The media plan: Wattbike broadens reach to challenge perceptions about home cycling

The stay-at-home nature of the Covid-19 pandemic has not only changed many people’s working life, but also the way they exercise.

The demand and subsequent sales of at-home fitness equipment skyrocketed by 170% after the UK’s first month in lockdown, and the number of online classes rapidly increased.

So it’s no surprise that Wattbike, along with its US rival Peloton, has reported a surge in indoor bike sales and is now embarking on a three-month ad campaign on broadcast TV, video-on-demand and digital channels.

Despite being founded in 2000, it’s Wattbike’s first major consumer brand campaign as it transitions to a smart bike manufacturer for homes as opposed to gyms only.

Bountiful Cow, the7stars-backed media agency, has planned and bought the media for the campaign after winning a competitive pitch earlier this year.

The central marketing idea is to “challenge penthouse perceptions of home cycling” (without mentioning the other P word), as it pushes its “beginner-to-superstar” credentials to a wider home-fitness audience.

The aim of this is to deliver long-term growth for Wattbike without losing focus on immediate sales targets. Wattbike has identified that the pandemic has also driven a new consumer to indoor cycling – people who are not as bothered about “pinnacle performance” but simply want to use the very best bike at home to fast-track their fitness.

So Bountiful Cow’s strategy was to target previously untapped contexts and channels to cut through the category noise, as well as create fame amongst a previously neglected audience of serious sport and fitness enthusiasts.

Wattbikes‘ previous work was highly targeted to the cycling category.

The For Real Athletes campaign debuted on 12 October on Sky Sports alongside the World Cup Qualifiers football games, as well as on ITV Hub, and will be bought around Formula 1 and rugby fixtures over the course of the campaign.

The spot, created by Matta and produced by Spindle, introduces the viewer to a world of ‘real people’ and professional athletes integrating Wattbikes into their lives by working out after a long shift or squeezing in a session before breakfast.

Wattbikes are also featured in in the New Zealand All Blacks training camp – the brand is the official performance bike supplier to the national rugby team.

Ed Hughes, chief marketing officer at Wattbike, said: “We’ve always lead from the front at Wattbike and while we know the prevailing winds of the industry tempt us to believe every smart bike deserves its own hand-crafted plinth on a balcony overlooking a famous landmark, we know our customers have just one goal – to get fitter.

“That’s why we’ve chosen to celebrate their determination and commitment in an authentic way and create a new community of Real Athletes with this campaign.”