Cultural analysis in international marketing strategy

Oasis: The Marketing Situation in the United States

Bicycle riding has gained new cache as a mode of transportation in the United States. A number of cultural factors influence this trend: firstly, the spike in gas prices, and secondly, an increased interest in green transportation. Finally, bicycles have become trendy fashion accessories, used to convey the healthy and environmentally conscious attitudes of the rider. The title of a recent New York Times article says it best: "Whose bike are you wearing?" (Williams 2009). "The U.S. bicycle industry sold $6.1 billion in bicycles and equipment (retail value) in 2007" ("Fast facts." Bikes Belong, 2009). Almost $3 billion dollars were allocated for bicycle and pedestrian projects between 1998 and 2003 under the U.S. Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century ("Bicycle statistics," Saddlebutts, 2009).

Commuting by bike has grown particularly popular in major urban locations such as New York City. In 2005, the number of daily cyclists in New York City was an estimated 107,000; in 2009 it was 185,000. To cope with the added traffic, the city has installed more than 120 miles of bike lanes in the last two years (Williams 2009). Before, the bike market tended to be divided into two general groups: road and mountain bikers who used their expensive bikes for sporting purposes, and young people who used cheap models like cruisers for transportation. Now, adults who are not athletic cyclists are using bikes for regular, reliable means of commuting to work more than ever. "Every morning, Renaud Dutreil, the chairman of the North American unit of the luxury and fashion conglomerate LVMH rides to his Midtown office on a black Gazelle, a stylish Dutch commuter bicycle" (Williams 2009).

"An elegant lady or man…on a bike that is elegant, that's really the new art of living" enthused the Times, particularly about heavy, Dutch bicycles that may be slower but can withstand a demanding commute, even during city winters. Commuter bikes, just like cars, have become relatively affordable status symbols, particularly given the constrained financial conditions of the current environment. "The Great Downturn may have its first real status symbol" as even an expensive bicycle is cheaper than a mid-priced car (Coleman 2009).

Bike culture remains polarized to some degree: "can New York revert to New Amsterdam? Can the bicycle, the urban answer to the wild mustang, slow down and put fenders on? Can the urban cyclist, he of the ragtag renegade clothes or shiny spandex, grow up and put on a tie?" (Coleman 2009). There is no one type of bike that truly fits all needs: "The frames of most road bikes are not particularly beefy in construction and generally won't stand up well for extended periods under heavy loads or on really rough surfaces" (Fielder 2009). Mountain bikes are heavy and ideally suited for rugged terrain -- both bikes are less comfortable than larger 'cruiser' styles that require less maintenance. Combined styles that try to hybridize the features of different styles are too slow for road cyclists, not durable enough for mountain cyclists and still require the extra maintenance because they possess gears, as opposed to cruisers. Regardless, there is a demand for combined bikes -- there is a demand for all cycles, given the multifaceted use of bike riding in sport and for practical use. The 2002 National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes and Behaviors reported a relatively even split between the main reasons people choose to cycle -- 26% for recreation, 23% for fitness, and about 10% commute by bike (Facts & Figures, League of American Bicyclists, 2009).