Not sure if you have the same one in the States, but in Canada there is a Bowflex commercial with a "41 year old professional beach volleyball player. He goes on an on about how you have to be in top shape if you want to be a pro player at 41, whilethe footage shows him playing against a girl. She doesn’t look like much of a volleyball player and he almos spikes her head off. The funniest line is when he is talking about how to keep up with the younger players (at least that is what I think he is talking about but as they show the footage of the girl he may be talking about something else altogether and he says something along the lines of “I have to be in tip-top shape if I want to be slamming it up with twenty-somethings”.
The pumping arms, ripped abs and legs of steel are also pretty funny.
All of those Bowflex commercials are cheesy bits of tv trash. Personally, I like the one profiling the 40 year old grandmother. What the hell does that prove?
As with OLN’s coverage and heavy commercial rotation for the TdF, I’m glad I tape it so I can fast forward through it. Shouldn’t Red Lobster have a different commercial after about 3 years? I’m getting nightmares about hammocks!
Bah, that Bowflex commercial appears almost at every break… and you’re right, they’re awful. However, the all time worst TDF commercials in Canada was the “esquire” watch commercials that were repeated, ad nauseum, through OLN for the past 3 years.
Considering your affiliation with CSC, I’m suprised that you aren’t over there watching it in person from a team car, and scarfing down brie and champagne after every stage. Is the life of the bike supplier of a TDF team less glamorous than what I would have envisioned?
If you want to know what life is like as a bike supplier, check out Phil’s updates at www.cervelo.com/mediacentre.aspx. Actually, that’s not really how it usually is, no other bike company has the owner wrenching for the team for four weeks (one week prep, three weeks of racing) but that is one of the benefits we can offer the Team in lieu of a fat check. We can have somebody at the important races who actually understands technology, aerodynamics, etc. It’s not a picnic though, it may look from his updates that he is some sort of a tourist, but he is usually working from 8am-10pm just like the mechanics.
For me, I’m fine with Phil doing that while I work in the office. I’ve been to the Tour as a tourist, but never since we supply bikes to Team CSC. The Tour is too big, it isn’t really what I consider fun. If you want to see a nice race and actually see something (rather than just being shoved around the whole time), go to the Dauphine-Libere. Same riders, but without the security and the fencing.
Gerard, that is very cool how you guys support the pro team. Last summer I met Phil White at the Alpe D’Huez TT and I somehow got roped into doing English to French translatin between him and a journalist from Lyon as he asked about Basso’s bike for that TT.
As for the Bowflex commercial, even if that dude is not really playing volleyball, with all the cosmetic bulk, I hope he is making out good with the gal in the commercial, otherwise all the bulk is just useless.
Being on the marketing side, as you know, the whole gig is to sell hope. We buy Cervelos cause we hope to magically get faster. Dudes by Bowflexes at age 41 (note the strategically selected age) in hope of correcting all the mid life promises that they made to themselves at 40 but then threw out the window in 6 months.
We have the same commercial here in Newfoundland. The best part is he says he got the ripped abs, legs of steel, etc with something like 12 days on the Bowflex - yeah right. Classic.
go to the Dauphine-Libere. Same riders, but without the security and the fencing.
Most of the CSC’s TdF team was not at Dauphine-Libere, including Basso, Zabriskie, Julich, Voigt and Lombardi. And no Ullrich, Mayo etc. either.
But you’re probably right it’s easier to actually watch the smaller races.
On Danish televison today, they told that the avarege time a TdF spectator spent per day watching the race at the roadside was 7.5 hours. You have to get there early because of traffic and to get a good spot and be there before the carvan in front of the race and when you leave again there’s traffic again. But on the mountains it’s like one big party.
If you want to know what life is like as a bike supplier, check out Phil’s updates at www.cervelo.com/mediacentre.aspx.
Is there any possibility to improve the sound quality of future auido uploads? The sound quality is so bad it’s hard to hear half of it.
Watching the Tour on OLN in Canada is TORTURE.
I have to hit the mute button at every commercial break (5mins tops).
If I hear “Take me boating” one more time…
Same friggin commercials every year. Same advertisers for most of OLN Canada’s programs. It show’s what a pathetic station it is the rest of the year…
There’s plenty of good outdoor programming out there, but they can’t play it because of the f-d up CANCON rules. Same crappy shows every day.
But isn’t it impressive how in 20 minutes 3 times a week for only 6 weeks he got ripped abs, gained 12 lbs of muscle and is now dating a hot 20 year old
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Watching the Tour on OLN in Canada is TORTURE.
I have to hit the mute button at every commercial break (5mins tops).
If I hear “Take me boating” one more time…
Actually, you win. The “Take me Boating” commercial is waaaaaaaaay worse than the Bowflex spot.
I actually like the “Take Me Boating” commercials. Reminds me of going fishing with my Grandfather at the cottage when I was a boy. However it is over-kill to the point that I am actually turned off these brands( Bowflex, Red Lobster etc . .) with the constantly repeating commercials that they have been using for several years now. Hello to the creative guys at the agency! Hello, media buyers!! Time to wake up.
The commercials on OLN Canada are a joke. I actually get turned off the brands products that are promoted/advertised like this. It’s a waste of good commercial time.
Now with all of your free time you could come up with a great looking Cervelo TV commercial!( Just kidding)
Actually, you get the best advertisment and promotion of them all - your bikes winning in the Tour de France. Congratulations and best wishes for continued success.
The commercials are why we record the stage on the VCR (don’t have TIVO) and then watch it at our convience allowing us to fast forward through the commercials.
I have to say, not only are there new advertisers on the US OLN coverage, those advertisers actually have a few different commercials, making the whole comercial experience less painful.
Gotta love the motel 6 one where the dog wraps itself in a blanket…
All of those Bowflex commercials are cheesy bits of tv trash. Personally, I like the one profiling the 40 year old grandmother. What the hell does that prove?
As with OLN’s coverage and heavy commercial rotation for the TdF, I’m glad I tape it so I can fast forward through it. Shouldn’t Red Lobster have a different commercial after about 3 years? I’m getting nightmares about hammocks!
It may be worthwhile sending a note to OLN Canada to let people know there feelings:
audiencerelations@oln.ca
I work in the media business, so keep the following in mind:
Please thank OLN for their efforts in getting this great coverage on the air
It’s the advertisers who are paying for the time for the show to be on the air( this is a business)
Know that OLN is not directly responsible for the content of the commercials
Suggest that OLN may want to pass onto their clients( the advertisers) viewers feelings about the ads. If you don’t like the ads, and are turned off the products/brands because of the ads, that’s a powerful message to send along!
and he says something along the lines of “I have to be in tip-top shape if I want to be slamming it up with twenty-somethings”.
