videos. Sometimes they have some very helpful content, however, it never sat well with me that they didn't disclose their free vehicles from RT.
I like to watch Jennifer's body language on their live chats when Mike gets a super chat donation or pitches one of his ebooks that he charges for (I think that there are some ebooks he gives away too). She squirms around and is obviously uncomfortable with his reactions to getting tips etc on the super chats.

Anyway, I wish them the best and hope the new business model works out well for everyone involved including us viewers. I have a suspicion that they may be looking into a B+ to replace the RT. Paging Dean from LTV!

Have a wonderful day and stay warm, summer is coming!