Booth Babes @ Interbike

[Kiwi Stoker]

I have to agree that this is really not required. Even the podium girls at TdF wear more clothing than these ones!

When I worked in the industry I NEVER used women in such a way in any advertising or promtional activity. When someone came up with such a bright idea I would ask "so can we have a stripped to the waist ripped guy in bike shorts as well?" and that normally deflated it.

[tulip]

Wow, a different scene than the National Women's Bicycle Summit last week, which was so positive and empowering. And what's up with the bishop impersonator? I'm not Catholic but that strikes me as being in pretty poor taste and irrelevant to a bike show. Come to think of it, the whole thing is in poor taste and irrelevant to a bike show.

Elly Blue has a great test: http://takingthelane.com/2012/09/19/...t-to-the-test/

[shootingstar]

Make our views known. Maybe if Sue O. was interested, send this thread to some of these major bike manufacturers.

I wouldn't have a problem if these women were also regular cyclists. This form of advertising is just getting OLLLLLLD and cheap reach. And hiring those ladies probably is more expensive than a more intelligent but still fun way of market reach in a different way.

[OakLeaf]

Back in the day someone started a company to market umbrella girls for motorcycle races, who were racers themselves. They were babelicious and they dressed in ordinary scanty umbrella girl fashion - but they had impressively developed forearms, and plenty of them had scars from where they had rods in various bones.

The company is still around, marketing to a variety of sports, and the women are no longer (at least exclusively or visibly or per the press materials) participants in the sports. It was cool while it lasted, even if it didn't move past "sex sells."

[limewave]

I am really turned off by the pictures I've seen come out of Interbike. It's upsetting. There's a new local bicycle fabrication company that started posting bike p0rn every week. At first it was just of the bikes/frames. They were stunning photographs, nice craftsmanship. Then they started posting photos like this (see below) . . . So turned off. At first I thought how cool it would be to own a locally built, handmade bicycle. Now not so much. At least not from them.


. . . just now they posted "babe" free photos for this week. We'll see how they decide to continue to market their brand . . .

[zoom-zoom]

I am really turned off by the pictures I've seen come out of Interbike. It's upsetting. There's a new local bicycle fabrication company that started posting bike p0rn every week. At first it was just of the bikes/frames. They were stunning photographs, nice craftsmanship. Then they started posting photos like this (see below) . . . So turned off. At first I thought how cool it would be to own a locally built, handmade bicycle. Now not so much. At least not from them.


. . . just now they posted "babe" free photos for this week. We'll see how they decide to continue to market their brand . . .

Is it a certain "area code" brand? Interesting...

[limewave]

Is it a certain "area code" brand? Interesting...

You know it.

[zoom-zoom]

Back in the day someone started a company to market umbrella girls for motorcycle races, who were racers themselves. They were babelicious and they dressed in ordinary scanty umbrella girl fashion - but they had impressively developed forearms, and plenty of them had scars from where they had rods in various bones.

The company is still around, marketing to a variety of sports, and the women are no longer (at least exclusively or visibly or per the press materials) participants in the sports. It was cool while it lasted, even if it didn't move past "sex sells."

Yeah, you know...I think that's what gets me--that none of these booth babes appear to be actual cyclists. I know some very sexy, attractive women (and men--why only have female babes?) who are seriously accomplished athletes. I think I'd be much less annoyed if real riders were hired and paid to catch people's eyes, but also talk up a product and know what they are talking about from personal experience.

[Sky King]

Drives me totally insane as well. Who is your buyer, is so degrading to both women and men. To take it further when companies do use women who actually are athletic they still do the sex spin - I really see this now in ski and snowboarding. My DD competed in Freestyle skiing for about 5 years and anytime they wanted to photograph her they wanted a "sex" shot instead of a skill shot.
the ads even say "looking for hot babes"
As I am "old" in the eyes of the marketers I haven't even bothered to protest with words, I protest with my pocket book.

[jessmarimba]

Yeah, I was able to get into the Denver Snow Show this year and it was the same deal. I'd imagine it's the snow sports equivalent of Interbike - but photographers were just chasing down these scantily clad girls showing off boots or hats or somesuch...or a girl in snow pants and bra, or panties and jacket...COME ON. Unfortunately most of the guys I know who bike (or ski) don't understand why I find it so offensive.

[Amira]

Yeah, you know...I think that's what gets me--that none of these booth babes appear to be actual cyclists. I know some very sexy, attractive women (and men--why only have female babes?) who are seriously accomplished athletes. I think I'd be much less annoyed if real riders were hired and paid to catch people's eyes, but also talk up a product and know what they are talking about from personal experience.

Exactly. One of the reasons I love the Athleta and Title 9 Sports catalogs is the fact that their models all seem to walk the walk, so to speak. They are all gorgeous hot bods, but man, they look like they do in real life what they are shown doing in the catalog.

[zoom-zoom]

Exactly. One of the reasons I love the Athleta and Title 9 Sports catalogs is the fact that their models all seem to walk the walk, so to speak. They are all gorgeous hot bods, but man, they look like they do in real life what they are shown doing in the catalog.

+1! Especially the yoga chicks--how do they hold those poses while making the clothes look good and not covered in sweat?!

[zoom-zoom]

Elly Blue has a great test: http://takingthelane.com/2012/09/19/...t-to-the-test/

That is a great blog...bookmarked!