Tristan Currie BA (Hons) Graphic Design 2014/15 How does the branding of cycling companies engage its consumers and determine its success?
Acknowledgments
LA FAMILIA ! !
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Contents
Introduction
1–3
Chapter One
4–9
Chapter Two
10 – 13
Chapter Three – Case study 1: Rapha
14 – 17
Chapter Four – Case study 2: Volero
18 – 21
Conclusion
22 – 24
Images
25 – 29
Bibliography
30 – 31
Illustrations !
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Introduction
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In recent years cycling has become more and more popular, having developed into a wide range of different areas, from downhill racing to family outings there seems to be an option for most people. Clubs and subcultures have developed from this too, who doesn’t have a friend, or a friend of a friend that has a road bike and goes out on routes with other cyclists? Cycling is more present in our everyday lives with 43% of the UK owning a bicycle (National Travel Survey, 2010). But what has made cycling so appealing? It is well known nowadays that big brands use branding techniques to influence sales and customer behavior, as Davis puts it, ‘In the 21st century, brands now play to people of every generation, social class and culture’ (Davis, 2006, p. 21). This dissertation aims to look at how branding is shaping cycling culture, through adopting branding and advertising techniques used by leading brands such as Nike and Apple to establish their identities. Taking a closer look at how brand personalities are built and how they are perceived by the consumer in order to succeed. Chapter one starts to look at what defines a brand and the importance of this to its success. Considering the various ways in which brands use branding to in order to identify their brand and make it distinctive. By looking at the works of writers and theorists such as Franzen (1999), Lury (2001) and Olins (2003) to uncover what is it that defines a brands identity. Explaining how big companies like Nike and Apple have used these branding techniques that use emotions and symbolism to communicate their brand ethos and shape the consumer culture. Chapter two explores trends, how they are perceived, and what makes them. Looking at theorists such as Maslow, Bauman and Raymond establishing a link between brand associations, trends and basic human needs and desires. Chapter three takes the form of a case study on Rapha, a successful cycling brand launched in 2004 that has become a leading brand in the cycling culture. Aiming at analyzing the role branding has had in shaping the brands success, by looking at how they used advertising and branding to portray their brand personality. Linking the theories suggested in chapter one to Rapha’s success in establishing a strong brand.
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Chapter four also takes the form of a case study, this time looking at Volero. A recent brand starting to emerge in cycling culture that portrays a defined view of what it means to be part of there brand and to be part of cycling culture. Focusing on how the brand has approached and established itself in this area by linking its product to a certain lifestyle. Also looking at how advertising and branding played a role in achieving this.
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Chapter 1
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This chapter looks at what the term brand means and how building a strong brand identity can influence the success of it. Considering the works of Franzen (1999), Lury (2001) and Olins (2003) in which they note the importance the brand has in using symbolism and emotions in order to create a successful brand. Branding, it’s everywhere, from massive billboards showing off desired lifestyles to branded promotional material by big brands such as Coca-Cola. It seems impossible to walk around without these brands continuously bombarding the population with their products and services. Lury states: ’Brands have personalities; they have and represent certain values. Brands not only meet our physical needs, they can address our emotional needs too. They make a statement about the type of person you are or would like to be.’ (Lury, 2001, p. 3). This said, what is a brand? A brand is often defined as a product or service supplied by a company with a distinct name, examples of brands like this are Nike and Apple. Two big companies that supply completely different products yet are both very successful brands. But a brand is more, it’s more than a product with a name, in an article written by McLaughlin for Forbes he describes the brand as so: ‘Put simply, your “brand” is what your prospect thinks of when he or she hears your brand name. It’s everything the public thinks it knows about your name brand offering—both factual (e.g. It comes in a robin’s-egg-blue box), and emotional (e.g. It’s romantic). Your brand name exists objectively; people can see it. It’s fixed. But your brand exists only in someone’s mind.’ (McLaughlin, 2011) McLaughlin argues that the name still has a role in defining a brand but its not everything, this is further backed up by Davis in his book More Than a Name in which he states that ‘The brand is the promise of something. That something is intangible; it could be a guarantee of quality, a sense of prestige, or of heritage’ (Davis, 2005, p. 16). Further backed up by Lury: ‘So it is clear that brands are much more than names. They are more than physical entities: much of what we see and value in them exists in our minds
