In an interview with Innovation Enterprise, Frank Aldorf, Chief Brand Officer for Specialized Bikes, discusses the critical nature of brand stewardship in the cycling industry. He emphasizes the importance of defining brand purpose, maintaining authenticity in communication, and fostering an internal culture that aligns with brand values. Aldorf advocates for a deeper connection with consumers and notes that successful branding requires creativity and a focus on relationships rather than mere transactions.

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF
BRAND STEWARDSHIP
MY INTERVIEW WITH IE

2. FRANK ALDORF
INTRODUCTION
In this interview with Innovation Enterprise, I had the opportunity
to give some answers around brand stewardship in a new reality
and how I see my role as part of a larger organization. I hope this
will inspire you and spark some ideas. I am always eager to hear
your feedback. Please share your thoughts and insights with me.
PHOTO: STERLING LORENCE

3. INNOVATION ENTERPRISE
INTRODUCTION
The role, importance and structure
behind branding. A sit down with
Frank Aldorf.
!
Branding efforts from companies
have always been important, and
in the cycling space it is more
important than ever with the
increase in competition. Defining
a brand personality is now vital.
!
Your brand is spread throughout
the business from your CEO down
to interns. The responsibility of
ensuring this message is clear,
!
concise and delivered correctly
falls to people like Frank Aldorf.
Frank is the Chief Brand Officer
for Specialized Bikes. Since
starting as a consultant at the
company in 2006, he has been
striving to protect and evolve a
brand that has become
recognizable worldwide, moving
beyond the cycling industry.
!
We had the opportunity to pick
Frank’s brain recently on his role
and the way that branding has
changed in the past few years.

4. YOUR BACKGROUND IS
INCREDIBLY CREATIVE AND DESIGN FOCUSED, HAS THIS HELPED YOU
IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
It helps me a lot in my current role
as brand steward. Like Paul Rand
once said, ‘design is the silent
ambassador of your brand’. My
understanding of design is a more
holistic one. It is not just how
something looks but how it
functions.
!You can apply the basic thinking
of great design really to anything,
to a process, to a business
strategy, to product development,
your business model., etc.
!Companies that embed a design
driven business practice and place
designers at the executive table
will outpace the competition.
In a survey conducted by IBM,
leading global CEOs and
executives identified ‘creativity’
as the most valuable leadership
competence of the future.
!The fact is you can be creative at
anything at all - anything that
involves your intelligence. I was
fortunate to grow up in a fast
paced agency environment.
!It allowed me to train my creative
muscle in such complex way and
for so many different industries.
I was able to develop a sense how
great design looks like, feels like
and works like. All of this helps.

5. WHAT ARE THE KEY POINTS
YOU BELIEVE TO BE IMPORTANT TO ANY ORGANIZATION LOOKING TO
ENHANCE THEIR BRAND?
If you want to enhance your brand
start with defining your unique
point of view. Define your reason
for being, your why of existence -
your brand purpose . What is your
mission and what are your brand
values.
!These are the building blocks to
any organization. Write them
down make them public, it really
helps to define and clearly
articulate these points. It is a very
noisy world and you have to cut
through and deliver a clear and
focused picture to the people. Why
should they care about you?
It’s a new reality where people
buy what you believe and not just
what you sell. It is not just about a
quick transaction, it is about
building relationships and
engagement.
!These three key points of vision,
mission and values need to shine
through everything you do or say
in the name of your brand.

6. SPECIALIZED HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST BRANDS IN CYCLING AND THEY
ARE DEVELOPING FOR BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND LEISURE CYCLISTS. HOW DOES
THIS EFFECT THE COMPANY’S MARKETING AND BRANDING EFFORTS?

7. SPECIALIZED HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST BRANDS IN CYCLING AND THEY
ARE DEVELOPING FOR BOTH PROFESSIONALS AND LEISURE CYCLISTS. HOW DOES
THIS EFFECT THE COMPANY’S MARKETING AND BRANDING EFFORTS?
It was never the idea to become the biggest. We all ride and
we want people to have the greatest and most rewarding riding
experience they can have on any terrain. We want to see more
people on bikes because we believe in the power of the bicycle -
riding transforms lives. Specialized wants to inspire riders of
all types, professionals and leisure cyclists. Our job is to find
creative ways to build deeper, richer human experiences that
have both positive social and commercial impact.

