Campagnolo Chief Sales and Marketing Officer talks ‘Dream Bigger’

Some brands have history yet struggle in the present day to keep the stories of old relevant. The world turns, and expectations changing. Time waits for no one. Even icons need to write new chapters if there is to be a future. On the 15th of April storied Italian component manufacturer Campagnolo revealed its future ambitions with a simple yet powerful new brand proposition: ‘Dream Bigger’.

Dream Bigger – a statement; the guiding principles for the business as it meets the future.

What’s fascinating is that this kind of language is typically the preserve of challenger brands, of new market entrants. Bold. Unapologetically self-confident. Flush with youthful bravado.

Chatting with Campagnolo Sales & Marketing Director, Nicola Baggio, there’s a confidence and swagger befitting a brand emboldened by newfound success. Yes, there’s 2 recent TdF wins to feel proud of (and a 3rd which many believe is already nailed on… barring bad luck), but that’s not it. Or at least, not all of it. The launch of Ekar marked a pivotal moment for the brand.

One word: Courageous.

For context, it’s fair to say brands with history are rarely granted much if any leeway by the market (be that retailers or customers) when it comes to new innovations. Many struggle. Plenty fail all together. With no mountain bike heritage to call up Campagnolo took the boldest of steps into the fast-growing Gravel sector.

Back to Ekar: Campagnolo sees the rise and rise of Gravel and identifies this as a gateway to a new future.

What follows is something to warm even cold-hearted cynics and pragmatists. A true market first with 13 speed is certainly attention grabbing, paired with a suitably Campagnolo style carbon fibre 1 X crankset, but for most it’s the clutched rear mech which makes even the most ardent SRAM or Shimano fans smile. All combine to deliver the world’s lightest Gravel groupset.

Old dog.

New trick.

And what a trick.

Take a bow you grand old new thing, Campagnolo.

Stories of old, blended with modern engineering prowess, infused with Europe based manufacturing. Welcome to the Campagnolo of 2022.

Of that Europe based manufacturing; With supply chain disruption creating havoc with lead times, businesses are scrambling to establish European manufacturing relations. Not Campagnolo though. They’re the only component company in the cycling world with its own production units, all located in Europe.

Ask any kind of performer, be they an actor or athlete, brand, or business, and they’ll tell you confidence makes amazing things possible.

• A 45% increase in turnover certainly gives Dream Bigger wings.
• Add to that almost 50% of components sold resulting from Ekar.

Taking to Gravel for Campagnolo is former WorldTour pro Nathan Haas, who comments, “I’ve had the amazing luck to ride with Campagnolo for the last two years in the WorldTour, and to have their continued support in the world of Gravel is a huge honour.”

Conceived by Haas himself, the “Full Circle” project sees a return to dirt roads for a cycling career which began in mountain biking, led to 10 years in the ranks of 4 WorldTour road teams, and now embraces Gravel racing.

“To be taking on the Gravel world racing with EKAR I know I have a huge advantage” says Hass, who will start the main races of the UCI Gravel World Series calendar, plus a select number of gravel races of the international calendar, including arguably the defining Gravel event, Unbound.

“… I look forward to delivering big results and stories working together” – Nathan Haas

Critically, the brand has woven its history – “The idea of Dream Bigger is grounded in the philosophy of Tullio Campagnolo and the company’s ethos of innovation.” – into its future: “This mindset is not however limited to road, or elite riders; Dream Bigger is about demanding more from yourself and your equipment, seeking out bigger challenges and aiming higher.”

Reading that it has a certain Rapha-esque sound to it, which pays the Dream Bigger Campagnolo of 2022 a sincere compliment. From one premium brand to another.

Think about it.

Simon Mottrom’s brand sought to create an emotional connection, merging historical tails with modern ideas, which captured and held the attention of cyclists looking for something more than a transactional relationship with a business. Being part of the tribe, joining an exclusive club for likeminded riders, made visual a cultural statement.

‘Dream Bigger’ evokes just this. Present day performance engineering fused with a story that’s integral to the romantic and nostalgic history of the sport.

Campagnolo see the brand and the product as a single, highly engineered, premium product. The cycling experiences they share with those who ride Campagnolo are an integral part of the brands’ story.

Campagnolo Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Nicola Baggio is keen to point out it’s these experiences which are what drive the innovation, and development of new product. “Experience is part of our DNA, but our direction is to look forward and not behind. Innovation is a key factor to compete in the market covering a premium position”.

Where Rapha crafted a brand story, Campagnolo remains, first and foremost, an engineering statement. And it’s into this ‘engineered for performance’ world that Campagnolo launches the Gravel specific Levante wheelset.

1485g of Gravel specific, laser etched, 11/12/13 speed enabled, 30mm deep, raw carbon finished, Handmade Ultra-Light Carbon engineering.

 

This piece of the puzzle is critically important, given that brands ranging from 3T to Specialized equipped bikes with Ekar. With OE sales come significant long-term power, enabling the brand to achieve a Dream Bigger goal; “connect the long-standing company to a broader cycling audience.”

The brand itself acknowledges that there’s a cluster of cyclists who may not have experienced Campagnolo, and just as Rapha positioned itself as a brand for those with a love of the history of the sport, so Campagnolo looks to engage and enthuse those riders, and many more like them.

Nicola points out, “our goal is to expand our audience by offering distinctive solutions for both high-end and medium market segments. Our products have to be innovative, beautiful to use and to look at. We strive to elevate the bike and the experience of riding,”

In the UK Campagnolo Pro shops serve as the brands’ hub, with some 75 shops supporting Campagnolo cognoscente, serving as a point of connection, supporting the old and the new of Italian cycling, representing a brand determined to remain at the heart of the sport, for both racers and riders, as gravel leads to new adventures and a new future.

Dream Bigger.