Motorcycle Brand Cross-Promotion for Increased Brand Awareness
If you aren’t open to cross-promotion, you miss out on a huge opportunity. This one marketing strategy can help your motorcycle brand reach new audiences while increasing brand recognition and sales. What’s better is that you don’t have to pay for the entire marketing effort by yourself. In the long term, you can develop professional relationships with other reputable brands for a mutually beneficial marketing strategy.
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What is Motorcycle Brand Cross-Promotion?
Cross-promotion is when two or more motorcycle brands work together to promote all involved brands in a unified effort. It is sometimes called cross-marketing or cross-campaigns.
Why Should Motorcycle Brands Participate in Cross Promotion?
Cross-promotion’s primary purpose is to increase each company’s reach by sharing resources and audiences. This increases brand awareness, with a target market segment likely already inclined to both brands. Hopefully, this translates to increased sales for both brands. Because it is a single marketing effort, the overall cost to each company should be lower, which means a high ROI.
How do I approach another motorcycle brand for a cross-promotion?
Once you find a brand that you think would be suitable for motorcycle brand cross-promotion, you need to approach them with the idea. The best approach is one where you are prepared. Have a clear proposal that outlines what you want the relationship to look like
- Cross-promotion activity
- Party’s responsibility
- Party’s financial commitment
- Expected Benefit
Emphasize your shared values and complementary customer bases. Initiate contact through professional channels with someone in a leadership position.
Motorcycle Industry Cross-Promotion Ideas
The best cross-promotion ideas are those that make sense for your brand and the brand you partner with. For many motorcycle brands, a custom motorcycle makes sense. This is because one of the brands is a motorcycle manufacturer. However, a custom bike isn’t your only option. It isn’t your best option if you aren’t in the business of making motorcycles.
Custom Collaboration Bikes
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. You can have a custom limited edition motorcycle made that is branded for the cross-promotion. Then, you create a motorcycle brand cross-promotion around the custom bike. It could be an auction, giveaway, or donation to a charity event. You could promote the bike on social media, your website, or at events.
The biggest drawback of this idea is that it can be expensive to custom-build a motorcycle. If one of the partnering brands is not a build manufacturer or builder, you have to pay a third party to do the fabricating. This can be a lot of money for a one-off promotion.
Themed Joint Events
Hosting an event or being a sponsoring brand is a great way to get your motorcycle brand out there. For larger events, a diverse population of people attend, giving you a broad reach. There are also significant opportunities for branding with signage and advertising placement.
The drawback of event promotion is that you risk your brand getting lost among the other sponsors. You will want to include protections that your branding doesn’t have to compete too hard with other messaging. You will also want to consider the location, attendance, and type of event. Some events may be better than others for diversity and high attendance.
Brand-Exclusive VIP Experiences
People love exclusivity, so offering a VIP experience is a great way to create buzz and desirability. If you want to elevate your brand, this is a common way of creating a sense of luxury. You could create a personalized experience that includes behind-the-scenes looks, guided rides, special edition merchandise, or a hands-on experience.
Interactive Online Challenges
If you want to reach a broader audience than your immediate geographical area, consider an online motorcycle brand cross-promotion effort. Not only does this increase your reach, but it improves your engagement rate on social media. Depending on the motorcycle brand cross-promotion you do, this is also a great way of gathering user-generated content for future social media use. Try hosting a photo contest or giveaway encouraging people to interact and share with your brands. You can get creative with your social media content. Turn it into a scavenger hunt where people have to take pictures of a particular thing or activity. You could create a challenge that your following has to do. Host live events that encourage people to watch at a specific time.
Collaborative Ride Challenges
Special event rides have become more prevalent in recent years. These are hosted rides that typically have a theme. They usually have motorcycle brand partnerships and a charitable cause that they support. Check out some of these annual rides to get inspired by a cross-promotion ride event.
- Rolling Thunder Washington DC
- The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride
- Victory For Veteran’s Memorial Ride
- International Female Ride Day (IFRD)
Cross-Promote Outside of the Motorcycle Industry
You don’t have to limit yourself to other brands in the motorcycle industry for your cross-promotion efforts. For maximum ROI, consider collaborating outside of the motorcycle industry. This will increase brand awareness with a much larger new audience base.
