How patronising are these stupid Freewheel emails?

spindrift said:

"To get you started, we've made a free set of bike bling that you can
download and print to get your bike suitably styled for the big day.
And why stop there? If you really want to show some team spirit, Hovis
London Freewheel's the perfect time to rummage in your dressing up box
and really put the other hubs to shame! "

Some marketing or PR twunt is getting paid for this garbage, I'm
tempted to reply and tell him to stick his twee garbage up his
[censored].What bloody "dressing up box"? And I still haven't received
anything.

Chill out, this is a fun day out for the family not the tour of
Britain or a political rally. And if you think it is twee garbage why
are you so upset about not yet recieving a (no doubt cheap and covered
in advertising) bib? The email said the stuff would be sent out in a
week or so.

spindrift said:

"To get you started, we've made a free set of bike bling that you can
download and print to get your bike suitably styled for the big day.
And why stop there? If you really want to show some team spirit, Hovis
London Freewheel's the perfect time to rummage in your dressing up box
and really put the other hubs to shame! "

Some marketing or PR twunt is getting paid for this garbage, I'm
tempted to reply and tell him to stick his twee garbage up his
[censored].What bloody "dressing up box"? And I still haven't received
anything.

Now now. Just because it is so easy to make fun of this marketing drivel doesn't make it
pointless. I wonder if you were given the job of making it 'kewl to cycle' how you'd do
it? For kids with the attention span of gnats and the commitment of gnats and the
exploratory instincts of gnats and the organisation of err... gnats this may be the only
approach with a gnat's chance of success. It's horrible, a bit like offering a bag of
sweets to cyclists but if a few gnats turn into proper cycling butterflies then that's a win.

--
Peter Fox
Beer, dancing, cycling and lots more at www.eminent.demon.co.uk

"I wonder if you were given the job of making it 'kewl to cycle' how
you'd do
it?"

Got a fat [censored]?

Get breathless climbing stairs?

Sweat when you eat?

Suffer from "Picasso [censored]" so that when you wear too tight underpants
it looks like you've got four buttocks?

There is an alternative.

Or those Dutch ads someone linked to a while back- a long line of
sedentary bloated munters in cars belching fumes all being overtaken
by a svelte cyclist.

Or someone counting out the £8 a day they save by cycling in London.

Or a mock car advert showing the reality- huge jams instead of
sweeping alpine roads deserted of everything bar your car.

Or just Konnie Huq in lycra, I dunno.

Peter Fox <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Now now. Just because it is so easy to make fun of this marketing
drivel doesn't make it pointless. I wonder if you were given the job
of making it 'kewl to cycle' how you'd do it? For kids with the
attention span of gnats and the commitment of gnats and the
exploratory instincts of gnats and the organisation of err... gnats
this may be the only approach with a gnat's chance of success. It's
horrible, a bit like offering a bag of sweets to cyclists but if a few
gnats turn into proper cycling butterflies then that's a win.

Who do you think the target influencers are - kids who are going to get
up and travel down to central London to cycle on the streets because of
some kewl patronising or their parents who are likely to make a family
day out of it?

I suspect very much the latter in which case a different message than
come and join a carnival parade is needed if it is to do other than make
them think cycling is like an egg and spoon race that you do once a year
for the kids but is of no other practical use.

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

spindrift said:

"To get you started, we've made a free set of bike bling that you can
download and print to get your bike suitably styled for the big day.
And why stop there? If you really want to show some team spirit, Hovis
London Freewheel's the perfect time to rummage in your dressing up box
and really put the other hubs to shame! "

Some marketing or PR twunt is getting paid for this garbage, I'm
tempted to reply and tell him to stick his twee garbage up his
[censored].What bloody "dressing up box"? And I still haven't received
anything.

It looks like you've had a total sense of humour failure. It's Monday
morning, after all. But it's a nice day, have a coffee, relax and chill
a bit. Maybe go for a ride.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

spindrift said:

Or just Konnie Huq in lycra, I dunno.

Gets my vote.

--
Paul - [censored]
ebay 140155728293

spindrift said:

Or just Konnie Huq in lycra, I dunno.

First the prospect of free sweets, now Konnie in lycra.
The u.r.c. vision of a parallel universe Freewheel just gets better and
better.