Giant Bikes: Everyday Rider Sponsorships

The sponsorship of famous athletes has become the formula for selling sporting goods the world over. To connect with the 99% of cyclists who aren't professionals, during the 2011 Tour de France, Giant Australia via Leo Burnett, Melbourne opened their sponsorships to everyone, offering an official contract to 30 everyday riders.
This case study is about what happened next – how the idea was spread by thousands of cyclists, how Giant's new sponsored riders went on to become the custodians of the brand and most importantly, the results achieved by a company who was willing to go against type and support a new way of connecting with its audience.