> My comments were meant as compliments to both for creating niches > that otherwise would not exist.
I think this statement goes too far. Riv and Rapha are strong players in their respective niches. Both are doing better than one might have thought looking at the industry 10years ago. However, there were many top line cycle clothing companies before Rapha. There are many excellent alternatives to Rapha, albeit perhaps none with the marketing zing. As we all ought to know by now, Grant started Riv after Bridgestone dropped his line of bikes. Under Grant, Bridgestone made a well respected line of lugged steel bikes. But it was hardly the only player at the time. Likewise today. Even if you leave out the many full custom lugged steel bike makers out there selling close to Riv prices (sometimes below!) there are Waterford in the U.S.and Toei, Panasonic and a few others in Japan all of which make similar products (two of which make Rivendell products). For the record, I am with those who say GP's marketing is part and parcel apart from Rapha's. Both obviously get the job done. Other than that, no similar philosophy. On Jun 4, 12:12 am, Michael_S <mikeybi...@rocketmail.com> wrote: > Grant's marketing skills are so good some people don't even think he > has any.... that is the ultimate compliment in my book. > we all keep tuned in to his website and this forum waiting for the > next bike or gadget... > > What both Rapha and Rivendell have done is create a niche of dedicated > customers for their high end bicycling products and both have been > reasonably successful in their own ways. > Different approaches but similar in their customer base... those > willing to pay a premium for quality bicycling products. > > My comments were meant as compliments to both for creating niches > that otherwise would not exist. > > ~Mike~ > > On Jun 3, 8:46 pm, John Speare <johnspe...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 8:26 PM, XO-1.org Rough Riders > > > <adventureco...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > Yes, perhaps "brilliant" for the extant Riv fans who read it, but > > > "marketing" implies reaching beyond the current fan/customer base. I > > > don't see that happening, and never really have. > > > I guess it depends on how one defines "marketing." > > > I define it as promoting your products so people buy them. Aside from > > his abilities at getting interesting bikes built/shipped in our > > current world (which is a huge talent), I think marketing is Grant > > Petersen's strongest strength. > > > I've had Bridgestone catalogs, Rivendell catalogs, and Readers laying > > around my house for years. Many times, non-bikey friends have picked > > up this stuff, read it, and remarked on how just reading this stuff > > makes them want to ride a bike. > > > GP has a way of mareketing a lifestyle that feels very un-marketing-y: > > humble, straight-forward, folksy, personable, approriately technical, > > reasonable, etc... it certainly pulled me in many years ago, and still > > charms me and makes me want to buy his stuff. > > > For the most part, I think "marketing" deserves a bad rap -- it's > > often a pack of lies or manipulation of our fears or sentimental > > sucker punches. But in GP's case, marketing appears to be an extension > > of the Riv "ethic." It's sort of marketing at it's best: just telling > > the story of your products with as much genuine honesty as you > > reasonably can. > > > But in the end, I still see it as marketing. > > -- > > John Speare > > Spokane, WA USAhttp://cyclingspokane.blogspot.com/- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
