Schwinn
Ride on. Don’t look back.
Reinvigorating an American classic.
History weighs heavy
Once upon a time in the USA, cycling was synonymous with Schwinn. They almost certainly made your first bike. Even Elvis had one.
125 years on, Schwinn had lost a little of the happy-go-lucky charm that first captured America’s heart. And it needed to tell its story to a whole new generation of riders spurred on by the pandemic.
Working closely with our design partners at Manual, we helped this heritage brand get back on its bike.
Changing gears
The road to change started with lots of questions.
How do you celebrate a storied past, without sounding like you’re stuck in it? Excite a new generation with no emotional connection to your brand? Be a brand for everyone without being “vanilla”?
Wrestling with these questions, we drew the focus back to the reasons people fall in love with cycling in the first place: the joy, freedom and camaraderie.
A new tone of voice followed the strategic work. One that’s less shy, less serious, and more grab life by the handlebars.
Freewheeling into the future
With its refreshed visual and verbal identity, Schwinn is on track to regain its rightful all-American cult status. We’re proud to have been part of the ride.
Working with Reed Words felt like a genuine creative collaboration, and a rewarding one at that. They weren’t afraid to challenge us when it mattered most, and the Schwinn brand is stronger as a result.
Lee Jakobs
VP Brand and Creative, Schwinn
