MEQUON, WI (BRAIN)—In 2010 Hayes bicycle group went to work on re-branding its customer facing communication.
“A new look, feel and vocabulary was instituted to raise the perceived value of our brands in terms of how we present ourselves to our customers,” said Scott Struve, Hayes Bicycle Group director of marketing. “It actually wasn’t that big of a challenge. The internal culture here and the brain trust of talent in this organization is astounding—we truly believe that if a rider hangs one of our products on his/her bike, he’s going to have a better riding experience.”
To prove that point, Hayes is launching an innovative, new consumer marketing campaign on April 1 for the 2011 season.
“Essentially, we’re going to 'Hayes' people,” said Struve. In cooperation with Milwaukee based creative agency Thirsty Boy, Hayes Bicycle Group employees are essentially going to “temporarily borrow” unsuspecting riders bikes, remove the existing component spec and then re-spec with all Hayes Bicycle Group product. New suspension from Manitou, new bars, stems, grips and pedals from Answer, new brakes from Hayes Disc Brakes and new wheels from Sun Ringlé. These “Hayesings” will be video taped in four different episodes throughout the year and will all be living on a new website: Hayescomponents.com. The campaign will be supported by a full season of print and electronic media advertising.
“One of the biggest challenges we have as a company is equally promoting all five of our brands with Hayes Bicycle Group being a common thread of consistency,” Struve said. “This allows us to use the equity of all five brands and point them in one direction with a single message.” The new website destination will not only be a traffic director to dive deeper into each one of the Hayes Bicycle Group brands, it’s also designed as a source of entertainment, information and education! It allows each of the brands to maintain their individual personality while maximizing the strength of the group. It also leverages our global team of riders, who will actually play a key role in Hayesing riders.
A new tagline has also been developed to communicate the brand: “cycling evolved.”
“We believe that when riders experience our product it will evolve their experience for the better,” Struve said. “It’s not only our message…it’s our mission.
“The coolest part is we’re getting media partners and retailers involved in the Hayesing process. Riders that visit us at Sea Otter can even enter to win a chance to get Haysed. It’s one on one, participatory marketing that allows us to interact directly with riders…and it’s fun," Struve added.
