BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The OIA is not a large organisation, nor a fantastically well funded one, but it has an enthusiastic and proactive board made up of outdoor industry executives (both retailers and suppliers), and a hard-working, forward-thinking secretariat. It has shown its mettle during the foot-and-mouth crisis.
This weekend the organisation is to launch a low-budget, but highly targetted and cost-effective advertising campaign. Colour advertisements will appear across the national press in a £100 000 campaign reinforcing the message that the countryside is open – and that OIA Approved Member retailers are a great first call to check on local access as well as the latest in outdoor equipment and clothing.
Headlined ‘Let’s get the country back on its feet’ and featuring a waymark
sign, the advertisements will appear in Saturday and Sunday editions of key
national titles across Britain and Ireland.
"The timing is designed to optimise sales in the lead up to the important autumn half term holiday period," said Andrew Maxted, OIA’s marketing and development director.
OIA chairman, and MD of outdoor retailer George Fisher Ltd, said:
"This campaign represents a major commitment for the OIA and reflects the damage inflicted on retailers and suppliers of outdoor clothing and equipment by the closure of the countryside earlier this year to combat foot and mouth disease. Regrettably
our request to government, made over two months ago, for financial support
for this initiative has not, to date, elicited any response. Nonetheless,
with most of the countryside now re-opened, this campaign will give timely
support to our members which are very well placed to advise on the access
situation as well as providing advice and information on outdoor gear."
To gain maximum exposure from the budget, media space will bought on a
‘short term’ basis and the campaign is expected to include over 20
insertions from launch to mid-October. Media buying will be through Purely
Media in Manchester and is expected to achieve coverage of around two thirds
of the population with an average of three opportunities to see.
The advertisements invite readers to "call into specialist outdoor shops for
up-to-the-minute information, sound advice on local access and precautions
and, of course, to check out any great deals on great new gear." Readers are
encouraged to look for the Go Outdoors membership sticker in shop windows,
look in Yellow Pages, or visit http://www.go-outdoors.org.uk
PS
Also kicking off this weekend is the OIA’s Autumn trade show, 23-25th September, Harrogate. Here are the list of exhibitors, some of whom have bike products:
Adventure Equipment Limited Gangotra Enterprises Ltd Regatta Great Outdoors
Aigle – Line 7 Garmin (Europe) Ltd Relum Limited
Aladdin Gelert Limited Renown Products Limited
Allcord Limited Grangers International Limited Robe Country
Aquapac International Ltd Gratis USA Rogue Outdoor Gear
Arctic Fox (B.E.I. Limited) Greenshires Publishing Rosker Ltd
Ardblair Sports Importers Limited Grisport Royal Camping – The Burden Group
Beacons Leisure; Multimat Habos Scanda
Belt Order Systems HB Climbing Equipment Silva UK Limited/Ordnance Survey
Berghaus Head Slumber Systems
Big Stone Heather Products Ltd SM Group
Bleep 2000 (Computers) Limited Hi-Tec Sports Snugpak
Blizzard Protection Systems High Places/Edelweiss Soabar
Bramwell International Highlander SOLTEX
Brasher Boot Company Hilleberg – The Tentmaker Streamline
British Mountaineering Council Horizon Leisure Products Styl Grand
Buffalo Systems Limited I & M Steiner Limited Sunnflair
Buffwear Jack Wolfskin Sunnto
Burton McCall Ltd Jousten Target Dry Ltd
Bush Mission Kit Katz & Co (Folkestone) Limited Terra Nova Equipment Limited
Cabanon Keela International Limited Teva
Cadac (UK) Ltd Lackner Schuhe GmbH TGO – The Great Outdoors
Calange & Bushbaby Lafuma U.K.Limited Thatchreed Limited
Campingaz Lagenfeld UK Ltd/GI’s Government Surplus Thaw
Cassin UK Lorpen The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show
Chiruca Lowepro Tilley Endurables Limited
Cicerone Press Lyon Equipment Ltd Togz
Cigman & Co Ltd Man O’Leisure Top to Toe
Cloverbrook Limited Maurice Blake Ltd Trailwise
Coleman UK plc Merrell Europe Limited Trekmates
Cordee Ltd Montane Trespass
Craghoppers Limited Mountain Boot Company Trezeta (U.K.) Ltd.
Crispi Mountain Technology Troll
D.A.Enterprises Mycoal Vango
D.B. Outdoor Systems National Geographic Footwear VauDe
Dalesman International Limited Nikwax Waterproofing Walkabout
Design Go Travel Emporium Nomad Wayfarer Foods
DMM International Limited North Cape Weird Fish Clothing
Easitill Ltd Oase Outdoors ApS Whitby & Co.
Electrolux Leisure Appliances Optimus Wilderness Ventures
Entre-Prises (UK) Ltd Ordnance Survey World of Service UK
Equip Outdoor Technologies Ltd Outdoor & Sports Company Wynnster Outdoor Leisure
Esperus Systems Limited Outdoor Industries Association Zepla Ltd
Eurotech Leisure Ltd Outdoor Scene & Bodge the Badger Zero Limits
Farfield Clothing Outdoor Update Magazine Zippo UK Ltd
Figure Retail Systems Ltd PA Weather Centre
First Ascent & Patagonia Pinnacle Equipment
First Choice Expedition Foods Pioneer Outdoor Adventure
Five Ten Europe PuddleHunters
Foot Logic Pyramid Outdoor Equipment
FOX 40 Whistles (UK) Rab Carrington Limited
Fox River – Terramar Rangemaster Products
