Assos knobheads

mfin

Anyone else notice how Assos advertise their clothing modelled by supersmooth knobhead models who obviously aren't cyclists? ...seems odd for one of the best manufacturers out there. Surely thats a bit out of touch with the target audience? ,,,should have said no to their advertising agency IMO to that idea, gone with something where the models are photoshoped out just leaving the clothes to speak for themselves.

Anonymous

It really seems to affect their sales.

Black Phoenix

To be fair, you could probably apply that line of thought to almost every company that advertises.
Do any clothing companies use 'real' people? I doubt it, most employ models because they want their clothing to look good, not like a sack of potatoes. Having said that, I think it is better if you can use someone relevent to the product. But, if you want a professional sports person to advertise your product I bet it will cost far more than hiring a few models for a photoshoot.

mfin

Ah... well, I am actually coming from a slightly different level than you might imagine. I do advertising/marketing work and have done for a couple of decades.

I'm not saying use sports people instead of models, but you can choose your models and how you shoot them. Its not the faces so much, its think the cliched 'live in the gym, I'm dead serious and cool' look that I find incompatible with the product's audience (which cyclists look like or aspire to look that?).

I think it washes over people's heads because we see so much of it but it does affect subconcious perceptions I'm convinced of that. Just because they make fantastic gear and it sells well doesn't mean their advertising is great. They're not up against that much competition are they really at that level of quality (not an encouragement to list a few... cos you can't list 10s and 10s like you would if you were trying to get someone to buy a new bag of crisps).

If you think about it, even within everyday clothing, imagine swapping the models that Diesel use for the ones that Gant use, both would not work and look out of place. I think the assos ones look out of place and the ad agency doesn't understand the target audience or somehow cos of high sales the image is just taken for granted now.

Do you really think the 'im rock hard look at me posing' look works positively for the brand now (i mean in that context... not being agressive there -edit)?

giant_man

mfin wrote:

Ah... well, I am actually coming from a slightly different level than you might imagine. I do advertising/marketing work and have done for a couple of decades.

I'm not saying use sports people instead of models, but you can choose your models and how you shoot them. Its not the faces so much, its think the cliched 'live in the gym, I'm dead serious and cool' look that I find incompatible with the product's audience (which cyclists look like or aspire to look that?).

I think it washes over people's heads because we see so much of it but it does affect subconcious perceptions I'm convinced of that. Just because they make fantastic gear and it sells well doesn't mean their advertising is great. They're not up against that much competition are they really at that level of quality (not an encouragement to list a few... cos you can't list 10s and 10s like you would if you were trying to get someone to buy a new bag of crisps).

If you think about it, even within everyday clothing, imagine swapping the models that Diesel use for the ones that Gant use, both would not work and look out of place. I think the assos ones look out of place and the ad agency doesn't understand the target audience or somehow cos of high sales the image is just taken for granted now.

Do you really think the 'im rock hard look at me posing' look works positively for the brand now (i mean in that context... not being agressive there -edit)?

Well if you have been in the industry for two decades, as I also have but for thirty years now, you should know that sex sells and their models have to appeal to all. It doesn't matter if they're cyclists or not. If the gear hangs right on their gear, then job done. Assos are not just a successfull company cos of their 'model's' but in the quality of their apparel.

Anonymous

I have been looking at adverts for around 30 years now and I like the Assos ones, they complete the Euro-Gimp look. I particularly like the lady ones.

I also actually think that the male model does look like a Euro-Gimp cyclist.

Sirius631

The guy, like the guy in last year's Assos promotional shots, has just one pose. I wonder if he's called Derek Zoolander.

mfin

giant mancp wrote:

Well if you have been in the industry for two decades, as I also have but for thirty years now, you should know that sex sells and their models have to appeal to all. It doesn't matter if they're cyclists or not. If the gear hangs right on their gear, then job done. Assos are not just a successfull company cos of their 'model's' but in the quality of their apparel.

I should know that 'sex sells and their models have to appeal to all' ???? 'Sex sells' is just a soundbite i'm afraid, seems you've used it just to attempt to null the idea ...it doesn't qualify whatsoever that they're using the most effective imagery.

So why don't Diesel (for example again) use hunky models in their imagery, why don't Dove dump all the real people they're using and go for pouting sex-bombs instead? and if we're going to go the 'whole hog' then why doesn't the MilkyBar kid go round stripped to the waist with a six pack.... there's a lot more to advertising than 'sex sells' I think.

All I'm saying is that I think the style of models they've chosen and the uber-cool hardman poses don't seem compatible with any cyclist I have met and doesn't seem to go hand -n-hand naturally with the (think we're agreed on this bit) quality brand values they have.

