The Tour De Marketing

On Saturday 5^th July we witnessed a very British start to the 101^st Tour De France on the streets of Yorkshire. Thousands of people gathered down narrow roads and on top of hills to cheer on the 200 cyclists, all desperate to put on that famous yellow jersey. The most recognisable of those riders being the current Tour de France champion, Chris Froome, who once again enters the event as favourite.

In many ways, the top riders in the Tour de France can be compared to various forms of marketing. Let’s start with the before mentioned Chris Froome, his ability to constantly remain out in front is a quality that he and Direct Mail share. Neither is known for being loud and brash, yet everything they do is subtle, and done for a reason. Like Chris Froome, Direct Mail has the ability to remain strong even when the going gets tough. New challenges are a constant threat, and even when they look down and out, both find a way to come out on top.

Next in the line up is Mark Cavendish, the leading contender for the equally prestigious green jersey. The prize given to the fastest man in the field is hotly contested and can often see the best fall from grace. Much like Digital Marketing, Cavendish is someone who can leave everyone else dead in their tracks. The flamboyance both display is what makes them a crowd favourite, however when it all goes wrong, there’s often no coming back. A Digital Marketing campaign takes hours of planning; each aspect of the campaign must be addressed in order to avoid failure. One slip up and the campaign brings you, and everyone else down with it – there’s nothing worse than seeing your biggest investment fall at the last hurdle.

Also in the Mix is Alberto Contender, a favourite to claim the polka-dot jersey and be crowned King of the Mountains. Some see this as the hardest jersey to win, as it requires relentless battles up some of the steepest mountains in Europe. Similar to Email Marketing, almost everyone is bidding to be the best at it, yet only few get the results. Unless you put the work in at the early stages, the chances are, your email will simply end up with the others at the bottom of the pile. Direct Mail on the other hand is capable of pulling off results as the others fall behind. By constantly putting in a strong but steady effort from start to finish, it’s able to come up with the goods on the final stretch.

Last, but by at no means least is the new kid on the block, Peter Sagan, hot favourite to win the White Jersey. Awarded to the highest finishing amateur, the winner of this jersey will be the one to watch in the future. Augmented Reality has this down to a T – there isn’t one marketeer out there that hasn’t got their eye on the development of Augmented Reality. Those that have produced campaigns based around AI have really impressed, and much like Peter Sagan who is tipped to be the next big next, AI will one day be at the forefront of marketing.

Until then, Direct Mail still reigns supreme. Leading the pack, not necessarily all the time, but when it matters – at the very end when you need it most. The results it brings in are often greater than you anticipate, and are ongoing even after the campaign is over. Such is the staying power of Direct Mail, much like Chris Froome, many would be fearful of going against the odds and choosing an alternative to head up their team.

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