Have you seen the latest TV ad from the "nations biggest cycle seller"

[Roadrider48]

The problem with most bike shops is that you can't touch anything for less than £800! Although obviously better quality merchandise it is quite often beyond a lot of people's means. It doesn't mean you're not serious about biking if you have a cheap bike. My experience of Halfords is that their customer service generally isn't great, but not everything they sell is rubbish.

 

[jonny jeez]

The advert simply isn't aimed at us.

I get that, but this isn't my point. I don't dislike it because it doesn't appeal to me. I dislike it because it perpetuates the opinion that cyclists are odd, aggressive, geekish, hardcore, road warriors. Oh ad while we're at it, cyclist don't get hurt when we drive them off the road into a ditch.

I'm thinking of penning a letter to Paul McClenaghan, which I know is a waste of time but it might make me feel happier.

 

[Roadrider48]

True! Cyclists are the underclass of the roads, according to most drivers. A big part of biking is just trying to stay alive.

 

[G3CWI]

A big part of biking is just trying to stay alive.

I am glad that you are not advising Halfords on the content of their adverts if that is your view.

 

[Risex4]

In my mind they could have written a fantastic campaign that built on this position and harvested all of those types that are smitten by the *idea* of riding but find all those "proper" bike shops a little intimidating or perhaps too full on for their tastes..

Of course they could have. The very fact that they didn't tells you all you need to know about the market Halfords are consciously catering to. The rise of the MAMIL market is reflected in the rise of the Boardman. A bit more serious then Halfords bikes perhaps used to be, but if Halfords thought for one second that the "serious" MAMIL market was they key way to go, we'd have Boardmans at 2-3 times the price already and floor space given over in store to match it.

The problem with most bike shops is that you can't touch anything for less than £800! Although obviously better quality merchandise it is quite often beyond a lot of people's means. It doesn't mean you're not serious about biking if you have a cheap bike. My experience of Halfords is that their customer service generally isn't great, but not everything they sell is rubbish.

I didn't mean to imply that Halford's shoppers are all casual non-enthusiasts. They just have a clearly defined target market of "entry" level which caters to the family orientated more. The Boardmans have started to tap into the "serious" shopper (and I'm not saying Boardmans are bad) but they still don't chase the LBS customer base in any serious way.

I get that, but this isn't my point. I don't dislike it because it doesn't appeal to me. I dislike it because it perpetuates the opinion that cyclists are odd, aggressive, geekish, hardcore, road warriors. Oh ad while we're at it, cyclist don't get hurt when we drive them off the road into a ditch.

Yeh, I get that.



I just think that for the people out there who are unaware of the war and that these perceived opinions actually exist (i.e the casuals/families), the advert is just a bit of fun and dare I say even a tad aspirational?

Is it a good advert for cyclists generally? No.
Is it a good advert to alleviate simmering tensions between cyclists and road users? No.
Was it designed for any of those purposes? No.

 

[Roadrider48]

I am glad that you are not advising Halfords on the content of their adverts if that is your view.

I am not in any way, shape or form advertising for Halfords! Just making a simple point regarding entry level bikes. I bought mine from another outlet other than Halfords.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

<snip> Why not just take what the advert was designed as " Everyone can Cycle" and light hearted.

It depends who designed it though, how they sold it to others and how any of them understand cycling in all its alternative glory and horror out there today.

To put your comment into an infrastructure context. why not just accept the green paint cycle lane down the dual carriageway as designed (even if as an experienced cyclist you know it is unfit for purpose and may well get you killed)

Top Gear and the Jeremy Clarkson pantomime persona are designed to be light hearted but many people take his anti anything non car as gospel, thinking and behaving to others accordingly.

 

[martint235]

I am glad that you are not advising Halfords on the content of their adverts if that is your view.

I am not in any way, shape or form advertising for Halfords! Just making a simple point regarding entry level bikes. I bought mine from another outlet other than Halfords.

I think he was referring to the bit where you said "A big part of biking is just staying alive". That may damage cyclings reputation more than anything.

 

[jonny jeez]

Really you thought all that about the advert. A little OTT. Why not just take what the advert was designed as " Everyone can Cycle" and light hearted.

Yebbut.

How can we hope to adjust attitudes in our country whilst still accepting clichés like this as "light hearted". How would we have reduced blatant racism (its page 4, I can play the racism card now I think) if we just accepted it, or sexism, or even more day to day issues like drink driving, smoking, speeding.

All had to start with an acceptance that these things were "bad", before we could even begin to make them socially unacceptable.

Look at this from another angle, fitness is good. Its good for personal fulfilment and its good for national interests (in particular national budgets). However, unlike swimming or running, cycling has additional, latent benifit's to the national economy such as savings on transport, infrastructure, maintenance...its no co-incidence that on a global scale, many large cosmopolitan cities now invest a good deal of time and PR in promoting cycling.

So why dont we invest time changing attitudes?...because we are still just accepting it.

Would we find it odd if an advert for speedo illustrated swimmers as safety geeks, or if Nike presented marathon runners as Hardcore yob's?

I have to calm down I'm getting a bit ranty, apologies

 

[srw]

Would we find it odd if an advert for speedo illustrated swimmers as safety geeks, or if Nike presented marathon runners as Hardcore yob's?

Whereas you find it offensive that an advert for Halfords presents cyclists as all sorts of ordinary people? Interesting.

 

[jonny jeez]

Whereas you find it offensive that an advert for Halfords presents cyclists as all sorts of ordinary people? Interesting.

@srw, it does nothing of the sort...have you read any of my posts on this? It presents them as the apposite, that is what I find offensive. If it portrayed them as ordinary people, like you and me then I would have nothing to be upset about would I now?.

 

[Archie_tect]

Have you seen the advert to the end srw?

... the grimacing, elbows-out, aggressive, smug, me-first portrayal of normal people cyclng isn't an image I would feel comfortable airing at 6pm on national television... but then I'm not an advertising mogul.

 

[srw]

Errr.... Yes. It's a clever mashup of preconceptions about professional cyclists with the fact that there are loads of ordinary people who ride.

 

[jonny jeez]

Errr.... Yes. It's a clever mashup of preconceptions about professional cyclists with the fact that there are loads of ordinary people who ride.

That's your view.

My view is its a clichéd illustration of damaging, stereotypical and incorrect views of the cycle fraternity that perpetuates the position that cyclists are odd, different and in fact as far from "Ordinary" as people may want to be.

Oh and its fun to see them crash in a comedy heap at the side of the road, lets try that at the weekend.

 

[Archie_tect]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2THe_10dYs&feature=player_embedded

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjRHS63K1aM

http://www.hembrow.eu/personal/bikevids4.html
Take a few minutes to enjoy the last link above.... bit different from the Dutch perspective... easier to recognise now why Halfords haven't got a clue, and what an opportunity they've missed?