PR Video Case Study

SunCycles is a bicycle sharing company based in Orlando.  Their mission is to provide a "smart, fun, and flexible solution for the last mile in Central Florida".  They also focus heavily on the community as Orlando's alternative transportation options are limited.  Since the company is new, they rely heavily on grants to fund development.  In order to find funding, getting exposure and 'buzz' online and offline is essential.  Last month, SunCycles created a video to spread awareness of their product and mission.  The company focuses on the advantages of biking: convenience, economics, and health; as well as the bike itself.  Their demographics are younger residents who might not have a car, money, or those who want to be more active and green.  One way SunCycles reaches their customers is by locating their bike hubs in Thornton Park, The Milk District, and Ivanhoe Village.  These areas are considered the "downtown alternative" because they are geographically close to downtown Orlando.  SunCycles appeals to their demographics by providing inexpensive, green, and easy-to-use rentals.  Reinforcing the subculture that supports these types of programs is also apparent in their mission.  SunCycles does not market themselves to tourists in the attraction areas because they feel Orlando residents are ready for a bike share program instead.  Their video explains the origins of the company, the advantages of biking, the process of city approval, and the features of their bike.  Video is necessary for SunCycles because future customers need to see its potential 'in action' in order to spark interest and gain participation.

Another organization that has grown rapidly in Chicago is Divvy Bikes.  Divvy is owned by the Chicago Department of Transportation which has provided funding and has allowed them to grow faster than most bike share programs.  Their mission is very similar to SunCycles as they provide a "fun, easy, and affordable" bike share service to Chicagoans.  The Divvy service blends nicely with the city's well established transportation system.  Unlike Orlando, Chicago is based on a grid system with bike lanes on most roads.  As long as the roads are not covered in ice, bike riding is perfect in Chicago.  Even though Divvy markets itself as a service for the locals, it has also become extremely popular for tourists.  Chicago's tourist attractions are downtown, which naturally provide more people to rent Divvy bikes.  Both Divvy and SunCycles products, services, and goals are similar, but Divvy has had more opportunities to achieve their goals.  Instead of creating one long video, Divvy has multiple short "Teach Me How To Divvy" (instead of dougie) videos that explain different aspects about their bike.  These quick tutorials are necessary for customers because they visually demonstrate the product. 

SunCycles video is perfect for someone who wants to learn about their service.  On the other hand, Divvy's videos are practical for the customer using the service.  I argue that SunCycles video is overly informative and should be separated into more concentrated clips.  As SunCycles becomes more established, adding Divvy style videos could help them achieve their goals.