Action 3: Social Marketing Campaign
Let’s launch a bicycling campaign that depicts the diversity of the bicycling community and demonstrates local support for bicycling.
Streets Alive! attendees pose at the Bike Walk Tompkins photo booth with their suggestions for bicycling improvements in Ithaca. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
About This Project
Bicycling for transportation is a behavior change, and social marketing is well-positioned to influence that change. A bicycling social marketing campaign should be launched locally with two goals: to show the diversity of people that bike and to depict people who bike as valued members of our community. By displaying and celebrating an inclusive bicycling community, people who currently do not bike can envision themselves as potential bicycle riders and gain social incentive to change.
A campaign will require cooperation with businesses and organizations to ensure that the messaging is reflected community-wide throughout the year, and it complements initiatives such as Bike to Work and School Day and Bicycle Benefits. The campaign must be strongly linked with resources and activities that people can act upon immediately. The campaign when transportation infrastructure, investments and supporting programs are at a more advanced stage in our community.
Advertisement for Boston Public Health Commission’s “I Bike” campaign in Spanish to target Latinx communities in greater Boston. (Photo: Health Communications Core)
Focus on Building Equity
Bicycling can be viewed by older, less “fit,” or more car-dependent individuals as a physical activity that isn’t for them. However, people of all ages, races, shapes, and abilities ride in our community, A social marketing campaign that features underrepresented individuals in bicycling can help shatter the stereotypes people have of what a bicyclist looks like and encourage others to see possibilities for themselves through those promotions. A future bicycling campaign in Ithaca should feature seniors, women and non-binary people, people of color, and people with disabilities, and provide access to resources specifically developed to get people in these underrepresented groups to consider bicycling.
As part of Bike to Work Day 2020, BWT interviewed Mark Thornton and his experience bicycling to his essential work at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
Let’s Make It Happen
Bike Walk Tompkins is currently exploring the timeframe to launch a full-fledged social marketing campaign. In the meantime, we are focusing our attention on smaller issue-based campaigns, such as road safety. Here’s how you can help at the moment.
Are you a marketing agency that has developed successful multimedia campaigns in the Ithaca market? Reach out to us with a sample of your work.
Are you a bicycle enthusiast with a story to tell on how you got started with bikes? Let’s get in touch, we’d love to hear your story.
Are you a business or organization that would like to be recognized or featured for your support of bicycling? Contact us about collaboration opportunities.
All Encouragement Actions
