EFFECTIVE CYCLING PROMOTION

Development of methodology to determine the effect on messages regarding marketing of bicycle traffic.

BACKGROUND: Promoting cycling is not just a question of improving the conditions for bicycles (or making the alternatives less attractive), but also marketing cycling. While we here at home are rather good at creating bicycle friendly infrastructure, we have far less experience with effective marketing of cycling as transport.

Traditionally, individual transportation choices are linked to objective conditions (distance, infrastructure, weather) although it is evident that there are also - as with other consumer choices - a number of non-rational and highly emotional factors involved. Knowing these factors and ways to influence them will be the key to a more effective marketing of the bicycle, which would mean that we could achieve a higher effect in encouraging the growth of new cyclists and reducing the number of those who give up the bicycle.

THEORY & METHOD: Promoting cycling is all about behavior modification, and can be tackled with the trans-theoretical model. This model works with a curve that describes the various stages of "will do it or not considering doing it at all" through "can well imagine that" to "do it every day." The model was developed for use in health behaviors (diet, smoking), but is also used previously in connection with transport behaviour. The individual's placement on the curve indicates whether there is frequent cycling or not, and how far someone that usually doesn't cycle is from taking up cycling as a mode of transport.

If a larger group is examined, the result will tell you how developed a bicycle culture is, just as repeatd studies will be able to show whether or not the bicycle culture is moving forward or backward. As well as showing whether potential bicycle promotion initiatives have had any effect. This also applies if the effect has not yet manifested itself in a large group of cyclists.

One objective for this project is to develop a measurable method that is so sensitive that it not only puts the individual at a given step of the curve, but provides a continuous measure of where each individual is located. The measurement method will be developed based on the experiences of others in the mobility sector and inclusion of the latest knowledge on the emotional impact of consumer behavior, not least neuroscience marketing.

With such a sensitive method of measurement will have a tool to assess whether or not - and to what extent - explicit or hidden messages about cycling affect respondents. The measurement method will then immediately be able to tell what works best in promoting cycling.

It is expected that people who seldom or never cycle are more susceptible to messages about cycling than daily cyclists. The former group - far more than the latter
must base their ideas about cycling on conjecture and remote experience. This group
of non-cyclists (or seldom cyclists) who are already the primary target for promotion
campaigns, will be the best group to use in connection with this method.

Once the measurement method is in place, it will be used to test different messages
that implicitly or explicitly deal with cycling, since the goal is to determine how these
messages affect the respondents willingness to cycle. The material to be used will be
in part from previously used campaigns, as well as material (text, photos and video)
produced specifically for the project.

EXPECTED RESULTS:
Measurement method which can be used to assess the effectiveness of message on
individuals' willingness to cycle.
- Increased knowledge about the messages that works (achieved through the use of
measurement).
- Recommendations based on the obtained test results.
- Summary Report describing the method and gained knowledge.
- Informing the reference group and engaging them as a spin-off.
- Publication of results on the Internet, in articles and at conferences.
- Use of the results of in municipal bicycle promotion activities.

A conservative estimate is that more effective local cycling campaigns can lead to increased cycling activity to an extent as without the knowledge gained would cost:
1 to 10 million Danish kroner more per year.
€133,330 to £1,333,330 per year