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and not in the products themselves. It is our perceptions - our beliefs and our feelings - about a brand that are most important.’ (Lury, 2001, p. 4) So if a brand is more than a name as McLaughlin, Davis and Lury state, it can be said that the perception of the brand can also define what the brand is. Therefore the way the consumer interacts with the brand defines it. The successfulness that a brand will catch on depends on how it is implemented; this is done through using the visual aesthetic and the company ethos of the brand. Olins states: ‘Nowadays we take for granted that a brand will function as well as the best of its competition; when it doesn’t we ruthlessly dump it. The power of a brand derives from a curious mixture of how it performs and what it stands for. When a brand gets the mix right it makes us, the people who buy it, feel that it adds something to our idea of ourselves.’ (Olins, 2003, p. 16). What Olins argues that a brand can be established but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will succeed, branding plays a key part in making and defining it. Also arguing that when effective branding is used it adds something to our idea of ourselves. Big brands have been using this technique for many years to establish a bigger betterknown brand in which the consumers can identify themselves with. Various authors and writers state that successful branding depends on how the brand is perceived by the consumer, putting importance on establishing there identity and differentiating themselves from other brands. In Franzen’s book, Brands & Advertising (1999) he identifies a theory in advertising frameworks called the symbolism model. This model aimed to achieve a central focus on the brands symbolic meaning; he goes on to state that: ‘For the users, the brand primarily serves as a means of expressing meanings about themselves: both towards themselves and their social environment. The brand express who and what the consumers are, or would like to be. The symbolism encapsulated in the brand is the main reason for its selection (or rejection).’ (Franzen, 1999, p. 194) In an article by The McKinsey Quarterly (2003) it suggests that companies have started to become more aware of this, identifying the importance of how the brand is
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perceived as Franzen mentions by taking a more scientific approach to constructing their brand. Stating that ‘The key is combining a forward-looking market segmentation with a more precise understanding of the needs of customers and a brand’s identity’ (The McKinsey Quarterly, 4. 2003.). This is further backed by Olins the same year stating that: ‘Retailers have come to realize that they need to create a consistent, clear idea of who they are and how they do things. If their reputation is strong enough, retailers are now beginning to believe that they can sell anything.’ (Olins, 2003, p. 64) From this it is certain to say that businesses have become more aware of the importance of building a brand, as advertising is more present in our daily day lives. As Franzen, The McKinsey Quarterly and Olins all come to the same conclusion in stating the importance of defining what the brand means and is about in order to build a strong successful brand. For example, in 1997 Apple launched its ‘Think Different’ campaign. This campaign ran through television commercials to printed media, communicating their brand, who they were and a sense of who you could become by using this brand. In Figure 1 is a poster from the ‘Think Different’ campaign featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono. This poster reflected the company in many different ways. The slogan used ‘Think Different’ in combination with the photograph of John Lennon and Yoko Ono created a powerful message about the Apple brand. Showing how people that chose to think differently were an inspiration for the future, how this brand is part of the future, a better future. This campaign had over 20 posters that featured iconic figures, from Jimi Hendrix to Albert Einstein, figures that had inspired nations over time, reaching out to people of all types of race and colour. As stated before by Franzen, the symbolism encapsulated in the brand is the main reason for its selection (or rejection). This is exactly what Apple has done with the ‘Think Different” campaign. Using iconic figures from society to represent its own symbolism. Franzen also states in his theory that: ‘Advertising contains little or no product information and does not ‘reason’. It embodies brand meanings. Advertising and brand merge together, as it were.
