Do you support outside industry cycling sponsors?

[avalonracing]

Now that The Tour is on and we can see some of the big money that sponsors are paying I was wondering if it is working.

I've always made an effort to support the sponsors of my personal teams (hell, I've had half a dozen Honest Teas this week and they sponsored my team eight years ago!)

But I'm wondering if you are supporting companies that don't support you personally, but support cycling in general. I'm not talking about cycling specific companies either. I'm talking about the companies that don't have to sponsor bicycle racing. I know that I personally make a deliberate effort to support them. For instance I ate at Chipolte this week. I know that I'll give Columbia's products a closer look and when I buy my next GPS, it will be Garmin.

[Chris]

yes

[Pete Serotta]

Yes - if all else is equal for what i need.....PETE

[fiamme red]

I am drinking Celestial Seasonings herbal tea right now! :banana:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Zinger_Bicycle_Classic

[BURCH]

Not really, unless it is subconsious. I never knowingly buy based on marketing or sponsoring.

[Giff]

Yup. Ate at Chipotle twice in the last 10 days!

[bigbill]

Fetzer sponsored the Masters Nationals TT in 1996. I buy their wine.
Sutter Home as well.
There are several bottles of Jacob's Creek in the rack.
I would buy a Saturn even though they no longer sponsor.
We order Papa John's pizza after I read that he trashed his shoulder on a training ride.
I buy Colavita Olive Oil.
I watch the discovery channel.

[Wiley J]

I like Jelly Belly jelly beans.

[Fixed]

no
but i drink chimay
cheers :beer:

[ergott]

no
but i drink chimay
cheers :beer:

mmmm Chimay
:beer:

I like Jittery Joes coffee. I have a Garmin GPS. I wear Oakleys all the time. I guess I do.

[paczki]

Got a Garmin.

[old_school]

I bought a framebuilder and his painter a beer last night. Does that count?

[Ti Designs]

Not really, unless it is subconsious. I never knowingly buy based on marketing or sponsoring.


I take that position to new heights. I hate marketing. If what comes out of your wallet is based on what goes into your eyes and ears by way of advertising without any thought process somewhere in there, you're a sheep. The statement the marketing makes is insulting to what little intelegence I have - the fast guys use these, you should too. The fast guys get paid to use them, and that money is part of the price that I would be paying if I bought into their crap. I would rather pay less and make up my own mind...

As for supporting cycling, is sponsoring a pro team really supporting the sport, or is it just the very top of the sport? For every pro there are 10,000 cat 5's looking to move up in the sport. What do they gain from this support. I once got a free sample of Jelly Belly jelly beans, didn't do much for my riding. I see a difference between cycling the sport and cycling that's on TV, most of the sponsorship is in the TV version 'cause that's where the ads are.

Supporting grass roots cycling is a thankless task that takes up far too much time and produces no profits or advertising value. Only an idiot would take that job.

[Bruce K]

All things being equal, I always support sponsors of teams or people that I watch, cheer for, and enjoy.

I've done it for years with motorsports and I would in cycling if it applied.

If we don't support sponsors of the entities then their sponsorship dollars are wasted and they go away to market their wares elsewhere.

I forget the numbers but sponsorship in NASCAR supposedly gives huge discernable bumps to corporate sales. People literally switch brands when their favorite driver changes sponsors and the sorporations can see the changes.

When a freind of mine switched sponsors from Coca-Cola to Pepsi so did we and everyone I knew who supported him.

BK

[rwsaunders]

I joked to my wife last night as we passed a Sunoco station, as I wondered if people actually buy gas there because they are an official sponsor of NASCAR.

[coopdog]

Upon viewing the Bacardi Mojito commercial for the 8,357th time, I finally cracked. I went straight to the liquor store for Bacardi, the grocery store for limes and club soda, my garden for the mint, and I've been enjoying the refreshing little concoctions every night since. Mmmm... Think I'll make one right now.

[Bruce K]

TV sponsors are different to me than team sponsors.

I don't know why and the Mojito commercials are downright annoying.

BK

[torquer]

Liberty Mutual was our insurer (both home & auto) before, during & after their Liberty Seguros (sp?) sponsorship.

Of course it helped that they are cheaper than anybody else whose rates I've checked.

Chipotle, on the other hand, isn't the cheapest lunch spot in the 'hood, but the salads keep me coming back at least once a week.

Columbia? I came to the realization recently that cargo pants are one of the capital fashion crimes of our age.