After an extensive google search, it turns out that Terri had the right train of thought. There is a fitness company called Orangetheory Fitness engaged in a guerrilla marketing campaign to raise awareness on their program. An innovative way to advertise some of their new gyms as they enter the market in the area. I am not sure of the effectiveness of the campaign. The bike I spotted was beside a busy road and not near any pedestrian (or cyclist) paths. Hard to understand the meaning of the campaign if it is not recognized. Of course, here I am discussing these bikes with my blog friends so I guess that they accomplished one of their objectives: Brand Awareness.
Still, I am not convinced. Reading some of the notes I have found on the net, the reaction is mixed. In some areas where they take their cycling seriously, this hasn't been well received. I read an article from Seattle that has some people complaining that the company is trying to exploit on the ghost bike theme where people leave bikes painted white as a memorial for cyclists who have died in accidents.
I would tend to agree with that line of thinking. If your intended market is people who are exercise and work out for fitness, do you really want to get sideways with them? Cyclists can be a very loyal, fanatical, die hard breed. Not necessarily a group I would want to cross lightly.
Speaking of lightly, I am on the road again in the morning. Heading out to the midwest for a few days of back-to-back audits. I am still way behind at work, but at least it's a change of scenery. Oh, and remind me to tell you of the dogs' adventures....
4 comments:
Great sleuthing!
I followed up on Terri's link too, and I had a similar reaction: It's too similar to the traditional ghost bikes left in memoriam. Rubs me the wrong way.
Strange marketing campaign. The bikes look like they're painted really haphazardly and they don't really point anyone in the direction of anything. You have to work pretty hard to get the marketing message.
I clicked on Terri's link too, and thought it was an odd way to campaign. But you're right, it's making us all talk. I can see how the bicyclist community wouldn't like it though. It does seem to take away from the bikes left in memoriam.
An interesting story nonetheless.
Ghost bikes are new to me - they have not made it here yet, although there are, thankfully, very few cyclists killed in my area.
It does seem to be an odd thing to use for an advertising campaign, especially with this extra background. Not sure I would give them custom, to be honest...
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