JRDM

I don't think I would ever buy Assos clothing unless it was a massive bargain due to the thought other people may think I was trying to emulate the Assos Gimp look...

a_n_t

I agree, they should've used my skinny ar$e!

softlad

mfin wrote:

Ah... well, I am actually coming from a slightly different level than you might imagine. I do advertising/marketing work and have done for a couple of decades.

so how would you pitch a new campaign style to Assos..??

whyamihere

I bought my Assos kit purely on the strength of my daydreams about Assos girl.

antfly

I think Assos are deliberately elitist and that`s the image they want to portray. Their target market are serious cyclists or at least cyclists who take it seriously. I recently bought a pair of their shorts and was a bit surprised by the booklet that came with it which implied that Assos stuff isn`t for people that are a bit fat.

mfin

softlad wrote:

mfin wrote:

Ah... well, I am actually coming from a slightly different level than you might imagine. I do advertising/marketing work and have done for a couple of decades.

so how would you pitch a new campaign style to Assos..??

Well, you don't come up with that in 2 mins... but I know I wouldn't be picking models that look like they're gym nuts, it's just not befitting IMO, I don't think cyclists aspire to look like that (and if they wanted to I'm sure they couuld, after all a lot of us are dedicated to spending a lot of time doing excerise fof our chosen type and purpose already)

a_n_t

antfly wrote:

which implied that Assos stuff isn`t for people that are a bit fat.

JLM74

Are you suggesting that someone like this gentleman should be employed to model the stuff?

mfin

JLM74 wrote:

Are you suggesting that someone like this gentleman should be employed to model the stuff?

Exactly

AndyRubio

RE: the Assos woman. I would.



I bet she'd be pleased to know that.

Anonymous

Yep. She'd get it. Both inches.

jrduquemin

AndyRubio wrote:

RE: the Assos woman. I would.



I bet she'd be pleased to know that.

I would too :-) but I'd first like to see what she has got in her hands, is it a surprise? :-D

Anonymous

Any better?

a_n_t

I dont even want to know where you'd come across that image [so to speak]

antfly

I think he`s touched her up, the last time I saw her she had a g-string on. :shock:

Infamous

Rather have the assos woman than the lusso men...

BazookaMoor

My ambition is to appear in one of Rapha's moody black and white shoots, effortlessly climbing switchbacks in the Dolomites. Failing that I could do tandem ads with Rebecca Romero.

stevenmh

Where are you seeing all these ads? I have never seen an ad for Assos as I do not read cycling mags etc. Why bother when there is just so much info out there on the web.

I know of Assos purely by reviews on sites like this etc. Until I found out and saw pictures of the Mavic range of clothing, Assos had been the clothes I most wanted.

Assos should increase their online advertising and also their global distribution. There seems to be a massive lack of places to buy their stuff especially outside the main countries in Europe and their website sucks imo.

But as for models and ads, of course the models need to help make the clothes look good. Not all of us have six packs (drank all mine last night) but many of us might secretly want some (not me of course.. ). You will notice as well that on the mavic site models are not used, I like this approach.

spen666

mfin wrote:

Ah... well, I am actually coming from a slightly different level than you might imagine. I do advertising/marketing work and have done for a couple of decades.

...

You can't be too successful if you think its appropriate to call those who have a different ( and successful) marketing campaign to your ideas "KNOBHEADS"

Alternatively, you are marketing for ASSOS and have successfully got me and loads of others on here discussing ASSOS clothing , thus raising their profile.
Sir on reflection you are a marketing genius

Anonymous

antfly wrote:

I think he`s touched her up, the last time I saw her she had a g-string on. :shock:

:shock:

nolf

They are pretty rubbish at marketing.

I mean I hadn't even heard of them until I came across this thread.

Judging by the comments on "assos girl" they're some kind of lads mag?

gkerr4

i don't like the assos ads (bar the assos girl) - it's not a patch on the rapha method - assos = euro-gay wear, while the rapha ads are cool.

mfin

spen666 wrote:

mfin wrote:

Ah... well, I am actually coming from a slightly different level than you might imagine. I do advertising/marketing work and have done for a couple of decades.

...

You can't be too successful if you think its appropriate to call those who have a different ( and successful) marketing campaign to your ideas "KNOBHEADS"

Alternatively, you are marketing for ASSOS and have successfully got me and loads of others on here discussing ASSOS clothing , thus raising their profile.
Sir on reflection you are a marketing genius

Ahh... see, the thread title was actually used just to sound interestng and ambiguous. Funny how you interpreted it as being aimed at Assos (or their agency), I hadn't thought of that one, I'd only thought people might think its about people who wear Assos and then find I'm talking about the models. Its only a title to get people reading, thats all!

Is it successul then too, this Assos campaign? Are you assuming that? Cos I'm not assuming either way, I was just making observations about how it didn't 'feel right' to me and was 'throwing it out there' to see what people thought.

Plus 'I can't be very succesul if...', well, I wouldn't like to say, but I don't think you get too far in marketing if you're on the ideas side of things if you don't have a natural tendency to question and challenge what might work and what might not. That's from overall concepts all the way down to tiny details. I personally doubt and question everything in my line of work.

As for I'd be a 'marketing genius' if I'm working for Assos and started this thread to get loads of people talking?? Really?? How many people have posted, 6 or something, so you think this thread has resulted in a surge of sales? Naaa.