BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Hardisty Cycles is the biggest and most influential IBD in the north east of England. Its famous and long-running radio advertising campaigns have propelled the Byker bike shop to the premier league of north eastern retailers, in recognition terms if not in physical size or turnover. A survey once found that Hardisty Cycles was better known than Halfords in the local area.
The shop started a new three-station radio campaign in September and this will run throughout the remainder of this year and all of 2002.
Hardisty Cycles’ TV ad campaign uses a road bike advert originated by Specialized in the US. Specialized UK granted permission for the trendy wind-tunnel advert to be used, but did not contribute cash for the ad campaign.
Owner John Hardisty told bikebiz.co.uk the advertising campaign wasn’t being run in spite of poor trading conditions, but because of them. He cited both foot-and-mouth disease and "global" problems.
The first advert – to be screened on ITV1 in the Tyne Tees region only – will air at 12.27pm with a second showing during Emmerdale at 7.15pm. The ads will run twice daily until Friday 21st December, and will include insertions during peak slots such as between Coronation Steet and Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Hardisty mockingly calls his shop a "non-profitable enterprise" and said his passion for the bike trade is due to "ridiculous enthusiasm."
Bike trade TV and radio ad campaigns tend to be in the north of England and Scotland where the population densities are lower, and ad rates cheaper. Edinburgh Bicycle, for instance, have run TV ads in the recent past.