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Important elements are a large number of exposures and the use of stimuli with which the specific target group can identify (famous actors, sporting jargon, photo models, musicians).’ (Franzen, 1999, p. 194) Think different is about this, advertising with no products, expressing brand meanings. Recalling what Olins argued before, that retailers have realized the importance in creating a clear and consistent idea of what they mean as a brand, precisely what Apple has done. Lury suggests that: ‘In a world where the advance of technology means that it is now easier for one manufacturer to copy another one’s product and to do so more quickly than ever before, brand personality is a key means of creating differentiation and maintaining a point of difference over a period of time.’ (Lury, 2001, p. 46) Brands define themselves through strong images that state what they stand for. In a competing market Apple had to create a brand that stood out from the rest. A brand that had character, personality, a brand that had its own views, as Lury puts it, ‘brand personality is a key means of creating differentiation and maintaining a point of difference over a period of time.’ The way the consumer views a brand can change by the feelings experienced whilst using the product or service. Brands take advantage of this to create stronger connections with the consumer; in branding this is known as the Emotions model. Franzen states that the key purpose of this model is to develop associations between the brand and specific feelings. He goes on to state that ‘the emotions associated with the brand may be general, such as happiness, joy — more specific feelings may also accompany use of the product’ (Franzen, 1999, p. 195). A good example of this model being used is with Nike, just like Apple it started of as a small company providing a product, later on developing in to a well-established brand offering a diverse range of products and services. Over the years successful ad campaigns by Nike helped increase its growing identity by defining the brands ethos and linking emotions to their products. ‘Find Your Greatness’ is the name of one of the more recent campaigns by Nike runs at the same time as the London 2012 Olympics. Using video adverts Nike showed how athletes over the world achieved their own greatness. Nike stated:
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‘It is not just the championship athlete or record breaker that aspires to push their limits. It is also the everyday athlete who strives to excel on their own terms, to set and realize personal goals and achieve their own defining moment of greatness.’ (Nike, 2012) Nike goes on to state: ‘That’s the insight behind Nike’s "Find Your Greatness" campaign, a powerful message to inspire anyone who wants to achieve their own moment of greatness in sport, launched just as the world focuses on the best of the best.’ (Nike, 2012) At a time when one of the world’s biggest sporting events was taking place Nike saw an opportunity, an opportunity to build their brand image further through the emotions that this event created. The Olympics celebrates all greatness of sport, where athletes strive to become the best of the best. Nike’s message is to inspire, not just to people who enjoy sport but also to anyone trying to achieve something. And who better to do this with then Nike, an established company that offers an image of greatness through its brand. Building this image through identifying who its customers are and what they want. Realizing the important difference between product and brand, succeeding in growing into a leading company in its market. In conclusion, successful brands can be shaped through a companies view and ideas, but what the customer thinks of it is important. The more a brand can associate themselves with the consumers, the more they can engage with them, therefore increasing brand awareness. Davis argues that ‘brands don’t just arrive out of nowhere. They are the product of a company ‘vision’’ (Davis, 2005, p. 42). This is just what Apple and Nike are doing, building their brands further by creating brand personalities and advertisements that reflect back the brands vision. Using these techniques that link emotions and symbolism to the brands in order to construct a stronger brand, therefore increase its success.
