Juvederm Puts the Rubber to the Road

Juvederm, an injectable used to treat the signs of facial aging, recently signed on as a title sponsor of the UCI Women’s pro cycling team Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda.  I discovered the team a few weeks ago when they participated in the Tour of the Battenkill. It’s fun following them and seeing Juvederm branding emblazoned on cycling jerseys and signage as they pedal across thousands of miles throughout the US and Canada. 

More importantly it’s promising to see a broader range of sponsors embrace the cycling audience.  Allergan, the company that markets Juvederm, is being both creative and strategic by going beyond the cookie cutter advertising mold that defines marketing for anti-aging products.  They are smart to come out of the box and realize the desirable demographics delivered by cycling.

*According to recent statistics, cycling is the second most popular recreational activity behind sport walking and, unlike walking; it lends itself to commercial sponsorship.  An estimated 17 million bikes are sold annually in the US, with the mean price of a road bike being around $3,000.

*The audience profile for cycling is affluent, educated and upscale. There are more than 64 million cyclists in the US; 55% are adult females and their average income is reported at more $60,000.  The demographics for licensed amateur racers, the likely audience to follow pro racing, are strong as well. The average age for this group is 45-49, the average income is $95,000+ and 70% are college graduates. Cycling spectators also offer desirable demographics. This audience base is estimated at 11 million, 50% female, a median age of 37, average income $75,000+ and 60% hold college degrees.   Another interesting statistic I found in my research shows that cycling is the #1 fitness and health activity among doctors and lawyers over the age of 40.  (Cha-ching)

While the quantitative profile is very attractive, there is also a strong qualitative case for a partnership between Allergan/Juvederm and cycling. My assumption is that their marketing team looked deeper at the psyche of the 35-49 year-old female market that cycling delivers and saw an audience that is proactive about health, fitness and looks.  Most importantly she is defying age with every mile and will make an investment in the promise of younger and fresher looking face. Not to mention that a thin (and most of us that ride at intermediate and advanced levels are thin) middle age woman pays the price in her face and Juvederm can reverse this by putting fullness back into the cheeks.  All very good reasons to invest in this market.

And they're winning!

Considering some of the major sponsors who have committed long-term to the sport such as Mercedes Benz, Cadillac, Nike, international investment houses such as Saxo Bank  and numerous pharmaceutical companies including Amgen putting their name on the Amgen Tour of California,”   Juvederm is in good company.  I am curious to see the brand’s return after its first season as a title sponsor. 

*Source: Simmons, MRI, USA Cycling Membership, Bicycling Magazine