8. HOW IMPORTANT ARE
SUBSIDIARY BRANDS LIKE GLOBE IMPORTANT WITHIN THIS PLAN?
Subsidiary brands are very
important because they can be
another way into the Specialized
experience. Another way for us
to build deeper and more personal
relationships with riders. Take
for example the concept of ‘Body
Geometry’. Our way of perfectly
melting man and machine to ‘be
one with your bike’. All for a
better and more rewarding riding
experience on all levels and works
with any bike. Or take our line of
women’s products.
!!
We want to be even more the
brand of choice for female riders
and we are developing the most
tailored women specific products
for over 10 years now.
Our women’s brand is adding real
value and a true benefit to female
riders. We have a strong and
inviting positioning in ‘Your ride.
Your rules.’. And our ambassador
program is helping us to get
even more women on bikes and
building community.

9. HOW DO SPECIALIZED
DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES FROM OTHER CYCLING BRANDS AND
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO BE UNIQUE WITHIN YOUR INDUSTRY?
I like to think beyond our industry. The concept of industries
is dead, the lines become more and more blurry. Specialized
is ‘an innovative company that happens to make bikes’.
This kind of approach will keep us more relevant in the long
term. We are the brand ‘by riders for riders’. Something that
differentiates us from most other companies in the field.
It drives our innovation, our way of connecting with riders
and especially who we hire. I am convinced people can feel
the difference when they ride our bikes or wear our products.

10. WHEN BUILDING A LASTING BRAND
HOW IMPORTANT IS BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE INTERNAL TEAM?
A strong brand works from the
inside out. You need an authentic
company culture that lives and
breath a brand’s vision, mission
and values everyday. You have
to believe in what you are doing
first. Only if you believe others
can follow and this needs to start
from the inside out. Your culture
needs to be an environment that
creates believers and fosters
talent. The real driver behind
a strong brand is a team that can
inspire and is passionate about
a brand’s purpose.
This will make you more effective.

11. IS THERE ONE TYPE OF COMMUNICATION
THAT YOU FEEL YOUR AUDIENCE RESPONDS BEST TO?
You get the best response on an honest and authentic communication
with your audience. Authenticity builds trust and that’s what people are
looking for these days. Good brands demonstrating transparency and
accountability - two things that the world needs. And we are on this
journey. Consumers hate being on a blind date with a brand. If you want
user interaction and community engagement you need to let the world
know what you are all about before you can expect action from them.
There is a great Chinese proverb, ‘Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I
may remember, involve me and I'll understand’

12. HOW HAS THE INCREASING
POPULARITY OF THE CYCLING INDUSTRY AFFECTED YOUR BRAND?
It’s great to see that more and more
people see the benefits of riding
bikes more often. As a sport, a daily
commute, exercise or just for fun.
We want to be the brand of choice
for discerning riders of all types and
we will work harder to earn this
position. To stay relevant and to
build those relationships in times of
an empowered consumer you need
to be more open, inclusive and
inviting as a brand. More and more
we have to understand that the
brand isn’t the hero. It is an enabler
of the journey a rider is on.

13. FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE
TO SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT IN BRANDING WHO EVENTUALLY
WANTED TO WORK IN A SIMILAR POSITION TO YOU?
The importance of brands
dramatically increases in times
of empowered consumers and as
information is more and more
available. Your responsibility and
accountability as brand steward
dramatically increases.
!Branding needs to connect every
aspect of a companies business
and every functional group. It has
a measurable business impact. It’s
not just about logos and policing
brand standards anymore.
!As the relationship between
organizations and individuals is
pushed forward by new
technologies, brands need to
build deeper experiences that
have both positive social and
commercial impact. The ability
to tell a meaningful story through
actions and products, not just
words, is the only way to win.
!You need to build and curate this
great and authentic narrative.
Ultimately it requires the delivery
of simplicity in an increasingly
complex world. Being able to say
more ‘no’ - don’t try to be too
many things to too many people.
!Brands that are focused on
getting us places and connecting
us to others are the brands of
the future.

14. INNOVATION ENTERPRISE
CLOSING STATEMENT
It is clear from Frank’s answers
that the branding of Specialized is
in the right hands. As we move
forward we are seeing that they
are growing as a brand, this year
for instance, Specialized bikes
were ridden to victory in two of the
three grand tours. This only helps
to push the brand image and
values and with Frank pulling the
strings behind the scenes, they
seem to be doing it well.
Original interview was published on "The Innovation Enterprise" --
"How are one of the most famous brands in world cycling being guided?"

15. FRANK ALDORF
THANK YOU
Copyright © 2014 Frank Aldorf. All rights reserved.