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Chapter 2
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This chapter takes an insight into trends and how brands use these to their advantage when creating their brands. Looking at how health benefits from cycling have created a culture and trends that have been widely adapted by society. When we think of trends, we mostly think of fashion or the ‘what’s cool now’ not really taking into account other trends. Trends that shape our society, change the way we think and the way we perceive things. ‘A trend can be emotional, intellectual and even spiritual. At its most basic, a trend can be defined as the direction in which something (and that something can be anything) tends to move and which has consequential impact on culture, society or business sector through which it moves.’ (Raymond, 2010, p.14)
So what Raymond is saying is that a trend is more than a piece of clothing, more then a style, it can be something that impacts society. When talking about brands, some trends are what shape their products and services so that the consumer can experience the emotions associated with them. For example, a rising trend that can be identified from the past years is that of exercise and health. More and more people want to get in to better shape, not just to look good but to also become healthier. This has had an impact on the cycling world, with the year 2013 having seen nearly a 20% growth in cycling in Britain from the years 2005-2009 (National Travel Survey, 2013). This growth reflects back on the rising trend in fitness as cycling has many health benefits, the NHS say: Cycling is one of the easiest ways to fit exercise into your daily routine because it's also a form of transport. It saves you money, gets you fit and is good for the environment. It's a low-impact type of exercise, so it's easier on your joints than running or other high-impact aerobic activities. But it still helps you get into shape. Regular cycling can help you lose weight, reduce stress and improve your fitness. (NHS, 2014) The benefits associated with cycling are one of the main reasons that people use bicycles, and this increase in the trend can be seen being used in advertising and branding. Figure 7 is a poster from the TFL (Transport for London) advertising
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campaign from 2007. In this image the bike seat is shaped in the form of a heart and has the tagline ‘Extend your life. Cycle. You’re better off by bike’. This poster is about promoting the health benefits of cycling, indicating that by bike you will be better off. That cycling can extend your life with all its positive benefits, but all said, the main message here is about ‘you’, a better you. This ‘better you’ is something brands play on to get the consumers to consumer. The idea of ones ‘self’ is a topic that has been discussed throughout time, what makes you ‘you’, how do you identify yourself with different things; what makes you like a certain product. Bauman states that: ‘in a society of consumers, where human bonds tend to lead through and be mediated by the markets for consumer goods, the sentiment of belonging is not obtained by following the procedure administrated and supervised by those ‘style packs’ to which one aspires, but through the aspirants own metonymical identification with the ‘pack’; the process of self identification is pursued, and its result are displayed, with the help of visible ‘marks of belonging’, obtainable as a rule in the shops.’ (Bauman, 2007, p. 82)
With this statement Bauman is saying that, the consumers behaviour is defined by the image the product or service gives of ones self. This is further backed by Franzen who said ‘The meanings attached to the brand consist largely of associations with the user types, defined by socio-economic personality, value and lifestyle characteristics (user image)’ (Franzen, 1999, p. 194). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs backs up what Bauman and Franzen argue here. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs states five stages of human needs. In this theory he explains what needs are said to motivate a person. One of the five stages is that of social needs. These needs include ones self-identity, being able to communicate with other individuals about feelings and needs. Stating that one of the most basic human desires is a sense of belonging and companionship. The sense of belonging and companionship that Maslow mentions can be seen in cycling culture. With the rise of people getting on bikes, for leisure or commuting, different clubs and subcultures have developed from this.
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These clubs and subcultures provide the needs Maslow mentions, and brands have noticed this and started to brand themselves and associate themselves with these subcultures and lifestyles. As seen in Figure 5, Voleros adverts are not just about cycling but about the culture that is associated with it. In the twenty first century, brands want to stand out and identify themselves with the consumers. As mentioned in Chapter 1 with the emotions model, ‘the emotions associated with the brand may be general, such as happiness, joy – more specific feelings may also accompany use of the product’ (Franzen, 1999, p.195). This links back to what Raymond was stating at the start of the chapter, how trends can be more then products, but emotions. In conclusion, when approaching the brand creation or branding process, associating these emotions to consumer trends can lead to a more effective brand. When the consumer can associate themselves with the brand and sense of belonging can be established, therefore leading to buying into the brand as the brand represents the trend and whom the consumer wants or sees themselves to be.
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Chapter 3
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Following on from the previous chapter, this chapter will analyse the cycling brand Rapha. Looking at the approach they had in defining the importance of their brand and how its advertising strategy uses the theories mentioned in the previous chapter to link emotions and feelings to it and therefore establish a reputation and a brand personality.
