LAS VEGAS (BRAIN) — Catalyst Communication hopes to take its BikeLife Cities concept to at least 10 more cities next year, and is at Interbike to talk up the print and digital marketing project.
Lynn Guissinger, president of Catalyst, launched BikeLife Cities this year with issues distributed to city residents in Boulder, Colorado; Tucson, Arizona; and Kansas City, Missouri. The magazine, mailed free to readers, includes both local and national content, including features on women and families, stories on travel and rides, and also local maps, events and places to shop for gear and services. Editorial targets new riders or those who may consider riding more.
Guissinger said she mailed a total run of 218,000 magazines this year. Most were mailed to homes, with the remainder distributed through university dorms, hotels, bike stores, public libraries and other facilities.
Catalyst developed websites and social media campaigns for each of the launch cities, all of which are expanding to become regional.
"The goal is to grow our digital presence," Guissinger said. "There is no systematic offering that brings together regional maps, city and county efforts, Bike to Work Day photos, Safe Routes to School programs and university offerings. We add in local information about advocacy groups, bike retailers and bike supplier offerings. And all these efforts are supported by a wide range of advertisers, from Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross and AAA Auto Club to local breweries, realtors and attorneys."
BikeLife Cities also received support from the industry, including PeopleForBikes, SRAM, Giant, Fuji, Polar Bottle, Tern, Currie, Panache, Mirrycle, IMBA and others. And Guissinger and her staff is here talking to companies about becoming presenting sponsors for their home cities.
"We're hoping to build on that support," Guissinger said. "As we mature and build our audience, the promotion may well become increasingly digital. Right now, this magazine reaches people. And it's changing behaviors. People tell us all the time that they've saved the piece because it has all the local maps and resources, that they're riding the trails shown, and that they went out and bought a new bike."
With its second issue, BikeLife expanded to become more regional. BikeLife Boulder became BikeLife Boulder County, with the county, CU and Louisville all paying to participate. Pima County and others are joining the city of Tucson in paying for the second issue and expanding the distribution, Guissinger said.
Next year, Catalyst is adding Portland, Oregon, Salt Lake/Ogden and Denver, and is working to expand to a number of other cities.
"We're talking to cities all across the country, including Indianapolis, Cambridge, Miami, Seattle and many others," Guissinger said. The cities, counties and universities cover BikeLife's printing and postage costs.
You can view the magazines at bikelifecities.com or at Interbike's Booth 27133.