A good place to start is with your own data. Go to your Google Analytics account and head to the Demographics and Interests section. This will give you a substantial amount of data about your website visitors. Hopefully, your website visitors are your target market. This data lets you learn about age, gender, affinity categories, in-market segments, and other interests. Review this report and look for popular interests that point to a particular industry. Then, use the demographics data to identify a company in that industry with a similar market base. A company that fits these parameters should have similar metrics, allowing for effective cross-promotion.
Fashion and Apparel
Why not utilize one of the most classic forms of brand promotion by collaborating with a fashion or apparel brand? What’s great about this strategy is that every time someone wears a clothing item, they promote your brand and increase awareness. Motorcycle riders are just people, and they wear clothing. So they can wear your branded items on and off the bike.
Kawasaki and Adidas
This is a perfect example of cross-promotion done well as an avid gym goer and motorcycle rider. I own these shoes, which do not compromise either company’s quality and style. I love wearing my sneakers because they are comfortable and look different.
A perfect example of a motorcycle and clothing brand cross-promoting is the Limited Edition Adidas ZX22 Kawasaki Shoes. These aren’t the only shoes the two companies have done together with limited edition sneakers celebrating the ZX’s past, present, and future.
Alpinestars and Diesel
Both are Italian brands. One is famous for its motorcycle gear. The other makes casual clothing. The two partnered to create a line of co-branded clothing. The fall/winter line 2019 features pants, shirts, jackets, shoes, and a skirt that all had a moto feel inspired by riding gear but stayed true to Diesel’s street/urban vibe.
Breitling and Triumph
You will quickly learn that Triumph is an industry leader in cross-promoting. On one hand, it means they are skilled at reaching new markets. On the other, it almost feels like too much and contrived. Something must be said about being selective with whom you collaborate.
One of the many brands Triumph has partnered with is Breitling, a luxury watchmaker. Triumph thinks of itself as a luxury brand, so it makes sense that it would want to associate with other luxury brands. For this collaboration, they created a motorcycle based on a watch. Owners of one of the 270 bikes made could also purchase a limited edition matching watch.
Technology and Electronics
Partnering with technology and electronics companies naturally fits the motorcycle industry. Plenty of innovation happens within the motorcycles, gear, and accessories.
Sony and Honda
It makes sense that two Japanese companies would come together. In all fairness, the two companies ultimately launched an EV car brand. Afeela is a branded joint venture. The goal is to create Level 3 automated driving under limited conditions. While this is a car and not a motorcycle, it would be safe to assume that it will expand into motorcycle product offerings if this goes well.
Samsung and Energica
You may not be familiar with Energica. It is an Italian motorcycle company producing electric motorcycles. Samsung and Energica collaborated on a project called Smart Ride. The goal is to create a new immersive riding experience that utilizes innovative technology from both companies.
Ducati and Lamborghini
Ducati has a history of partnering with high-end vehicle manufacturers. Their latest collaboration is with Lamborghini. The two companies have done cross-promotion partnerships before. Each company produces a limited edition vehicle in matching design. The line of the Huracán STO inspires the Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini.
Music and Entertainment
Attend any motorcycle rally or event, and you will see various musical and entertainment performances. So, naturally, a cross-promotion with these acts is the next step. Perhaps your motorcycle brand gets featured in a project the artist is doing. Or you could have co-branded merchandise.
Post Malone and Harley-Davidson
If you heard Harley Davidson partnered with a musical artist, Post Malone is probably not the first person that comes to mind. However, it is a smart decision on Harley’s part if it wants to get in front of a new, younger market. The two came together to create a limited edition clothing line that features the iconic brand and his unique style.
Triumph and Bond
Of course, Triumph and Bond have come together in a cross-promotional effort. Triumph and Bond are both British icons. It seems like Triumph tries to pay its way into any movie or TV show that it can. So here you go, a Bond-inspired Triumph. Then, Triumph motorcycles were used in the Bond movies.
