So I've noticed an up-tick in the number of corporate bike blogs lately. There have been at least three new notable additions to the bike blogosphere in the past couple of months:
- Kryptonite - One could argue that Kryptonite has been blogging for years as its marketing maven, Donna Tocci, has been blogging on her own site Tidbits and More in addition to being a contributor at Shut Up and Drink the Kool Aid. Nonetheless, the new blog Unbreakable Bonds is now Kryptonite's official corporate blog.
- Haro - Jill Hamilton is the brand manager for mountain bikes over at Haro Bikes (sister company to Masi Bicycles). Not content to sit on the side lines while the Masiguy received all of the PR glory, she started blogging at Bike Biz Babe where she'll tell "a collection of stories, thoughts, and random chatter from a chick who works in the bicycle industry."
- PrincetonTec - Hot on the heels of a successful launch of their new Switchback series of lights (see my overview here), PrincetonTec has started a blog called Living on the Dash. Not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds good...oh, and the blog looks good too (via Solo Goat).
While it's great that three more bike companies have decided to join the conversation with their customers, it still feels like the industry has been slower than most to embrace the blogosphere. The interesting thing is that for all the companies that have been blogging, they have enjoyed nothing but success - think Surly, Masi, Swobo, Cannondale, and there are others. I don't think I've seen a single issue that should cause shareholders or executives at a company to worry.
Is there something that makes this industry different than others when it comes to marketing? I don't think so, but I could be wrong.
