How do you take an Event Brand into the E-commerce realm? IBW reveals it all!

by  Karishma Hundalani Marketing | July 30, 2015 | News

India Bike Week

When you have a successful experiential brand, you grow it by extending it to newer audiences and also newer experiences for existing audiences. India Bike Week has both these aspects well covered. As reported earlier, 70 EMG along with IP partners FOX International is taking the India Bike Week experience to tier 2 cities in India, with the objective to extend the experience to newer geographies. This also helps engage fans that can't necessarily make it to Goa.

In order to enhance riding enthusiasts that will ultimately come to Goa, that ground seems also to be covered, with unique activation ideas. Martin DaCosta, CEO, 70 EMG explained, "Besides taking the IBW experience to newer, tier 2 geographies in India, we're also curated intra-city riding experiences, where fellow-biking enthusiasts can meet with one another and group, to finally ride down to Goa for the IBW Goa."

IBW in Goa has already reached an audience strength of over 6,500 riders in one place, under one platform, and those numbers are expected to increase in subsequent editions.

And now for the intriguing part! In a bold move to truly own the community of riding enthusiasts in India, IBW is extending the brand into the e-cmmerce space with curated biking tours to international destinations through IBW Outbound.

Thanush Joseph, Director, 70 EMG caught on to this aspiration of certain biking enthusiasts in the IBW community, and pushed for the brand to find an extension in credible, curated biking tours across the globe! Da Costa elaborated, "We're working with Tourism boards and exclusive, elite service providers, to identify and then package and promote these riding experiences to our audiences. We've announced 9 such tours so far, the first 2 of which are already sold out! We've created a micro-site for now through which bikers can register for the tour, and eventually this will increase to include multiple such tours across America, Asia and within India, which can all be booked online through on website."

The initially tours booked are group packages to include 9-18 bikers, but subsequent tours will also be valid for individuals to book independently. "The idea is to truly own this community and give them the experiences they aspire," added Da Costa.

This idea also stemmed from the opportunity to engage with IBW's social and digital following, with over half a million fans on their facebook page alone. Da Costa said, "IBW is set out to dominate in this industry, and the online platform with its digital and social presence is extremely strong, and so an e-commerce platform will allow us to keep this digital audience engaged."

There are also plans to extend the IBW brand into a bike review and information website and have merchandise and other products that would appeal to Bikers and IBW fans. "We have great support from FOX International, our partners for all the plans for the brand in the pipeline," concluded Da Costa.

Also read: India Bike Week to make profits in 3rd edition