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[i]First of all: this is a somewhat commercially motivated question, so please feel free not to contribute or to blame me for misusing this forum. The later is not the intention as I hope that the topic is interesting for other users, too.[/i]
Which female or male biker would you recommend as a guest speaker for an international brand conference? He or she is preferably a current or former active racer (gravity preferred but not a must) with some VIP-appeal. Sporting success would be great, charisma is more important though. Topic of the speech should be to introduce the audience (international brand managers and general managers) to the sport of mountainbiking, e.g. the essence of going for a ride, the lifestyle around cycling, different styles of biking, major innovations and at the end of the speech open questions.
Writing this it could also be a journalist. So I extend the questions a little:
if not a racer, which journalist or other 'bike person' would you recommend for the same job?
Many thanks for any contribution!
hock
the copyright manager for Specialized
Steve Peat.
Fabian Barel.
So you are trying to introduce a sport with soul at its heart, to a group of international brand managers, a group whom one assumes are the very definition of soulless?
Good luck with that.
🙂
T-Mo is very articulate and professional (not to mention successful).
And she's dabbled in other discplines as well as transitioning very well from DH to Enduro - which may offer a useful business message for your clients.
Warner!!!
CG or/and Steve
Rob warner. Would be perfect
Dr Steve Peat
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Fabien Barel - multiple world champion, great presenter, very engaging guy in real life. Look up his "Fab Barel presents...." video series online.
Kenny van Vlaminck, of course.
Tony Doyle?
I find him fascinating to listen to and what he has to say applies to more than just mountain biking.
Tracey Mosley, as above successful and articulate
Sven Martin would be good.
GW.
8)
Tracey Mosley, as above successful and articulate
Agreed. Nicest pro I've ever met too.
Hora
Me.
I haven't won much (anything...3rd last in 2001 Resolven Dragon Downhill is a highlight) but I'm cheap.
Stephen Hawkins
How about Josh Bryceland 🙂
Guy Martin? He has the enthusiasm
Guy Martin is a character and does have a passion but **** I don't have a clue what hes saying. He speaks like he rides 😆
Whereas Michael Dunlop is the opposite 😀
No mentions of Rachel Atherton?
Bearclaw?
Definitely Guy Martin. At least the audience may have heard of him (even if they can't understand him).
Humbled by such names linked to our passion, looks like OP is spoilt for choice.
Sam Hill
Danny Hart
[quote=Onzadog ]Tony Doyle?
I find him fascinating to listen to and what he has to say applies to more than just mountain biking.
I'd agree. If I wanted a non-corporate type speaker but still good to motivate etc (and he'd do it) I'd get Jedi like a shot.
It's got to be either Tracey Mosley or Rob Warner, or both as a double act?
Of those suggested I think any one of Tracey Moseley, Steve Peat or Fabien Barel would be excellent choices.
Alternatively how about Danny McAskill? He can turn his hand to all sorts of riding, has worked in the bicycle trade and is probably known by more people than any other UK MTB rider.
A few other to throw out there - Chris Akrigg, Hans Rey, Brian Lopes, John Tomac, Nick Craig
Warner!
I rode with Guy Martin last week...didn't know who he was at the time...nice chap...with lots of energy & enthusiasm!
Spoilt for coice! 🙂 MANY thanks indeed!
Have Tracy, Pete, Barel on the top of my list now.
Time schedule-wise some of the 'not racing so much anymore' might be interetsing, too.
What about Ned Overend?
Guy Martin might not be corporate enough... 😉
Missy Giove neither.
I "witnessed" an interview/QandA session at ShAFF in 2011, where Rob Warner was the host interviewing Steve Peat. IMO they were totally unprepared and fairly unprofessional. Off the back of that I wouldn't recommend either of them, but maybe they had an off day.
Magnus Backstedt always comes over really well when he's on Eurosport.
Warner would be at the bottom of my list for exactly the reason above.
Really depends on what kind of image you want the speaker to portray. If you want MTBing as bad ass with accompanying foul language then Warner is your man! If you want someone to appeal to the corporate mentality and show the professional side to the sport then I would agree with Fabien Barel or what about Martin Whiteley of 23 Degrees sport management for the insight into the behind the scenes of a MTB racing team?
Rob Warner is out for above mentioned reasons.
I want someone who can introduce people from a corporate world to the scene of a sport like biking. So they need to bridge between the two world a little.
wade simmons. lovely guy and articulate as well as sooooo good on a bike
Lance Armstrong.
Nick Craig has a good cv. Danny MacAskill comes across well in interviews too.
No one here will come up with the right answer without knowing the following;
Target Audience (for the brand), clothes, Personal care, hardware, equipment..?
Target Geographics, it's no well saying International, as having seen all this second hand (missus was Brand Manager at BIG FMCG)International marketing always has to be geared towards the largest common denominator.
Money - there will be an unrealistically low price coming out of someones budget for this.
Se you've also said "like biking", this to me says you have many more appropriate options to choose from, get some one with some Olympic golds would be my advise.
Marc Weir?!
Mark Beaumont? Not strictly mountain biking but would no doubt be a great speaker.
@Sui:
- not looking for a testimonial, thus target group is not the point really
- it's not about selling someone a product but about giving an insight into a different world
- most well-known olympic golds would probably be beyond budget
Thanks anyway! 😉
Pimpmaster Jazz - Member
Lance Armstrong
Sorry, don't walk into a thread and smear the bottom of your shoe against some great suggestions. Now go and scrape that shit off your shoe!