Hm...
In response to the question, my answer would be no more or less than any other company, drum or no...
There's been a stigma with Tama since the 80's, more or less. 80% of their artist roster is hard rock and every kind of metal drummer, and many drummers who don't know what's what (when you start playing, for ex.) looking to buy a set of drums say "I don't want a Tama kit because all the meathead metal drummers play them." This stigma is something Tama has wanted to get rid of ever since they lost Elvin as an endorser.
Keep in mind, NONE of this has to do with the sound of the drums, which sound great, for the record. I've owned three kits and might get a B/B kit in a year or so. I'm on a Yamaha kick as of late, but I digress...
So, when Tama has artists like Stewart Copeland, John Blackwell, Adam Deitch, Alan Evans, guys who are not metal drummers by trade, it helps them present their image as one of "diversity". Genre diversity. It's a big deal that Billy Cobham is back with them; they have a face with which they can market "Star" drums with. Even though most drummers younger than 30 are saying "Billy who?" But anyway...
So, you can see when Tama lost an endorser like Joey Waronker, why they went apes*it. At least I see it, from Bill's story. Think about it from the other end of Bill's side: they're hearing about this drum maker and the artists on his "roster" are young drummers that they KNOW would boost Tama's image and, once again, reduce the stigma. See? We have young up-and-coming drummers playing our gear, not only these metal guys, and not only these old guys (it sucks to say, but people actually think like this about greats like Phillips and Aronoff initially, when it should dawn on them that these greats have been playing the same brand of gear for 30+ years so there's a track record of a drum company's reliability when you have less turnover). They saw Mr. Cardwell as a threat, and though it's a "David vs. Goliath" story at best, Tama was looking to see how they could gain competitive advantage. They have the leverage. They can chew up and spit guys like Bill Cardwell out without a second thought. Steal a couple of pointers to make our drums better, and there's no recourse. Even if Bill didn't show them his drums, you'd think they wouldn't eventually figure it out?? Didn't Tama just celebrate its 40th this year??
That's my takeaway from the GN thread. Bill Cardwell thought he had leverage when he was asked to be "AMG" to Tama's "Mercedes". He could've never worked on their terms, and would've just grinned and beared it and finish the contract had Tama agreed to his demand. Last I checked though, he's making his own shells now too! I could be wrong, but he may have bought a few Jasper molds as of late?
You can ask the same question of other drum makers:
Is Yamaha a bad company for ending their relationship with Sakae? Are they also a bad company for buying and besmirching the Rogers name? What it looks like they've done is: by putting really BAD gear under the Rogers name, effectively makes it a bad brand all around. Even the old Rogers drums that everyone fawns over, the hope is that it will stigmatize THOSE old era drums because what's being put out as new is crap. Same with Camco. Gibson tried to bring back Slingerland, but failed. Add to it, how much more resale value old Tama and Yamaha kits retain because there's that Camco/Rogers stigma out there....put out there by the very brands whose name they bought. Some credit due to Dunnett making George Way drums that actually respect and pay tribute to the old drum makers of the past. I know many probably don't give a wit about him, but to me the drums he's making speak volumes.
Competitive advantage, plain and simple.