Case study 1 - Rapha Rapha is a successful cycling brand that launched in 2004 by Simon Mottram alongside Luke Scheybeler. With 10 years in the making and recorded sales of over £16 million in 2013, Rapha is a company that focuses on the importance of creating a brand that identifies itself with the customers. It’s a brand that reflects quality, performance and a true passion for the culture recently becoming official clothing sponsor for Team Sky’s cycling team. In an interview for the website Business Life, when asked what initially made him start Rapha, Mottram replied ‘I used to go to my local bike shop in London, as an active rider and cycling fan, and I'd come away disappointed — not with the bikes, but with the clothing and accessories, which were of low quality’ (Mottram, 2014). Rapha’s vision comes from the idea of celebrating road riding and creating products that can be stylish and of high quality (Rapha, 2014). But Rapha’s success is due to more than it’s high quality products; Rapha’s brand is what has made the company what it is today. On there website it states: ‘Rapha creates the finest cycling clothing and accessories in the world. Designed without compromise for the most discerning rider, Rapha products blend optimum performance, the finest fabrics and modern style. A passion for road racing means Rapha is more than just a product company. It is an online emporium of performance roadwear, accessories, publications and events, all celebrating the glory and suffering of road riding.’ (Rapha, 2014) As Rapha states, its more than a product company, its an online emporium offering much more, celebrating the glory and suffering of road riding. This links back to what Franzen (1999) argued about brands developing associations between the brand and specific feelings. This theory of linking the brand with certain emotions is what
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Rapha is doing. This is further backed by Hockney who argues that: ‘It is about creating and entity in the consumers mind so that they can see it. They can see a representation but behind this representation what they actually have is a whole series of images, belief and actions. Effective branding is the means by which a brand can stay in a market longer and more profitably because it’s been created properly.’ (Hockney, 2004) This is further reinforced by Olins who expressed the idea that ‘It is the brand’s attitude and behaviour, supported and sustained by its visual manifestations, that are it’s prime assets’ (Olins, 2003, p. 97). This ideal that Franzen, Hockney and Olins have generated, define that the process of a brands success is emulated through creating an emotional connection to its audience. As Franzen identified, in the emotions model, ‘the use of images — that generate unambiguously the intended emotions in the recipients. With that in mind, the motions are usually portrayed by people’ (Franzen, 1999, p. 195). The Rapha brand displays these themes of emotion in their branding; Figure 2 shows a group of cyclist fixing a bicycle. Representing teamwork and community, Rapha are showing that being part of this brand is more than about the products. It is something you can be part off, therefore creating and emotional response for the consumer, leading them into feeling part of the culture and lifestyle by interacting and using the brand. In Figure 3 the imagery takes a different emotional response showing a cyclist cycling through the mountains. The cyclist is focusing on the road ahead, which is reinforced by his facial expression suggesting that he is thinking of achieving success by getting to his destination. The cyclist is evidently an embodiment of the Rapha brand, depicting the companies’ ethos and brand identity in showing the glory of cycling but also the suffering of getting to that goal. This approach to defining the brand is what Franzen was suggesting in the previous chapter, the advertising contains little information — it embodies brand meanings (Franzen, 1999). Mottrams background in marketing, passion for cycling and desire for high quality clothing and accessories were vital in defining the strong brand that Rapha is. He states that ‘the key to Rapha is about connecting more people to the sport and making the sport great’ (Mottram, 2013). In creating this vision for the brand its values are !
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clearly shown through the imagery of the cyclists in action. Olins (2003) further states, ‘what do people of all kinds, wherever they come from and whatever their relationship with the company, have to hang on to? Only reputation. Only trust. There is nothing else. And how do you encapsulate and project trust and reputation? Through the brand name and the brand values.’ (Olins, 2003, p. 129) Rapha is achieving this through identifying who they are and what they believe in, as Franzen, Hockney and Olins all agreed on the importance of a clear brand identity. As seen throughout this case study Rapha has taken these ideas and used them to achieve its success. The identity they created is a stepping-stone in the shaping of cycling culture and is a step into defining the future of the brand.
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Chapter 4
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Following on from the previous chapter, this chapter will analyze a smaller cycling brand named Volero. Looking at how this brand has used the successful techniques suggested by Franzen (1999) in chapter one that use symbolism to portray their brands vision.
