Tata’s an Indian conglomerate which is involved in everything from tea to cars and IT, via Tata Consultancy Services. What began as an IT operation to help Western companies put their IT and customer support offshore – Indian call centres and software development – is now an international heavyweight in IT consulting. So it’s good … Read more
BMC Racing’s Andy Rihs is probably the wealthiest man in pro cycling, so much so that he can pay for a cycling team in the way you or I might subscribe to a magazine. But for all his billions and business sense, he must be finding his expenditure in cycling isn’t bringing the dividends he’d … Read more
Mention the word “Cipollini” and a warm smile appears on my face. No other rider I’ve known has combined excitement, style and charisma like Mario Cipollini. I’ve been following pro cycling since 1988 so that’s practically a quarter century of riders. If some dress for dinner, here was a man who would don a cream … Read more
Click the image to image to enlarge, it’s a a screenshot from the Ag2r La Mondiale team website. It’s a nice looking site on a sub-domain of the sponsor’s own website. Note the clean design and corporate colours, it’s good stuff. But…Look more closely though and the only email address on the website is a … Read more
I wrote this earlier in the week but realised some readers might find it ‘inconvenient’ to read at work. So here’s something for the weekend… For better or worse, we tend to forget most adverts. Now the worst can be so bad they get talked about, the free publicity generated here can be worthwhile, viral … Read more
He’s the guy with the moustache, the tache-tastic Magnum PI of the peloton. But what if he had no facial hair, would you have heard of him? Maybe not. What I’m trying to say is that simply by growing a moustache, he’s getting loads of free publicity. He even has a sideline in T-shirts. Only … Read more
Valverde’s got the squirrel by its nuts Following my piece on the Basque country and Valverde’s ongoing presence in the bunch, reader Alex Murray left a comment asking whether Valverde’s team sponsor had taken a stance. I was curious about this too, after all whilst the team is Spanish, Caisse d’Epargne is a a French … Read more
Me? I’d rather have chronic back pain… French squad Ag2r-La Mondiale have signed a sponsorship deal with Swiss shoe company MBT. Famous for their rounded sole which apparently helps the skeletal muscles, the deal is presumably for off-the-bike shoes. Expect to see the likes of Cyril Dessel and Nico Roche rocking and rolling around the … Read more
Look, HTC are using cycling as part of their marketing strategy. They have stepped up sponsorship for 2010 to become the first named sponsor of the Highroad team, known as HTC-Columbia this season. But like any good sponsor in the sport they do not simply want their name on the jersey, the are using the … Read more
I’ve written about the way US retailer Radioshack has no mention of Armstrong and Team Radioshack on its website. Despite signing a sponsorship deal nine months ago, one of the most marketable men in sport was almost in hiding. Later on I added an update mentioning that the company had been reading my words. Well … Read more