Marketing the Message
"Marketing is just Sales but with a university education" some cynic once said.
Perhaps. But marketing, advertising and promotion are seen as critical to the success of modern businesses. The car industry, for example, spends millions each year to apparently perpetuate the myth that the car provides some kind of passport to freedom and romance, prestige and glamour. It is estimated that, for an average car, about £1000 of the purchase price is accounted for by marketing costs; and recently it was reported that the German car industry, particularly BMW, is highly opposed to the proposal to introduce electronic speed control in cars because "they see the image of speed as an important marketing tool".
Marketing is seen by modern businesses, corporations and government agencies as being critical to influencing public and personal perceptions. So why is it that in the cycling world we see so little advertising and promotional activity? At least part of the answer was given at a cycling conference in London held in May. Phillip Darnton, executive chairman of Raleigh and member of the National Cycling Strategy Board confessed that the cycle industry for too long has been a fractious, disjointed group. As a result the kind of piecemeal advertising activity that has taken place has had little or no lasting impact. He is coordinating efforts to bring the industry together to develop a much more cohesive, unified marketing approach to give cycling and the cycling industry much more public clout.
It is intended that the marketing plan - to be drawn up by London communications agency Circus - will create an identity that all cycle groups and organisations will be able to get behind. The logo and strapline will be used on company letterheads, cycling leaflets, maps and other material. The agency work is expected to take about three months and will be used to demonstrate to the cycling strategy board, the department of transport and key commercial sponsors just what can be achieved through the marketing of cycling.
The department of transport has provided the £40,000 needed to fund the agency research. It sounds a pittance when compared to the amounts the car industry and others make available, but it is hoped that the department will be so impressed by the results of the study that they will stump up the serious amounts of cash needed to implement the plan.
Stuart Andrews
