Race Face
Race Face was a relatively new name in the ultra-competitive and highly-technical world of wheelsets. They had the goods and the name recognition, but their wheels lacked street cred. We set out to change that and win the hearts and minds of shredders everywhere.
Parliament develops directional strategies, brand platforms, and creative executions for companies at critical inflection points.
What we do
Working with the team at Parliament has been awesome. They have been able to integrate seamlessly with our internal team, pushing our strategic thinking and delivering strong and differentiated creative that cuts through the clutter. I’ve been impressed with their agility and speed in delivering complex projects. I also really appreciate their collaborative approach and the thoughtful way they address feedback.Marshall Rutman Vice President of Marketing Race Face
With wheels, everyone says they’re the best and they back it up with mountains of mind-numbing stats and data. We decided to go a different route, cut all the crap, and just let the wheels do the talking.
Sure, mountain bikers hit the trade mags and forums from time to time, but they predominantly live in the real world. We met them in their natural habitats with some direct and unexpected messaging.
Once the campaign was fully baked, it was time for the rubber to meet the road (or trail). We created a toolbox full of standards to help Race Face’s internal team take the creative and implement it where and when it would do the most good.
This campaign is headline-driven and relies heavily on the tone and voice we developed for it. It’s all about the attitude, baby! We gave the Race Face team one hundred different headlines—enough to last the whole year–to use in their ads, social posts, and general messaging.
We visited Race Face HQ in Vancouver, BC, for a wheelset deep dive, and then interviewed customers and shop owners who eat, sleep, and breathe mountain bike components. We researched the market, combed through all the mtb forums, and scoped out the competition to really understand where wheel buyers are at.
With ample usable content, this campaign is guaranteed fresh for a long, long time.
Talking shop with sales folks, bike techs, pro riders and the guy who makes the wheels is how you get the good stuff.
And endless combinations of hubs, spokes, materials, and riding disciplines. Wheelsets can make your head spin if you’re not careful.
Big thanks to the crew at Race Face for providing great direction, crushing the final creative, and never being afraid to send’er. Wheel photography and video by Race Face. Concept and design by Parliament.
