Advertising inflatables are a traditional presence in road cycling. From giant cans and water bottles to five-metre tall ice creams, they are an effective way of grabbing the attention of spectators lining the courses of the world’s major races.
At the Santos Tour Down Under, Oceania’s sole UCI WorldTour event currently underway in the Adelaide region, a huge fluorescent yellow bicycle catches the eyes of the some 760,000 fans who turn out to support the riders during the six stages. Outlined against Adelaide’s skyline, this giant bicycle is impossible to ignore.
Being visible should be the basic goal of any ad – but in the case of the Santos Tour Down Under’s sponsorship by MAC, The Motor and Accident Commission of South Australia, the sheer concept of visibility could almost be considered an end in itself.
As any communications and marketing expert would put it, the medium is the message.
MAC is South Australia’s Compulsory Third Party insurer. More importantly, it manages the State Government’s road safety communications program and provides funding for projects that aim to reduce the number and impact of road injuries.
One of MAC’s flagship campaigns is “Be Safe Be Seen”, which attempts to raise awareness of the importance of staying visible on the road. Improving visibility is an effective strategy for reducing collisions, even during the day when the majority of cycling crashes occur.
Be Safe Be Seen counts on the support of Anna Meares, a legend in track cycling with 5 Olympic medals (2 golds) and countless World Championship titles to her name. MAC’s website contains tutorial videos and tips given by Meares herself.
Safety measures in line with increased number of cyclists
Cyclists’ safety is a significant concern in Australia, with more people becoming increasingly aware of the health, environmental and financial benefits of getting on bikes. However, due to the growing popularity of bicycles, casualties among riders have increased by more than 20 per cent since 2000. Having good lights on the bike, and wearing bright clothes are among a number of measures that can help increase safety when cycling on the road.
MAC has been supporting the Santos Tour Down Under since 2012 and the current sponsorship deal runs until 2016. MAC has title sponsorship rights for the final stage of this year’s event. On January 25, the “Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6” will be contested over a 4.5 kilometre circuit which the riders will tackle 20 times. At last year’s Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage, more than 110,500 people lined the roads, making the event the ideal platform for MAC to remind drivers and cyclists of ways to share the road safely.
In cooperation with Bicycle South Australia, the State’s largest recreational cycling organisation, MAC also runs the ‘Be Safe Be Seen' Workplace Bicycle Education Program. This aims to reduce the risk of road crash injury to cyclists thanks to education concerning the types and circumstances of collisions, and the most effective strategies for avoiding them.
Police campaign for safety on roads
The Santos Tour Down Under is the time of year when a lot more people get their bikes out of the shed and start riding maybe for the first time in months or years. That is why the local Police have also launched “Operation Safe Cycling”, a state-wide campaign targeting on-road behaviour of both cyclists and drivers.
“As the world’s governing body for cycle sport, cyclists’ safety is a top priority for the UCI,” says UCI Vice-President and President of the Oceania Cycling Confederation Tracey Gaudry. “The Advocacy Commission I have the honour to chair is helping guide the UCI’s contribution to improving conditions for cycling in developed and less developed regions, to allow cycling to flourish as well serve as a panacea for many societal issues. Major UCI events and cycling ambassadors working closely with community stakeholders can help build a vibrant cycling culture.”
Tracey Gaudry also serves as CEO of the Amy Gillett Foundation, a charity that aims to reduce the incidence of death and injury of bike riders. The charity was set up after the loss of the Australian national cyclist Amy Gillett following a collision with a driver in 2005.
“Awareness, education, legislation and compliance – sharing roads more safely comes through the right mix of these elements,” concludes Tracey Gaudry.