E-cargo bikes are proving to have more than just environmental benefits. They are also a powerful marketing tool too.
“Cargo bikes catch people’s eye,” Pip Marshall, Group Partnerships Lead at sustainable delivery service Zedify, tells Zag Daily.
“It’s a really appealing story to tell end customers that their parcels can be delivered by bike. It’s such a personable concept that someone’s pedalling it over to you. Everyone has an innate affection for bikes.”
The head-turning effect of cargo bikes is why Zedify has begun co-branding with its clients across its 9 UK cities. The co-branding can be as simple as delivery notifications sent to customers with their CO2 stat savings tacked on, but the part Marshall is most excited about is the co-branding of the vehicles themselves.
The strategic move by Zedify cuts through all the digital noise and offers clients significant visibility in their key markets.
“In a world filled with millions of email marketing campaigns, a one-metre mobile billboard whizzing around central London all day has a unique impact,” says Marshall.
A springboard for social content
Zedify has discovered that co-branded e-bikes provide snackable images that are proving popular on social media as well.
“They are a gold mine for social content,” explains Marshall.
“Social media posts featuring our co-branded cargo bikes way outperform our other posts.”
Dabba Drop, a zero-waste takeaway subscription with co-branded Zedify cargo bikes, is tapping into the trend by encouraging its customers to send in pictures of the bikes when spotted around town to enhance customer engagement and boost brand awareness.
On choosing co-branded cargo bikes, the company’s Co-Founder Renée Williams, says: “It made complete sense—our business values are so aligned, and we have been using Zedify from the very beginning back in 2018, so a wonderful relationship has been built and it’s so great to watch it grow.”
Driving new leads
Zag spoke with the Founder of another of Zedify’s clients called Grubby – a plant-based recipe kit – who explains why his team opted for co-branded cargo bikes.
“They were a no-brainer,” says Martin Holden-White. “We don’t have massive marketing budgets to invest in out of home, so having mobile billboards showcasing our brand prominently on the busy streets of London has been a great way to create added visibility and awareness of our product. We’ve had all sorts of business and customer enquiries come through as a result.”
Zedify’s Head of Marketing Harriet Hird tells Zag Daily that they are seeing brands “crying out” for a way to use delivery to keep customers loyal and stand out.
“They want delivery to be an extension of their brand,” says Hird. “Right up to the doorstep.
“At Zedify, we’re building a delivery service that is made for the city. Quick, clean, reliable and simple to use. Our clients want a stand-out, co-branded delivery experience from notifications through to the physical bike on the street.”
Marie Claire UK Sustainability Award
Zedify and its client Or Collective, which specialises in sustainable children’s fashion, have just won the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards.
Or Collective works hand in hand with Zedify to deliver a circular wardrobe for kids.
By co-marketing with the delivery company through its co-branded bike, Or Collective can showcase not just a new mode of delivery but a symbol of conscious consumerism.
“As a rental company, our two biggest sustainability challenges are delivery and cleaning, so we couldn’t be more proud to have found Zedify as a partner from the start to deliver our rotations with zero emissions,” Bliss Olivia Staple, Founder of Or Collective, tells Zag.
“What better way to celebrate this partnership than to co-brand bikes in our most popular areas? It’s such a great way to shout about our partnership as well as spread the word about renting childrenswear – with no compromise on style!”
