How to photograph a Brooks saddle

[vjosullivan]

I came across this video of a recent advertising photo shoot for Brooks.

http://fstoppers.com/one-foxy-advertising-campaign

[pedalsheep]

That's amazing! I can't believe how much time and effort went into that advert - no wonder the prices keep going up!

[vorsprung]

That's amazing! I can't believe how much time and effort went into that advert - no wonder the prices keep going up!

Brooks are owned by ISTR the same company as Selle Italia

I use Brooks saddles because they are a good perch for doing hundreds of miles on.

The "brand owner" however sees them as a set of values of tradition and craftsmanship. And that is what the advert is supposed to bring across

[Graham O]

Just watched the video and it's very nice. But for around £20K, they'll need to sell a lot of saddles to get that back.

[simon1]

I'm not sure those bikes would be my first choice for cycling through the woods, even without live luggage to carry!

[Shootist]

So, the hounds couldn't catch the fox, how come they did? I just can't see a fox being pursued by a hunt thinking "Thank God! There's a tree hugger." And diving into their arms.

[goatwarden]

To reuse a phrase which echoes through our house whenever we listen to the Archers “Tossssss!”

Twenty years ago the word pretentious would never have associated itself, in my head, with this type of product. Unfortunately pretence seems to be becoming their main justification for rapidly increasing prices (spiralling presumably to support the cost of the entourage of pretence). The film crew appeared to me to exemplify beautifully the unnecessary pretentiousness which has driven the price of a saddle up.

I find the concept of instilling value (i.e. cost to the consumer) to a traditional product very offensive. Brooks saddles have had their honesty removed; they still work just as well but have had “value” added by the application of irrelevant fashion association.

In the early part of the twentieth century all British expeditions to cold places used waterproofs from Burberry and underwear from Jaeger; both then credible manufacturers of practical clothing. Today they are both still around but survive fitfully on the whims of fashion. I find it very sad that this is now the future for Brooks.

I wonder how long it will be before the owners decide that leather and traditional manufacture are unimportant and they can have much trendier saddles made of synthetic materials in countries with lower labour costs.

[The Mechanic]

You can't blame Brooks for hiking up the prices. They are in business to make money, they are not a charity or community service. You need to blame the mugs like us that continue to buy the product. All advertising relies on the susceptibility of the purchaser to be influenced by the advert. It seems to work.

[Graham O]

Twenty years ago the word pretentious would never have associated itself, in my head, with this type of product. Unfortunately pretence seems to be becoming their main justification for rapidly increasing prices (spiralling presumably to support the cost of the entourage of pretence). The film crew appeared to me to exemplify beautifully the unnecessary pretentiousness which has driven the price of a saddle up.

I find the concept of instilling value (i.e. cost to the consumer) to a traditional product very offensive. Brooks saddles have had their honesty removed; they still work just as well but have had “value” added by the application of irrelevant fashion association.

In the early part of the twentieth century all British expeditions to cold places used waterproofs from Burberry and underwear from Jaeger; both then credible manufacturers of practical clothing. Today they are both still around but survive fitfully on the whims of fashion. I find it very sad that this is now the future for Brooks.

I wonder how long it will be before the owners decide that leather and traditional manufacture are unimportant and they can have much trendier saddles made of synthetic materials in countries with lower labour costs.

It's a competitive world out there and if you cannot innovate and/or develop the product, you will be forgotten. There are many people on here who boast of having had a Brooks saddle for many years which is great for them, but not good for Brooks. They have to increase the number of people using their product or they will not survive. They could do it by reducing the longevity, forcing people to re-buy more often, or they encourage more people to buy a Brooks by appealing to "non cycling" emotions.

With regards Burberry and Jaeger surviving fitfully on the whims of fashion, that is because they did not invest in their products for cold places and they were left behind as new ideas, fabrics and technologies took over. They had the opportunity to do it but chose not to and to concentrate on their tailoring and fashion business. If you are making a leather saddle which is "perfect", then unless better leather or a different shaped bum comes along, then your marketing options are really limited.

[neilwragg]

I have a Brooks Saddle on my Pashley, shame though that this location, Burnham Beeches, have an anti-cycling policy and since I was a kid have always prevented us from cycling in the woods.

[Dynamite_funk]

They could do it by reducing the longevity, forcing people to re-buy more often, or they encourage more people to buy a Brooks by appealing to "non cycling" emotions.

Unfortunately they're doing both those things...

[Whippet]

I'm impressed that they used a real fox, just presumed it was stuffed when I saw the photo. I like it / can appreciate the craftsmanship involved in that photo.

[Graham O]

Unfortunately they're doing both those things...

While that may be a bad thing to people on here, if they attract a new and possibly larger customer base as a result, they'll sell more, make more money, secure employment in British manufacturing and the accountants will be happy. As they move away from the traditional customer base, it leaves a gap in the market to be filled by someone else, such as Spa with their leather saddles. Brooks are happy, Spa are happy and the only unhappy people are a relatively small number of customers who don't like change.

I'm not criticising anyone with that comment, it's not aimed at anyone and there may well be some products in which I would not like to see change. But change happens and sometimes it's for the good and sometimes not.

[Whippet]

I'm impressed that they used a real fox, just presumed it was stuffed when I saw the photo. I like it / can appreciate the craftsmanship involved in that photo.

In fact, just got the wife to buy me a B17 special for Christmas, should look just the job on my Mercian. Should also be interesting to compare with the Nidd that we be on my new Spa Tourer that's arriving in November.

[reohn2]

I'm impressed that they used a real fox.........

Always thought they were cowhide!