I have to admit, i’m not a fan of OCC. Not because they don’t build cool bikes but rather i can’t stand “drama” or “reality TV”. However, i read this post at ZoomStart, that made me start thinking about the Teutuls in a different light. We have to give credit where credit is due….whether we agree with it or not. And if your in the business of building bikes, parts, etc, and want to keep doing so, this information is even more pertinent. Read on. “If you’re a motorcycle enthusiast, you’re probably a fan of The Discovery Channel’s hit show American Chopper about the innovative and very entertaining crew at OCC. Here’s the catch; the show has a huge following of people who aren’t motorcycle fanatics at all. So the question is, how’d they do that? How did they reach a market that’s outside their target market?

The 2 Ingredients for Capturing Someone Else’s Market

1. Sell You, Not Your Product
The Teutul family at Orange County Choppers is a great cast of characters. They have all the comedy and drama you’d expect from a wacky made-for-TV family. The difference is, they’re real. And the strong family values and hilarious misadventures they go through day-to-day are things that everyone can relate to. It’s all about selling yourself. You have to believe in the leader before you believe in their ideas. The Teutuls don’t sell motorcycles on the show. They sell The Teutuls. Motorcycle sales follow.

2. Make a Product that Everyone Can Relate to
You’d think a motorcycle was simple enough for anyone to relate to. But if you’re not a big fan of motorcycles, then you probably don’t care about how they’re built. What’s easier to relate to is how someone can take inspiration from a NYC firetruck or the Statue of Liberty or a Gillette razor and turn it into a motorcycle. And that’s what OCC does with the theme bikes they build on the show. They build products that have a story that’s bigger than the product. And easier to relate to than just a regular motorcycle would be. Keep it Real, and Keep it Simple
Marketing is not selling. Marketing is getting your message out there so people can find you and bring you a sale. If you do it right, it goes viral and then other people start spreading your message for you. Because their message is real and it’s simple, OCC expanded their market quickly by crossing over into other markets. They captured an audience that should be someone else’s. And that’s a wild ride.”

This entry was posted on Friday, August 17th, 2007 at 9:32 pm and is filed under General Industry News, Guilty Opinion/Observations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.