Rebranding a Cycling Event: Ideas? Advice?

[BumbleBeeDave]

I've been tapped to lead a work group to re-brand our club's annual event, always held on the weekend after Labor Day.

It's currently called just "Century Weekend" and offers two days of the same routes, with a 10, 25, 50, 62, and 100 ride each day. The whole club is around 650 members, and this event has attracted 250-300 annually for the past few years, not all of them club members.

It's just gotten stale, and I've (successfully) lobbied with the club president to make it a top goal to attract more younger, beginner, and casual riders to the club as a whole, which means making this event the centerpiece of that effort. Based on registrations, the average age of riders in this past fall’s event was 57, which pretty much proved my point.

Most attendees also usually come from the “avid” area cycling crowd, thus limiting our audience if we keep concentrating on only attracting that demographic. There’s only so many riders regionally who are at that level. There’s a much larger audience of casual and family oriented riders that our club—and this event—do very little to reach out to. You’ve also got the younger racier crowd who seem to view this as a “old tour rider” type event.

Also, by “stale” I mean the event attracts the same crowd year after year. The “Century Weekend” name also invariably scares people away when I invite riders I encounter. The perception is that it’s only a century ride and they don’t think they can do that. Then I have to explain that no, there are shorter rides, and yadda, yadda, yadda . . .

We need a new, more accessible, friendly, fun personality for the event. That includes new name, slogan, mascot, attitude, and ingredients to the event to attract a much wider audience.

If you’ve read this far, I assume you have some interest in marketing. So . . . Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions for names or event ingredients? What are some other events you’ve been to that did it right and how did they do it?

I’m telling the group that pretty much any idea is open for discussion, no matter how, um, unusual it might seem at first.

Thanks for your input!

BBD

[e-RICHIE]

The Beeline

ps

arrange disorder

[m_sasso]

Pointing it out as you made no mention of this aspect, publicizing, incorporating the "correct cause" currently seems to attract/repulse attendees, ie: carbon credits, marginal groups, club support, favourite charity.....etc.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . but the name has to be hopefully suggestive of the area and also portable--needs to be adaptable if we change the start/finish location.

BBD

Originally Posted by e-RICHIE

The Beeline

ps

arrange disorder

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I'm open to suggestions, but hard to come up with one (or multiple) that attracts more than it repulses.

Saw a new one advertised on Facebook called "Cranko de Mayo" to be held beginning of May. Clever play on words would be great . . .

Something like "Capital Cyclefest" or "Bike-A-Palooza" just a bit too generic, if you ask me.

Originally Posted by m_sasso

Pointing it out as you made no mention of this aspect, publicizing, incorporating the "correct cause" currently seems to attract/repulse attendees, ie: carbon credits, marginal groups, club support, favourite charity.....etc.

[e-RICHIE]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

. . . but the name has to be hopefully suggestive of the area and also portable--needs to be adaptable if we change the start/finish location.

BBD

>>> to make it a top goal to attract more younger, beginner, and casual riders to the club as a whole,

Uh okay.

The NewBeeline

ps

arrange disorder

[PaMtbRider]

Add the word gravel and they will show up.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

I've been tapped to lead a work group to re-brand our club's annual event, always held on the weekend after Labor Day.

It's currently called just "Century Weekend" and offers two days of the same routes, with a 10, 25, 50, 62, and 100 ride each day. The whole club is around 650 members, and this event has attracted 250-300 annually for the past few years, not all of them club members.

It's just gotten stale, and I've (successfully) lobbied with the club president to make it a top goal to attract more younger, beginner, and casual riders to the club as a whole, which means making this event the centerpiece of that effort. Based on registrations, the average age of riders in this past fall’s event was 57, which pretty much proved my point.

Most attendees also usually come from the “avid” area cycling crowd, thus limiting our audience if we keep concentrating on only attracting that demographic. There’s only so many riders regionally who are at that level. There’s a much larger audience of casual and family oriented riders that our club—and this event—do very little to reach out to. You’ve also got the younger racier crowd who seem to view this as a “old tour rider” type event.

Also, by “stale” I mean the event attracts the same crowd year after year. The “Century Weekend” name also invariably scares people away when I invite riders I encounter. The perception is that it’s only a century ride and they don’t think they can do that. Then I have to explain that no, there are shorter rides, and yadda, yadda, yadda . . .

We need a new, more accessible, friendly, fun personality for the event. That includes new name, slogan, mascot, attitude, and ingredients to the event to attract a much wider audience.

If you’ve read this far, I assume you have some interest in marketing. So . . . Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions for names or event ingredients? What are some other events you’ve been to that did it right and how did they do it?

I’m telling the group that pretty much any idea is open for discussion, no matter how, um, unusual it might seem at first.

Thanks for your input!

BBD

Well, I usually enjoy riding solo or with a small group of friends, so there's a caveat. But, on the occasion I've done fondos, I usually look at the pictures first to see what the crowd will be like. If it seems like a bunch of CAT 1 racers, I'll avoid it. Conversely, if it seems like a total "picnic" basket ride, I'll probably avoid that too. I like seeing a diversity of riders. So, if you have any pics that highlight some diversity, I'd showcase those...

[OtayBW]

1) Timing - do not conflict with other, established rides.
2) Promote and enhance your rest stops - ESPECIALLY the last one. Put on a great final feed. Include some unique food that may be 'regional' to the area (corn, tomatos, whatever). Whatever you do, give folks something substantial; hopefully something that they'll remember and come back for. All riders will appreciate going home well fed. Consider some live music.
3) Consider renaming/rebranding with something that has local/historical/cultural/geological/geographic significance.
4) Best course(s) possible. Roads, traffic, etc.

GL!

[P K]

It's a Labor day event?

Labor of love!

A ton of directions to go marketing-wise with that.

[cmg]

there's a ride around here called the Fall Frolic, ride thru pines, ride thru whatever landscaping feature is in your area. pedal thru, rumble thru, you need not mention the 100 miler. the hard core will sign up for it anyway. the more non-competitive sounding the better if the goal is to attract younger non club riders.

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by PaMtbRider

Add the word gravel and they will show up.

There you go ...

[2LeftCleats]

No immediate thoughts about an actual name, but if you’re set on expanding the breadth of rider types and abilities, you ought to be inclusive in promotional materials. That would mean, I suspect, inviting ebikes.

[AngryScientist]

>add at least one gravel route

>team up with a local brewery or bar to make sure there is a beer tent afterwards

>invite local food trucks to the after party

[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by 2LeftCleats

No immediate thoughts about an actual name, but if you’re set on expanding the breadth of rider types and abilities, you ought to be inclusive in promotional materials. That would mean, I suspect, inviting ebikes.

And e-bike charging stations at rest stops.