Advocacy & Safety - Image of the Bicycle in Advertising

Is it just me, or are bikes popping up in ad campaigns all over the place? I'm thinking of the Bank of America commercial where the guy lusts after some bike and it follows him home, a la "The Red Balloon."
Usually, these are token inclusions, shorthand for . . . what? Coolness? Eco-responsibility?
Any other examples, or am I just imagining this?

In advertizing, the bicycle is a kid's toy, or something people have when they can't afford a car.

There's an insurance ad out there where the local insurance agent is riding a bicycle and someone calls out, "Still saving for that car?"

And in a very recent radio ad for a fast food, the dad keeps saying, "Are we there yet?" and the kid keeps say, "No, not yet" ... and then finally, after the last "Are we there yet?" the kid says, "If you say that one more time, we're turning these bicycles around and not going to [fast food place] for [new promotional offer]!"

And in a particular car ad, the car almost runs a whole set of cyclists off the road.

Wasn't there this Kaiser Permanente (I think...some health insurance company anyway) advertisement where they filled a stretch of the 101 hwy in California with bikes? That was way cool, and I really wish that was reality. The 101 full of cars isn't very pleasant.

there are a few more commericals with bikes featured as more than a toy. there is a volvo ad currently with a young woman training seriously on her bike while the family supports her in the car (changing wheels, giving her water,etc.). Volvo had another ad with a cyclist riding at night and the volvo was so "safe" that it didn't kill the cyclist.

there is a financial company (or insurnace, i'm not sure) with a bike race theme.

so, yeah, it's evolved into the mainstream a little more.

Over here, advertising for new residential developments (or 'planned communities' as they laughingly call these bedroom suburbs) always seem to feature happy, beautiful people riding bikes.

Avis(?) has one(ad) for their line of eco-rentals where the car goes by a bike and the rider does this
goofy flop over the bars.

What would happen if there was a Trek ad of a rider going past
a car wreck and making a goof of it ?

Avis(?) has one(ad) for their line of eco-rentals where the car goes by a bike and the rider does this
goofy flop over the bars.

What would happen if there was a Trek ad of a rider going past
a car wreck and making a goof of it ?

I would immediately search out a Trek dealer and purchase a Trek-branded item.

Before anyone else mentions it, there was the Regions Bank Bike Brigade. Regions used a green cruiser in their ads as an image of simplicity and a better way of doing things.

there are a few more commericals with bikes featured as more than a toy. there is a volvo ad currently with a young woman training seriously on her bike while the family supports her in the car (changing wheels, giving her water,etc.). Volvo had another ad with a cyclist riding at night and the volvo was so "safe" that it didn't kill the cyclist.

there is a financial company (or insurnace, i'm not sure) with a bike race theme.

so, yeah, it's evolved into the mainstream a little more.

Theres also an ad for some heart or cholesterol medicine that shows a guy out on his road bike as his exercise regime.

Its getting better, but there still are ads that show bikes as toys and their riders as losers.

If you're looking to be a trend spotter, I think you'd be ahead of the curve to say that bikes will be one of the next "cool things." With persistent health consciousness, plus $4 gas and climate change, biking will be one of the bign trend in the next few years. You heard it here first.

Urban Planners have been serious about bikes and pedestrians for a little while now, and we are just starting to see the effects in our cities. The fact is everyone using cars simply is not a sustainable practice, we can't keep doing it forever. Now that has become an economic reality as gas prices top $4/gallon and change is accelerating. There has been major growth in the building of bike ways and bike lanes (I question the usefulness of bike lanes but at least its an effort) in the last few years. LA, land of many freeways, even launched a cycling safety campaign with billboards and ad's on buses. There are just too many good benefits to cycling and intelligent people cannot ignore it forever; it helps solve air quality issues in cities as well as obesity and health problems, it saves money for families who choose to ride rather than drive, It reduces the number of people killed by vehicles, and it works well with a compact style of development that most cities are moving towards (rather than suburban sprawl which accommodates cars far more than pedestrians or bikes). Advertising will reflect the shift eventually, but they are people interested in the bottom line, not being progressive (unless being progressive makes money). Don't expect to see popular culture accept bikes for quite some time, I do believe it will happen eventually though.

...there still are ads that show bikes as toys and their riders as losers.

it's stating the obvious, but this would certainly be in the best interest of car and oil companies...

Are you kidding? Bicycles are #61 (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/61-bicycles/) on the list of Stuff White People Like (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/).

I've seen the ads run both ways.

As an underpowered, difficult way to get around (usually by the automotive lobby) and as a way to show a powerful alternative to the people trapped in the "normal" way of moving in the city.

I've seen it displayed as an "alternative" lifestyle, as an intelligent way "normal" people can get around, a way for "type A" people to assert aggression and as way for laid back people getting around on a relaxing day.

Then there are those ads showing the type A stud riding his bike that he hauled in the back of his truck, because he couldn't display his studdom without first getting to the place to ride his bike that could only be provided by the truck.

What got my attention on the Versus channel during the Tour of California that bemoaned how hard it was to get around with out a car. They showed some hapless schmuck in a suit on a bike that was too small for him riding in traffic, puffing up a hill and then pulling into a nice house in the 'burbs. I don't even know who the ad was plugging. Talk about bad placement and the wrong demographics...

Are you kidding? Bicycles are #61 (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/61-bicycles/) on the list of Stuff White People Like (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/).

:rolleyes:

What got my attention on the Versus channel during the Tour of California that bemoaned how hard it was to get around with out a car. They showed some hapless schmuck in a suit on a bike that was too small for him riding in traffic, puffing up a hill and then pulling into a nice house in the 'burbs. I don't even know who the ad was plugging. Talk about bad placement and the wrong demographics...

That add confused me as well. Thank goodness for the skip button on my DVR.

There's that dunkin' donuts ad with the guy riding his bike through the store. He appears to be an athletic cyclist, by which I mean a racer. I'm not sure why he's drinking coffee to wake up.

Bicycles are probably used to remind people of fun weekend activities. That's what I'd be thinking, but I'm not a marketing person.

What got my attention on the Versus channel during the Tour of California that bemoaned how hard it was to get around with out a car. They showed some hapless schmuck in a suit on a bike that was too small for him riding in traffic, puffing up a hill and then pulling into a nice house in the 'burbs. I don't even know who the ad was plugging. Talk about bad placement and the wrong demographics...

I believe that ad is for car insurance, what happens if you drive without it.

What about the egg ones showing a n egg running a race and riding a bike, then at the end it breaks open to show the athlete, cute but dumb.

In advertizing, the bicycle is a kid's toy, or something people have when they can't afford a car.



There is another image that cycling represents... a carefree lifestyle. Bikes are used to represent such an image, just as sailboats are used to project a similar laid back image. But like sailboats, bicycles are also a minority in actual use.

I've seen television commercials prominently featuring bicycles for both herpes and hemorrhoid medication. I guess the message there is bicycles are potential torture devices for the non-medicated/cured.

Al

Don't forget Flomax, showing a bunch of geezers riding bikes and paddling kayaks as they engage in good-natured ribbing about how they used to piss their pants before they asked their doctors if Flomax was right for them.

Are you kidding? Bicycles are #61 (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/61-bicycles/) on the list of Stuff White People Like (http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/).


:lol:

and #86 should be "laughing at how white they are when they read this list". :p

did y'all forget about the credit card rewards commercial of the guy who doesn't have a bike but is running around falling all over with helmet and pads. my kids and wife love that one...