RE: [CR] cyclists as spokesmen

(Example: Bike Shops:R.E.W. Reynolds)

content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Subject: RE: [CR] cyclists as spokesmen
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 08:51:25 -0400
Thread-Topic: [CR] cyclists as spokesmen
Thread-Index: AcRDDr+/pj6OoizwTX+POwVaGY/ejQADc+Yg
From: "Bingham, Wayne R." <WBINGHAM@imf.org>
To: "Classic Rendezvous" <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>


I have to assume that cyclists have been tapped as spokesmen (great unintended pun, by the way), in both major and minor ways, to sell or promote all types of things. It's not new, it's just more widespread. I did a job in Madrid during the Indurain years, and his image was seemingly everywhere, promoting something or other. Billboards, posters, magazine ads, everywhere. He was sort of the Michael Jordan of Spain. I remember being in a grocery or convenience store and seeing a life-sized car-board Indurain hawking soda of some sort.

Personally, I don't have a problem with it. I think Lance is a better spokesman for Subaru than Paul Hogan. Subaru has a long history of supporting cycling and sponsoring teams. Why shouldn't they have a cyclist to promote their product? Are cyclists supposed to remain "pure" and not engage in such practice? Should only Tiger Woods and Shaquille O'Neil reap those benefits and be role models for young people? Let's face it, advertising is part of our culture. We might as well get used to it. Lance lends (not always sells) his name to many things, some of which are quite noble.

Wayne Bingham
Falls Church VA