PTBO RIDES.

Shirt Off Day!

I copped this ad from some cycling specific blog this morning . . . only because it’s worth having a closer look at. To be sure, Fi’zi:k is not running ads on ptborides.com.

Look at this thing.

Question #1. Why is Cavendish shirtless?

Question #2. What does a bicycle saddle have to do with “finding the animal within”?

More on Question #1. I would love to know how this campaign was pitched. Who was the first person in the art or marketing department to say “We need Mark Cavendish. And we need him Shirtless”. “Yes!”, came the response. Or, maybe a shirtless Mark Cavendish happened more organically. Say, Cavendish was in the studio . . . the photographer was restless and wanted to get something different out of the shoot. The photographer had a great working rapport with Cavendish, so he gently asked him to remove his shirt.

Cavendish agreed.

Though, a shirtless Mark Cavendish is a paltry send-up compared to this:

Try to look away, you can’t. This ad is awesome on so many different levels. I would like to see some sales tracking from Sidi after this ad rolled out. I would also like to see some metrics on Pozzato’s dance card from the same time as well — My guess: it’s full.

More on Question #2. Full disclosure. I ride a Fi’zi:k saddle. Hands down it is the best saddle I have ever owned. I have lauded it’s comfort during a group ride or café stop to anyone who would listen, or to anyone who was already talking about saddles. That being said. Not once has my saddle made me feel like an animal. Or more to the point, helped me locate my inner animal. However, I have been searching my soul for signs of animal life ever since a shirtless Mark Cavendish suggested I do so.

I would love to tell you the animal within me is the Honeybadger . . . but I fully know it’s a Golden Retriever. An old Golden Retriever who likes long naps and swimming.