Did you know that almost half of all Austrians get on their bikes several times a week? Cycling is popular across all age groups and regions and Austria is well on the way to becoming a cycling nation! INTERSPORT Managing Director Thorsten Schmitz is a passionate biker himself. Highlighting the cycling expertise of Austria’s leading sporting goods retailer and addressing important aspects such as safety, infrastructure and riding skills is a personal concern of his. Reason enough to dedicate this year’s INTERSPORT Sportreport entirely to movement on two wheels. REICHLUNDPARTNER Public Relations was responsible for the content concept of the report and the implementation of the press trip.
The INTERSPORT Bikereport is the centerpiece of the PR project. It was created on the basis of a representative survey commissioned by REICHLUNDPARTNER from the market research institute IMAS. Fresh air, the experience of nature and personal health are the most important motives for cycling for most Austrians. This is followed by concern for the climate and the desire to contribute to environmental protection. However, when it comes to ability and safety, there is still room for improvement. One in three cannot carry out minor repairs on their bike. Only a fifth feel very safe when cycling in everyday traffic. These are some of the key findings of the survey. “Biking is changing the entire topic of mobility and transportation in our society. The bicycle is changing from a pure means of transportation to trendy sports equipment for all ages and even to a stylish status symbol. We see it as our task to support people in Austria in their sporting development through quality, advice and service,” emphasizes Thorsten Schmitz.
The highlight was the two-day press trip to one of Austria’s biggest bike meccas: Saalbach-Hinterglemm. In addition to the press conference with the presentation of the bike report, the journalists were invited to a talk evening where cycling in all its facets was highlighted and discussed. Professional mountain biker and downhill vice world champion Andreas Kolb, ÖAMTC experts Christine Holzer-Weiß and Marius Schostok, INTERSPORT Managing Director Thorsten Schmitz and Daniela Breitfuß, the regional INTERSPORT dealer on site, were also present. The fixed content points were rounded off by a varied program that included everything from picking paws to an introduction to the bike trail.
Around 20 journalists from all types of media, from radio and TV to specialist magazines, daily and weekly newspapers and consumer magazines, did not want to miss out on the bike experience in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. Considering the turbulent times for the media industry, in which journalistic offerings are increasingly shifting to the online sector, print products are being discontinued and even the collective agreement for editors has been terminated, we are all the more pleased that every single journalist took part. Years of cultivating relationships and good storytelling always pay off in PR and public relations.
You can find more information about the INTERSPORT Bikereport here:
