If you’re interested in great story telling, film-making, bikes or the Tour De France, you might want to check this out.

one - Beginnings

one - Beginnings

Recently we learned about a set of stories (HD documentaries) on the Cervélo site. The series, created by Cervélo, is called “Beyond The Peloton”. Cervélo is a Canadian company making high end road bikes (pedal bikes).

This is how the site describes the series: “In the High-Definition documentary Beyond The Peloton, film makers Joe Finkleman and Booker Sim follow the creation and first racing season of the Cervélo TestTeam. With their all-access passes, they will show you what race footage fails to capture, everything “beyond the peloton”.


The site itself is not at all compelling. But we think the videos are. They’re a great way to tell an engaging story that focuses on product development and the development of a professional team. The series takes an in-depth approach and is filmed from the point-of-view of a guy working in the Cervélo warehouse. He goes on the road with the test team. The story unfolds in a series of videos that tell back stories from several view points: the company founders, the engineers, the mechanics, the coaches, the manager and of course the riders on the team. But what makes it really compelling is how these films tell the human side of the experience. They talk about the team, their talent, and ability to overcome challenges. It’s a wonderful “back story” that really allows people to get a sense of the Cervélo personality by showing the team’s personality.

We’ve also noticed that new episodes are added on an ongoing basis, so check back.

http://www.bartape.net/video.aspx?t=Video&i=Documentary


The back story can be incredibly compelling and even inspirational. And we think that exposure can create a connection with a brand.

And another smart thing about it? Cervélo repurposed the film footage and used clips from the docs for their TV commercials on Versus’ Tour coverage.


Storytellers – how can you tell your story (or your client’s story) from a human standpoint? And how could you connect it to the customer and draw them in with an irresistible piece about a company successfully overcoming challenges? We’d love to hear your ideas.

  • jooles

    I think the Cervelo story is compelling from so many angles.

    But to listen to Carlos Stastre talk about how every race for him is a test I think is one of the most compelling parts of this story. The rider’s bike is his tool and to have the actual bike manufacturer as his team is the ultimate partnership.

    I remember when Cervelo came into the scene in 2002. I was so proud to see a Canadian presence on the Tour and for that same company to provide the Tour’s winning bike in 6 short years is just an incredible accomplishment.

    I loved watching these stories- they were real, stripped down- they showed the agony of being a professional athlete and the parallels that exist between it and small business.

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