In the cycling world, Saris Cycling Group (Saris), Madison-based bicycle rack and cycling performance equipment manufacturer, has been known for its quality products and its popularity among pro cyclists. In 2009, however, its loyal following was threatened by a number of competitors and new entrants, such as Blackburn, Garmin and Kinetic who were increasing their advertising spend while also employing highly competitive pricing strategies.

In light of these factors, Saris needed to find a way to connect with cyclists and protect its market position. The arrival of its new CycleOps trainers featuring PowerTap integration and its Joule computer, a tool used in combination with the trainers to provide cyclists with an accurate and comprehensive measure of their ride, provided Saris with the opportunity to launch a print campaign that would establish its brand identity as well as maintain and increase its following.

Research among competitors and the category overall revealed that cycling, and more so training, was extremely romanticized. Cyclists were often shown training in the comfort of their living room, watching television and hardly breaking a sweat—far from the reality.

Intimate conversations with avid cyclists exposed the raw, gritty and challenging process of training. It was difficult, dark and taxing, but that is what made it so rewarding. By romanticizing the training process, riders couldn’t relate to the products and questioned manufacturers’ understanding of their experience.

Tapping into this insight about the essence of cycling, we utilized our archetypal positioning to present Saris as the means to reaching your fullest potential. We understood that cyclists enjoyed the ride in its purest sense—it allowed them to explore their limits, power and strength. And only by pushing themselves to dig deeper could the experience be truly rewarding.

The creative strategy was to present the reality of training and prove to cyclists that Saris understood their journey—including the struggles. The black and white ads featured a man intensely training is his dark, unfinished basement, the underlying message: we know what you are going through and we can help you succeed. The copy featured insights that only a cyclist could possess—such as the common practice of measuring your power by the puddle of sweat under your trainer—and subtly presented the product benefit, in this case the power measuring ability of the PowerTap instrument.

The print campaign for the CycleOps trainers and PowerTap measurement tools launched in July 2009 in Bicycling Magazine and VeloNews. During the course of the campaign, interest in the products on the brand site increased by a staggering 400 percent. Not to mention Saris received feedback from cyclists regarding the true-to-life portraits of their advertising. One Saris enthusiast published on his blog, “I saw this new ad from CycleOps recently in Bicycling Magazine. I love it. It really struck a chord with me because this is exactly what I tell myself when I'm sluggin' it out on the trainer and I just don't feel like pushing.” The headline of the ad read: “This is where you win races that don’t start for six months.”

Using LSB’s archetypal branding and insight into the real training experience, Saris Cycling Group retained and increased its following within the cycling community.