[outofthebox]

It is no secret that serious motorbiking as a mainstream sport/lifestyle activity is not finding any takers in the younger demographics. A super bike is more of a mid life crisis machine than anything else if one looks at current consumption patterns globally.

It was fairly obvious by all the promo campaigns last year that Ducati intended to buck the current trend and find a new demographic/source of future revenue. Thus Scrambler was born. Targeted specifically at that critical target group which seems to be shying away from the joys of motorbiking - i.e. the cash rich, upwardly mobile twenty somethings in metropolitan centres around the world, aka yuppies, aka hipsters etc.

Now look at the response this machine has got - no offence to anyone but everyone I talk to who is interested in this machine is on the wrong side of forty, self included. Launch of Ducati Scrambler was a 'meh' moment for the yuppies in my social & professional networks. They couldn't care less. One of them even asked me if Ducati was a footballer!!!

Not that I'm complaining - Scrambler is definitely a game changer for Ducati. It has made brand Ducati infinitely more accessible to first time Ducati owners like me, who used to view Ducati as drool worthy, magnificently engineered works of art but far too intimidating to own & operate in real world conditions.

Looks like Ducati couldn't have been more wrong with the intended target group & expected market response of this product. What do you have to say?

 

[Hedonism]

the small monsters have usually played the entry level role, plenty new riders (male and female) approched the bike thanks to monster.

the Scramble is the answer to that part of bikers (rookies or formers ) that need a bike able to do medium range tranfers, having low seat and could play on the dirt, not as racing k of course but simply that do not stop just out the paved roads.

Classic and Full Throttle in my opionion are the two extreme version of this bike.... the FT likes performances (look only) and most probably apply to buyer that looks at the monster as "too tech.", the Classic is the more "urban one" and the less scrambled, but will be probably the "coolest city commuter" without forget the light off road attitude.

 

[basilisco]

I think the marketing campaign from Ducati was too long and boring...expecially for those who are only interested on the bike...like me!

I personally think the bike is amazing, because there are not other bikes on the global market with the same performance, satefy technology (as the ABS system) and appeal ...at this price!!!
If you ask for a Triumph Scrambler, you have to spend a bit more and you have not the possibility to have an ABS System...and that's crazy in the 2015!
I had a Thruxton until last year and i decided to change the bike because of the ABS want and to stimulate my offroad attitude (easy offroad...i mean)

I think this bike is perfect for people who like to ride without racing attitude and do some easy offroad streets...i don't think there is a bike more easy and funny than the Scrambler Ducati!

I just had a Test Ride and i think every Ducati are not good as first bike for beginners...but this is only my personal opinion!

 

[littleowl]

Fortunately for me I didn't even read any of the cringeworthy stuff that came from Ducati in advertising this bike - I saw a pic of one somewhere and thought 'what a fab looking bike', but didn't investigate further as I thought it would be out of my range regarding seat height, weight etc which is usually the case with most bikes that catch my eye!

I was about to commit to a Yamaha MT07 when a friend asked if I'd seen the Scrambler, she then sent me some spec which included low seat height and weight! I went straight off to a Ducati dealer the following day to have a look at it.

I had a sit on it and couldn't believe the ergonomics were almost perfect , the dealer said, why don't you have a ride? So I did - came back and put a deposit down straight away

Regardless of all the hype it's a bloody good bike and one which I was looking for but hadn't found to date.

As I've said before it was either a clever bit of reverse psychology advertising knowing full well it would excite the senses of a certain age group, or if they got it totally wrong by accident, nonetheless they still have a winner on their hands! I don't suppose they are bothered so long as sales keep happening .

I also think that for many beginners coming off a 125 it is a pretty powerful and sharp bike, even with restrictions ...

 

[silverluxe]

I think the land of joy thing is fine. They should have marketed it to all ages and demographics though like Honda would have in the 1960s. "You meet the happiest people on a Scrambler" or something like that.

 

[pacman]

I guess marketers need to eat too--takes all kinds. In the end, it's just about how much fun the bike is, and what a great design it is.

 

[idleidolidyll]

My wife has not read any of the PR but as soon as she saw a picture of a yellow Icon, she said "I think I want one".
It reminds her of her 1974 350 desmo which is in the shed awaiting a rebuild.

Today she sat on one for the first time and said "I definitely want one"

I tried to get her to consider other bikes like the MT07, KTM 390 Duke etc but she is adamant.

