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CowboyEarth is flat

Insight

A better commute comes with sacrifices.

60 per cent of people use their car for commutes under five kilometres. Commuters want to be greener and see less cars in downtown areas, but this comes with limitations. Or it did have limits before Cowboy rolled out its latest e-bike and adjacent technology.

AdaptivePower. A feature embedded in the bike’s software and hardware, seamlessly compensating for steep slopes, facing wind and extra weight, which cyclists know they will encounter.



Idea

The feeling of riding without a care in the world.

AdaptivePower and the Cowboy C4 make you forget about natural conditions with seamless technology. This is demonstrated through a series of print ads led by taglines that question what people feel on a Cowboy e-bike.

Earth is flat, wind is fake, and gravity doesn’t exist. The prints differed from black and white codes of the e-bike world, adding blush tones as well as using 3D to romance the design of the e-bike. Playing on the impression of a flat Earth, the film subtly illustrates the feeling of a perfect ride, regardless of the steepness of the road, supported by smooth music.


A sleek, modern electric bicycle with COWBOY branding is shown against a gradient background. Large text reads Earth is flat* with a note about Cowboy AdaptivePower technology and the COWBOY logo at the bottom right.
A sleek electric bicycle with a phone mounted on the handlebars is shown against a gradient background. Large text reads, Wind is fake* with smaller text below explaining Cowboy AdaptivePower technology.
Partial image of a bicycle above bold text reading “Gravity doesn’t exist*.” Smaller text below says, “*That’s how it feels with Cowboy AdaptivePower. Try it.”.
Side-by-side images of a sleek, modern black bicycle. The left image shows the saddle and frame with COWBOY. branding; the right image focuses on the handlebars and integrated display, all set against a soft gradient background.

Impact

Joining the ride.

Cowboy and its new AdaptivePower technology was the subject of over 200 articles in the weeks after the launch and gained an influencer reach of 2.7 million. The earth is flat message engaged and intrigued audiences, leading to a rise in sales.


A person in a red jacket sits on green chairs in a subway station, in front of an advertisement featuring a bicycle and the French text La Terre est plate* on a white background.
A man in a suit walks past a wall covered with colorful posters featuring bicycle images and French text, including phrases like La Terre nest pas plate and Le vent est une illusion.

  • TechCrunchE-bike maker Cowboy raises new funding round and launches AdaptivePower ↘
  • EngadgetCowboy’s Adaptive Power update breathes new life into its flagship bike ↘

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