Electra Bicycle Company is conducting a digital campaign, including e-mail and social media, to promote an iPhone application it launched this week.
Electra created the app to acquire new customers and promote its product line to existing ones. Agency JHG, which won the company’s digital account last summer, is aiding the effort.
“Electra is known for its cruiser bikes, but it has branched out to make many different bikes,” said Jacob Shea, EVP for interactive and technology at JHG. “We are trying to get rid of the cruising mentality and educate consumers about all the bikes that are out there.
The app has a dealer locator, which finds the nearest Electra shop through the iPhone’s GPS technology or by searching a city or zip code. It also has photos of all six Electra bicycle collections and includes downloadable wallpapers of Electra products. The app also calls consumers to upload photos of themselves on their Electra bikes.
The app targets consumers in their 20s and 30s, said Shea. “We figured that an iPhone application would be a great way to target its young and hip demographic,” he said.
For the e-mail marketing portion of the effort, Electra is targeting existing customers who have opt-ed in, as well as Electra dealers. Electra hopes that part of the initiative will go viral and attract new customers.
“They wanted to give their dealers worldwide a way to show content that is more dynamic than a catalog,” added Shea. “It is about acquiring new customers.”
Electra is also promoting the app on its Facebook and Twitter pages, where it is calling consumers to submit photos. Shea added that Electra will continue to add content to the app and use it in the company’s marketing efforts.
“Our strategy with this app is to open up the community a little bit more,” said Elayne Fowler, marketing director at Electra. “There is a community element already happening, so this is about bringing the community to the mobile community.”