Charlotte de Witte and Harley Davidson
Harley is seriously trying to keep the brand relevant and give it a younger image. In addition to Post Malone, Harley has also partnered with Charlotte de Witte, a Belgian techno producer and founder of the KNTXT label. The motorcycle company plans to create an entire marketing experience beyond just bike partnerships. Promotions, events, and experiences will combine the world of bikes and techno music.
Food and Beverage
It may seem unexpected, but food and beverage brands seem to naturally partner with motorcycle brands. There is a well-established partnership between Monster Energy and Kawasaki. But cross-promotion efforts go well beyond this.
Jack Daniel’s and Indian Motorcycle
America’s first registered distillery and America’s first motorcycle company partnered to create a limited edition collection. The two companies have a long history of working together, dating back to 2016. Throughout the years, they have produced several limited-edition motorcycles inspired by the iconic whiskey company.
It may seem unexpected, but food and beverage brands seem to naturally partner with motorcycle brands. There is a well-established partnership between Monster Energy and Kawasaki. But cross-promotion efforts go well beyond this.
Budweiser and Harley-Davidson
We all saw the fiasco of when a partnership goes wrong with Budweiser’s backlash after trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney promoted the brand. That aside, Budweiser is now trying to repair its reputation by partnering with brands it thinks can repair its image. One of those cross-promotions is with Harley Davidson. The result is a hyper-masculine commercial that features a Harley-themed beer can as a grey-haired man polishes a motorcycle.
Traeger Grills and Indian Motorcycle
You will see a lot of branded and theme custom or limited edition motorcycles in this blog. That is the easy go-to cross-promotion idea. However, Indian got creative and took things a step further. Indian Motorcycle partnered with Traeger Grills to create a truly unique motorcycle. The sidecar of this motorcycle is a fully functioning grill. To make the most of the collaboration, the creation was unveiled at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, one of the biggest motorcycle events in the world.
DIY and Home Goods
When motorcycle riders are done for the day, they go home. Why not partner with a company that allows motorcycle enthusiasts to celebrate their passions in the privacy and comfort of their homes? This could be a company that specializes in garage equipment, tools, and DIY supplies. However, it could also be a home goods item that gets used or placed inside the home.
Gibson and Triumph
It should be no surprise that the example I found for this category is from Triumph. This time, they partnered with Gibson guitars. The companies made matching one-of-a-kind motorcycles and guitars. The partnership was done to support The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. This annual ride occurs globally and acts as a charity to raise awareness and support for men’s mental health and prostate cancer.
Be a Motorcycle Brand Worth Cross-Promoting With
If you want other motorcycle brands to cross-promote with yours, you need to be a brand worth collaborating with. You do this by presenting your brand in a trustworthy and authoritative manner. Your brand should garner respect and professionalism. Remember, the other brand will associate themselves with you, so your image needs to be desirable.
The best way to cultivate a reputable brand is by producing high-quality content. That is where I come in. I bring personal experience and professional expertise to my clients. I provide content writing services that help motorcycle brands have high-quality website content, blogs, articles, marketing materials, and social media posts.
FAQs
Are there any legal considerations for motorcycle brand cross-promotion?
Yes, you should always sign a formal agreement outlining the cross-promotional relationship details. This will protect both companies during the relationship. In addition to responsibilities, finances, and expectations, you also need to include intellectual property ownership, branding usage rights, and liability.
What are the key elements of a successful cross-promotional campaign for motorcycle brands?
Start with a brand that makes sense for your motorcycle brand to work with. Have a clear goal with measurable metric benchmarks for every cross-promotional campaign. Clearly define what will happen and who is responsible for what. Instill quality standards and checks to ensure messaging consistency.
Can motorcycle brands cross-promote with other industries?
Yes, motorcycle brands can cross-promote with brands outside of the motorcycle industry. This is highly effective at increasing brand awareness and expanding reach into new target markets. For the most effective promotion, look for industries adjacent or complementary to the motorcycle industry.
