through the process of creating my video series, i have decided that they, and other bike projects i'm developing, need to be encased in a larger brand – bike city kc. i envision this as encompassing most all things "bike" that the new programme undertakes, in terms of self-initiated work.
i'm interested in feedback on this initial thinking. does this seem interesting? is it needed? do you care? will newbie bikers or those not currently riding care? also, tell me if i'm wrong in any of my statements or if i'm missing something. thanks in advance for any input you provide!
vision
to see cyclists on every street in the kc metro area whenever one goes out in public. for cycling to be an accepted and fully integrated aspect of kc culture. kansas city is a bike city.
values
- inclusivity
- diversity
- local-ness
- inspiration
- health
- sustainability
- action
- utility
- creativity
- people power in all forms (cycling and action in general)
goals
- inspire people to ride bikes more than they currently are
- transform kansas city into a bike town
- change perceptions about cycling for transportation, recreation, health or sustainability.
- help people overcome fears / barriers to cycling
- connect and unite all kc riders
(future) facebook page description
Bike City KC exists to inspire people to ride bikes, plain and simple. We intend to transform Kansas City into the bike city that we know it can be by changing perceptions about cycling for transportation, recreation, health and sustainability.
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following are some smart questions i stole from paul diamond's "design systems" class he's currently teaching at kcai.
1. What do you do for your audience/What need in their lives do you fulfill?
i facilitate dialogue about biking in kc and inspire people to ride.
bike city kc fulfills the need to re-discover bikes through talking about and thinking about bikes and hopefully inspiring them to eventually go out and ride. i fulfill the need to be active, healthy, green and do so in a fun way – on a bike.
2. Why does it matter?
bike city kc matters because kc needs more people on bikes; because biking is fun, sustainable, healthy and useful.
there is not much structured dialogue around cycling in kc
people need to understand issues around cycling in kc: the who, what, when, where, why, how
more people on bikes creates demand for cycling-oriented infrastructure.
3. What do you do differently from all of your competitors?
i facilitate the conversation and then visualize it.
i make objects and do things that get people thinking, excited, and inspired to ride bikes.
"competitors" (but more like friends doing great, similar-ish things):
kcspokespeople
stolen bikes kc
bike walk kc / handlebar happy hour
velo vixens and other clubs / rides
velo vixen zine
velo+ social events
other "competitors" in kc?
4. Can you prove this?
not currently, but my work that eventually comes out will prove it. it will directly show those conversations.
- short web film series
- facebook page w/ films, stats, discussion prompts
- mini-zine w/bike portraits and survey answers
- bike city kc brand
5. What adjectives would your best client use to describe you?
thoughtful
engaging
inclusive
fun
pro-bike
6. How would a stranger off the street describe your work environment?
n/a
7. What "me too's" must you avoid?
doing social events like bike walk kc, velo+, or velo vixens (club rides, handlebar happy hours and such)
(events have a lot of potential, but mine need to be different somehow. perhaps very targeted to new riders, in line with my attributes/values, unusual structure/concept, etc)
doing formal advocacy like bike walk or free wheels. my agenda is to get people on bikes to create more demand for bike-centric infrastructure and policy.
being "kc spokespeople" website: blog format, longer individual essays, opinions, how-tos, focused on commuting. i plan to be more quick-hit, dialogic (soliciting input/conversation), bike-culturally diverse.
fb page: i need to be more creative, more visual, more frequent, more dialogic.
the brand approach should be diverse or multi-faceted: print / web / public communications. "products", events, and more. but all focused on inspiring people to ride bikes.
8. Define your culture in one word:
act-o-vative
(okay, i cheated. active+innovative)
9. Define your work in one sentence:
bike city kc inspires people to ride bikes.
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primary brand attributes
active
diverse
fun
green / sustainable