Specialized - Rocket Espresso

In 2015, aluminum bicycle sales slumped as customers moved into low-end carbon fiber bikes. We were posed with the problem of rebuilding brand equity in Specialized's aluminum technology.

The Allez Sprint (the bike pictured to the right) offers unique technology that makes it one of the best-performing bikes on the market at any price, but because of its material, it was being overlooked. We knew that the product wasn't the problem, but the perception was. We needed to find a way of highlighting the Allez and building excitement for riders to use it.

From 2016 until 2019, we worked to tie the Allez platform to art and culture communities and focus on supporting young up-and-coming athletes to race the Red Hook Crit—a series of fixed gear races throughout the USA and Europe made popular because of its underground roots.

Throughout the series, we partnered with artists to develop the team's collection of bicycles and equipment and built limited-edition capsules to be sold in our global markets.

Our athlete selection focused on personality, first looking for riders who would be at home at the events in a community skeptical of "big brands" changing their community. We highlighted a wide variety of riders from different backgrounds and cultures, from the incredibly talented Alec Briggs from the UK, known for his unbelievable bike handling skills, to Justin Williams, the sprinter from Los Angeles.