Advocacy & Safety - Fashion statement

I wonder why you never see an unhealthy person climbing into a
new car in advertisements?

A beautiful car is nice, but I wouldn't trade a fine working human
machine that powers a bicycle for it.

After all, someone said that "all drivers become pedestrians, at some point or other." (Unless "Segway" has made it possible for them to quit walking altogether! :eek: )

Originally posted by Pete Clark
I wonder why you never see an unhealthy person climbing into a
new car in advertisements?


It's probably their first car and it hasn't had time to have it's effects yet? Seriously, I don't give a stuff about fashion, I just plain think it's evil and disgusting. And anyway, how can one tell a person's health just from their appearance. If someone had a look at my build, they'd swear I'd barely have enough strength to turn the cranks in the lowest gear on a 15% descent!

Originally posted by Chris L
Seriously, I don't give a stuff about fashion, I just plain think it's evil and disgusting.

That's the type of fashion statement that I like to make.

For the same reason you see tough guys smoking cigarettes in Marlboro ads, and why McDonalds commercials show healthy, slender people enjoying Big Macs. The simple fact is that any resemblance betwen advertising and reality is purely coincidental.

Do you really think Honda, Marlboro, and McDonalds would get together for a commercial showing a balding, overweight man scarfing down a quarter pounder on his way through rush-hour traffic in his Accord to the dead-end job he has to support his car payment/fast-food/lung cancer lifestyle? Add in some coughing and hacking for good measure, maybe a visit to the doctor that tells him to lose weight.

I really think that the best Cannondale commercial I could come up with would show our Mr. Healthboy (above) sitting in his car in traffic, smoking, looking generally miserable, when he looks out the window and sees a sleek, slender man riding by (on his bike) -- who is the same age as he is; their eyes meet for a brief second, and the look of utter envy in his eyes is impossible to mistake.

Originally posted by Matadon
I really think that the best Cannondale commercial I could come up with would show our Mr. Healthboy (above) sitting in his car in traffic, smoking, looking generally miserable, when he looks out the window and sees a sleek, slender man riding by (on his bike) -- who is the same age as he is; their eyes meet for a brief second, and the look of utter envy in his eyes is impossible to mistake.

That WOULD be powerful. I would love to see the add on TV.

As far as I know, though, I have never seen a bicycle advertisement on television. It seems they had some in the 1950's and 1960's, but not any more recent than that.

It might be useable as an anti-smoking commercial, though.

Originally posted by Matadon
I really think that the best Cannondale commercial I could come up with would show our Mr. Healthboy (above) sitting in his car in traffic, smoking, looking generally miserable, when he looks out the window and sees a sleek, slender man riding by (on his bike) -- who is the same age as he is; their eyes meet for a brief second, and the look of utter envy in his eyes is impossible to mistake.
Yeah, and the guy could be the same, looking up at his twin... :)

Hm, I haven’t seen any commercials for bikes at all. The whole branch would benefit if someone started. However, Crescent (http://www.crescent.se)’s magazine ads feature Göran Kropp (guy who biked from Sweden to Mount Everest, climbed it without oxygen and then biked back). They have styled him so much that he looks like a healthy supermodel (if that combination is possible). The message is hard to misunderstand – all you want to do is ride, ride, ride until you get as healthy and goodlooking...

Mongoose had some very lame TV ads this summer.

If governments were as concerned about citizens' health as they claim to be, you'd think they would run public-service ads boosting cycling (and other aerobic activity). Now, I don't watch TV so maybe I'm missing something, but the last time I did see any commercials, I didn't see any like that.

Edinburgh bikes ran an advert for a while.

picture 1 showed a flabby midriff with the statement "Bought a car"

Picture 2 a sixpack and "bought a bike"

V effective.

i have a sixpack but it's buried under a half inch of "insulation" :D

Originally posted by JonR
If governments were as concerned about citizens' health as they claim to be, you'd think they would run public-service ads boosting cycling (and other aerobic activity). Now, I don't watch TV so maybe I'm missing something, but the last time I did see any commercials, I didn't see any like that.
...which would probably make me buy a car just to be obstinate, remembering those now legendary ads from the Swedish state some 20 years ago: Eat 6-8 slices of bread a day. :rolleyes: :cry:

But I agree with your basic idea. If governments really cared about public health, they should promote cycling. Why not by building (and maintaining) bikelanes.

I hope we're not all going to wait too long for governments to promote cycling. After all, they care more about votes than public health, as has been demonstrated many times in the past.

Originally posted by JonR
...I don't watch TV so maybe I'm missing something...
You don't watch TV?

:eek:

You missed some neat advertisements by (Honda, I think) which promote "outdoorsy type stuff," in which people in Honda mini SUV's watch as some poor stiff does some extreme death defying
stunt in the great outdoors, after which they remark, "That wasn't very smart," or something along those lines.

You had to be there, Jon. I'm going straightway to buy a Honda, so I can be smart.

Problem is, the freeway is so crowded...

(Honda ran some magazine ads lampooning people who ride human powered scooters and such to work. Methinks thou dost protest too much...)

Originally posted by Pete Clark

(Honda ran some magazine ads lampooning people who ride human powered scooters and such to work. Methinks thou dost protest too much...)
I read in a cycling mag recently that there are now Bicycles with the Honda name on them. :)

Originally posted by Pete Clark

You don't watch TV?


He's not the only one. Too much to do outdoors here.

Originally posted by Matadon
I really think that the best Cannondale commercial I could come up with would show our Mr. Healthboy (above) sitting in his car in traffic, smoking, looking generally miserable, when he looks out the window and sees a sleek, slender man riding by (on his bike

On Cannondales site they have both road and MTB streaming video that is strangely close....

This Christmas, my mother-in-law told everyone how easy it was to buy gifts for me -- "Because of all that biking, his clothing sizes never change." My biggest frustration is that most people focus on cycling's obvious dangers, while ignoring its less dramatic, but far more substantial, health benefits.

Originally posted by Dirtgrinder
I read in a cycling mag recently that there are now Bicycles with the Honda name on them. :)
Don't get mad at me, Dirtgrinder, but my fire is up...

I saw a bicycle in Sears a few year ago during Christmas season that had the Jeep brand name on it. I also saw a bicycle in the thrift shop a week ago that was made 20 years ago by Nissan.
Dunlop and Michelin started their giant enterprises with bicycle tires in the 19th century.

If Honda makes a bicycle, it is only repentance, in my opinion. The sincerity of such, I am uncertain. :(

I suppose we should be glad that someone is twisting their arm...

;)

Back in the 70's , there was a brand called "Toyosha", they were made by Toyota !

I have a Kawasaki BMX.

I bet you do, Mike!

If you ever sell it, I will personally hunt you down and give you an
indian sunburn.