Case study 2 - Volero ‘Designed by Cyclists, for Cyclists.’ (Volero, 2014) Volero is an upcoming cycling brand created by two brothers in 2013, designed in Melbourne, made in Italy. Merging their interest and knowledge of cycling and design to create original products that allow cyclists to express their own style. The inspiration behind this brand comes from cycling culture itself, Volero says it fuses research and inspiration in a fresh, contemporary way that makes its brand unique. Going on to state, ‘Although we draw inspiration from cycling eras gone by, we feel it’s vital to build a brand that will allow us and our customers to develop and be creative together’ (Volero, 2014). The brothers say they found the need for well-designed and well-made cycling gear that was affordable, but also maintained a level of quality offered by other cycling brands. Volero states that providing high value at an affordable price is at the heart of the brand. ‘Value is as important to us as the fact you won’t be a rolling billboard for the brand. So please, enjoy the journey with us.’ (Volero, 2014) With this statement, Volero is essentially inviting the consumer to be a part of their brand with the consistent uses of the word ‘us’ to give a sense of alliance between the customer and the brand. This is way of defining the brands ideology was looked at in the previous chapter where Franzen identified that the brand conveys who and what the consumer are, or would like to be. Stating that the symbolism encapsulated in the brand is the main reason for its selection (or rejection)’ (Franzen, 1999). Volero launched with its Spring 2013 collection, this was the turning point for the company. This is where the brand would first establish its presence in the cycling !
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culture. The look book encapsulates the brands ethos by displaying its products in context within cycling culture. Figures 4, 5 and 6 are taken from the look book and are perfect examples of how Volero has portrayed its brand and product vision. In chapter one, the successfulness of a brand was argued to be related to the branding used. In the technique Franzen (1999) suggests, he said that the symbolism within the brand is the main reason for its choice, also stating that ‘The meanings attached to the brand consist largely of associations with the user types, defined by socio-economic personality, value and lifestyle characteristics (user image)’ (Franzen, 1999, p. 194). This is what Volero is doing with its look book, associating their brand with cycling culture and certain lifestyles, therefore creating a brand personality that the customer can relate to, and creating symbolisms that can be associated with the brand. Figure 5 shows the cyclists gathered at a table enjoying a few drinks, showing that there is more to cycling than bikes, that there is a whole culture behind it. This association with the brand and this culture is what Franzen argued in his book, Volero wants its brand to be associated with this so the consumer can identify himself or herself with the brand. Volero has used this symbolism to link its brand personality into the look book and into the brand as a whole. This is a brand that is designed by cyclists, for cyclists (Volero, 2014). Being part of the culture gives Volero an insight in to what the consumer really wants from a brand and what is important to them. This form of advertising is a way in which Volero can showcase its brand values and tell the consumer who they are. Lury states: ‘If a brand is, as previously argued, much more that the sum of it’s physical parts and its true strength lies in the mind, then it is important to recognize that advertising has traditionally been a powerful means of establishing and building those values in our minds. As we have seen, advertising is one of the ways in which brand personality is created, which in turn can be one of the reasons why we choose a brand.’ (Lury, 2001, p.75)
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By using this advertising Volero is trying to determine its future success. As a new brand Volero hasn’t got anything to look back on, it has started from scratch. Building its way into a successful brand will determine on its use of branding. The look book represents Volero in all ways possible, this use of symbolism and association between emotions and lifestyles in what Franzen (1999) argued was important in defining the brand. In conclusion, Volero has only been in the market for a few years and has already established itself as a strong durable brand. Using their own insight in to cycling culture, Volero used this to define their brand vision in that way to identify itself with the consumers in order to achieve success.
