It’s an important time of year for bike retailers – the Tour de France is the sport’s biggest moment and it’s a good time to tap into the peak in cycling enthusiasm.

Halfords’ Tour de Francis campaign engages consumers on an emotional level

Halfords has done a great job of this. The retailer filmed 29-year-old amateur cyclist Dan Francis completing the gruelling 2,000-mile journey, and the result makes for an engaging campaign.

It communicates several messages effectively. It highlights how much of a challenge the race is and how big an achievement it is to complete it. Plus, it puts the viewer in the place of the athlete by using an amateur cyclist. Not only does this subtly encourage people to try cycling by allowing them to relate to the struggles and triumphs Francis encounters in his journey, it draws them into his challenge, engaging them emotionally and making them forget that they are being sold to.

The advert gently pushes Halfords’ own-brand Carrera – the brand of bike Francis uses – by pointing out that he only had to carry out one repair throughout the entire journey, on a punctured tyre.

The ad is the latest in a line of imaginative and effective campaigns from Halfords, which is creating a modern and emotionally engaged image for itself.

It’s a brave step to move away from promotions-led advertising towards a more creative approach in a difficult trading environment but it could be a canny long-term strategy – here’s hoping it continues.

 

Halfords - Tour de Francis