Dorel plays it safe with Schwinn’s big campaign
Posted on 21. Apr, 2010 in Bike industry, Marketing
There’s a palpable optimism in the bike industry, and much of it is due to a belief in the bicycle as a instrument for positive social change. But in the most ambitious mainstream advertising campaign in the industry’s recent history, that sense of activism is nowhere to be found.
On the website for its clever People For Bikes campaign (sign the pledge!), Bikes Belong – the industry’s sponsored lobbying and advocacy organization – says, “Bikes keep us healthy, carry us from point A to point B, save us from high gas prices, and make our air cleaner and our roads less congested.”
But Schwinn and its parent company, Dorel, apparently aren’t trying to change the world. Says Andrew Coccari, Chief Marketing Officer for Dorel Recreational/Leisure, “Our core message is that life is hectic and stressful, and Schwinn products are designed to help you get back on a slower track, enjoying time with family and friends in a healthful and restorative activity.”
Within this vision of bicycling, there’s nothing wrong with hopping in the Hummer and drive half-a-mile to pick up a carton of milk. But then again, Schwinn isn’t your average bike company. Most of its sales come from mass retailers like Wal-Mart; IBDs (bike shops) are a smaller part of its business, even if Dorel is planning to increase it.
But getting back to the ads – which will run in magazines like Parenting and on cable TV – they’re pretty good. Dorel and their agency, Cossette New York, have clearly done their homework. The campaign is targeted at women 25-54 because, according to Coccari, “while purchase decision and ability to really connect with family aren’t feelings exclusive to women, women are the chief purchasing officer of the family.” If that’s the goal, I can see an ad like this working pretty well.
The online portions are weaker, in my opinion. RideSchwinn.com shows the brand’s entire line but some models fall outside the whimsical, nostalgic, suburban nature of the campaign – i.e. the fixies are out of place. The “Bike Finder” could be a lot simpler. Social media links are out of date and off-topic; the latest blog post is from November 2008 and the YouTube channel is focused on electric bikes.
Still, it’s a solid campaign overall, even if it’s not exactly the bicycle revolution dreamt of by many in the industry and the advocacy community.
