Today Alex Bogusky, Chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky is set to speak at SXSW on the topic of bike sharing.   CPB is one of the three founding partners of B-cycle, a concept which has been quietly gaining support in cities around the U.S. and which has been launched, under another company, to a degree of success in Paris.

The question is, can it succeed here?  The opportunities for success and a few challenges follow…

The right backers.

Announced as the brainchild of Humana, Trek and Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, B-cycle has hit the ground spinning.  Their web site alone shows how the creativity of an advertising agency can be a powerful partner in establishing immediate appeal with a target audience.  As a world-class ad agency, they will have done a thorough job researching their prospect segments to create a plan that addresses the B-cycle adoption drivers (e.g. is the docking station next to a coffee shop?) vs. simply crafting a utopian concept.

Trek, the bike that Lance Armstrong rides and therefore the default supporter of LiveStrong, has also built a solid reputation over the years for supporting programs that bring the benefits of cycling to a broader audience beyond the elite riders that many of their specialty bike lines appeal to.  They have deep pockets and bring a sincere open-minded passion for creating access to the sport.

And with Humana, a health insurance provider, as the third partner, the effort to bring B-cycle to market takes the tone of a citizen effort vs. a commercial effort.   An important cue in the endeavor to address such lofty issues as human health and the environment.

Together these three make a powerful force – not the least is their combined resourcefulness in developing health advocacy, attracting attention and navigating the tricky waters of a totally new consumer concept.

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And now, Collingswood is starting what may be the country’s first small town bike share program. Town commissioner, Joan Leonard, is behind the efforts to make available bicycles to loan to residents who wish to bike around the town instead of jumping in their car to go short distances.

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