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Conclusion
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In conclusion this dissertation has presented that the branding of a cycling companies success is determined through a multitude of techniques. Techniques that play on the emotions experienced by the user, the symbolism that the brands portray and how this all comes together to create a strong brand that identifies itself with the consumer. Chapter one identified how big conglomerates such as Nike and Apple, use emotion and striking imagery to tap in to the consumer’s thoughts and shape their feelings towards a brand. Focusing on theorists Franzen, Lury and Olins who suggested that the way the brand is perceived determines its success. Theses theorists state how it is possible through shaping the emotions and symbolism transmitted by the brand can make it more successful. These approaches have shown to be so positive that other brands have adopted similar traits to achieve this. Chapter two has identified that a defining factor in a cycling brands success is the use of emotion to entice its consumers, which is reinforced by Franzen (1999). Rapha’s approach to establishing a successful brand focuses on the importance behind the brands own identity and personality through imagery that clearly connotes themes of togetherness and unity. An alternative look into the culture of cycling provides audiences with the idea that they can be part of something more. That buying into their brand is not just about the products, but the emotions and feelings produce through the brands use. The emotions Rapha has linked to its brand go hand in hand with what Franzen stated about using emotions to achieve a positive brand attitude (Franzen, 1999), therefore the audience is more likely to interact with the brand. Chapter three shows an alternative approach with the small and independent company Volero, which uses symbolism and personality to create its success towards consumers. Since having a limited range of products compared to bigger brands it has had to take the approach of defining itself through it’s brand values and own inspiration in order to find success. Doing so by relating itself and its products to lifestyles that exist within cycling culture. When comparing the branding techniques used by the two cycling brands, Rapha and Volero, although they are both at different stages, they both show similar traits. Rapha defines itself as a brand that offers more than high quality clothes, it focuses on !
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depicting its brand as one truly passionate about the sport and the culture, something the audience can identify with. Volero focuses its brand on the lifestyle associated with cycling culture and the importance of value. As like Rapha, Volero also has strong brand personality definition. Both companies use imagery that focuses on the culture in and behind the sport and the companies’ vision of what it means to form part of the brand. Merging advertising and brand together to form one (Franzen, 1999). Effective use of branding has an extensive influence on the success of any company and more definitively in the cycling culture. In a culture that lies so heavily on the image that it portrays, where Olins states that the ‘brands represent clarity, reassurance, consistency, status, membership – everything that enables human beings to help define themselves. Brands represent identity. (Olins, 2003, p. 27). As mentioned at the start of this dissertation, it is known that companies use branding techniques to influence sales and behaviour. From the big companies like Nike and Apple that offer diverse products and services, to smaller companies like Rapha and Volero that rely on creating common ground with the consumer, they all have the common element of using branding to do so. !
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Images Figure 1 ! !
! ! ! Apple. 1997. ‘Think Different’. [Poster]. Available from: http://creativecriminals.com/apple/think-different
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! Figure!2! ! !
! ! Ingham, B. N.D. [Online]. Available from: http://beningham.dphoto.com/#/album/a236fy/photo/18717206 Figure 3
Ingham, B. N.D. [Online]. Available from: http://beningham.dphoto.com/#/album/9586dg/photo/10740367 !
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Figure 4
Volero. 2014. [Online]. Available from: http://volero.com.au/pages/lookbook Figure 5 !
! ! ! Volero. 2014. [Online]. Available from: http://volero.com.au/pages/lookbook ! !
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Volero. 2014. [Online]. Available from: http://volero.com.au/pages/lookbook
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Figure 7
London!Cyclist.!2009.!Available!from:!http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/aI roundupIofIallItheItflIadvertsIpromotingIcyclingIinIlondon/!
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Bibliography Books Bauman, Z. 2007. Consuming Life. Cambridge. Polity Press. Davis, M. 2005. More Than a Name. Switzerland. AVA Publishing SA. Franzen, G. 1999. Brands & Advertising. Oxfordshire. Admap Publications. Lury, G. 2001. Brandwatching. 2nd ed. Ireland. Blackhall Publishing. Olins, W. 2003. On Brand. London. Thames & Hudson Ltd. Raymond, M. 2010. The Trend Forecaster’s Handbook. London. Laurence King Publishing LTD. Sidwells, C. 2003. Complete Bike Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
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