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Rapha – Riding is the Answer

Rapha’s new brand campaign promotes the transformative power of cycling – because in their eyes, there’s no sport like cycling. With special events and a dedicated film, the Team at Rapha tries to promote the distinct changes cycling can cause. Find more information in their official press release.

This June, Rapha’s first-ever brand campaign aims to get more people on bikes and highlight cycling as a solution to many of the personal and societal challenges of modern life. As a company, Rapha believes that cycling is an antidote to the daily pressures we face, and whether it’s a long ride or a short commute, the simple act of riding a bike offers the chance to be totally present and tune out distractions.

For society as a whole, getting more people on bikes means reduced carbon emissions and traffic congestion, and a pathway to a mentally and physically healthier population. We believe that cycling, more than any other sport, is unique in its ability to solve problems and help people improve their lives. We believe, in short, that cycling transforms lives.

 Riding on my own or with others I find perfect moments and experiences that make the ordinary extraordinary, that transform my daily life into something suddenly unforgettable. Rapha founder and CEO Simon Mottram

To lead the campaign, Rapha commissioned a film with Los Angeles-based advertising agency Mother LA, working with Executive Creative Director and original Rapha Continental rider Joe Staples. We put cycling and cyclists at the heart of the project by casting old friends of the brand and former employees, with a unique backstory and close relationship with the sport we love.

Director and keen cyclist Max Weiland captured the feeling and promise of early morning rides, following a group of riders as they experience the intensity and pressures of modern city life before heading up into the hills for their post-climb ‘aha’ moment which provides a perfect mental reset for their return to the city. The film is a clear departure from Rapha features of the past, highlighting city scenes and some of the problems we face in everyday life – stress, poor health, tension, traffic – and holds up riding a bike as an answer to them.

 Riding in LA is different to other places in the world…before your morning meeting, before the emails and the coffee, you can climb from the claustrophobic city streets to vast canyon gravel roads. The noise suddenly fades and nature whips past…riding is like what skateboarding used to be; it’s about interacting with your environment, and it’s about finding a community. Max Weiland

Events

To support the brand campaign and film, Rapha’s global Clubhouses will be increasing their riding schedules and events over the summer to cover a variety of abilities and cycling-based interests. From beginner rides to masterclasses on route planning to the best place to watch racing, Rapha is a hub of activity for cycling communities all over the world.

The campaign consists of behind-the-scenes films and interviews as well as the main film and will be supported throughout the year by further editorial content and activities dedicated to promoting cycling.

Find more information on the Rapha Website.


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Words & Photos: Rapha PR