Looks like we are about to become a 3 Ducati / 2 KTM family

1974 350 Desmo
2014 Hypermotard SP
2015 Scrambler Icon....scoming soon!

2013 KTM 300exc Six Days
2008 KTM 690 smc

 

[Slaine]

My last bike was a Yamaha XT1200Z, with the lowes seat available I was just about able to plant one foot flat and the the other on the toes, for someone with over 30 years of riding experience not a problem.
I have spent the last year without a bike, looking for something that fits better, I was torn between an MT09 and a MG V7, 2 completely different bikes.
The Scrambler was just the bike I was waiting for and all I needed was to sit on it to know this was it, I ordered the bike 10 minutes after first sitting on it.

I have no beard, very short hair and am way past 50 so the Marketing have completely missed the point regarding me.

 

[outofthebox]

i have no beard, very short hair and am way past 50 so the marketing have completely missed the point regarding me.

>:d

 

[baimo]

I have no beard, very short hair and am way past 50 so the Marketing have completely missed the point regarding me.

At least you have hair!

 

[1stgarry]

Ducati's marketing sort of got it right. Instead of attracting a younger generation, they are attracting a generation who wish they were younger.
The Scrambler, and the clever marketing, work to make a rider feel younger, and that's a clever piece of psychology. Maybe Ducati didn't get it wrong!

Anyone outside of biking, who wants to get into the PTW scene, looks around and sees a bunch of ageing, balding, greying, bunch of blokes who mostly don't have the physique to look particularly good in leathers and jeans. It's not their fault, but it doesn't make the scene attractive to wannabees or the younger generation. And the bikes these aging bikers ride - naked muscle bikes, sports bikes etc, are generally associated with this scene, and are therefore regarded as 'old mens' bikes.

I hope that Ducati's Scrambler might be the door that opens to a refreshing new attitude towards bikes and riders.

 

[DenverDuc]

Did they market it incorrectly? Definitely not. My fiance and I were just on a flight Sunday night, and she had some girly magazine with her (Cosmo or something) and I watched her flip some of the pages when I finished my book. Guess what nearly every single ad contained? A (photoshopped) 6 foot tall, 100 pound, flawless and heavily made up early 20 something year old girl. Now, do you think that's the demographic that actually goes out and buys a $6,000 dress to wear one time or a $3,000 pair of impossibly uncomfortable high heels? I would conjecture the average person they purport to be aiming the advertising towards cannot even imagine dropping that kind of cash on those goods. What if those same ads showed off middle aged women with botox filled faces and huge plastic looking lips with large purses filled with tiny dogs? I doubt it would have nearly the marketing impact

I think it goes the same with any motorcycle campaign. They're creating an image that is appealing to a wide demographic with stereotypical images that people can attach to an ideal and give them some sense of what it "could" be like to buy into the hype and own one. Rarely do you see an advertising campaign match up perfectly with the people who buy the product, especially vehicles. Just look at all the commercials where they try to make Kias and Toyota Camrys look super cool and for young, sexy people - they're good cars, but that's it LOL.

My only complaint with the Scrambler social media rollout is that, for those of us who were eagerly awaiting it's reveal, it almost became nauseating how drawn out and silly the campaign became. It felt very forced and fabricated, but it appears to have worked because according to my local dealer they have never had such a huge demand for any bike they've sold in the past regardless of brand or type. To me that's a win even if the guys and gals riding away from dealerships don't really resemble the ones from the Land of Joy video

(Full disclosure - I am in my early thirties, live in the urban core, have no kids, and I'm wearing plaid today - though no beard )

 

[albie]

Ducati's marketing sort of got it right. Instead of attracting a younger generation, they are attracting a generation who wish they were younger.
The Scrambler, and the clever marketing, work to make a rider feel younger, and that's a clever piece of psychology. Maybe Ducati didn't get it wrong!

Anyone outside of biking, who wants to get into the PTW scene, looks around and sees a bunch of ageing, balding, greying, bunch of blokes who mostly don't have the physique to look particularly good in leathers and jeans. It's not their fault, but it doesn't make the scene attractive to wannabees or the younger generation. And the bikes these aging bikers ride - naked muscle bikes, sports bikes etc, are generally associated with this scene, and are therefore regarded as 'old mens' bikes.

I hope that Ducati's Scrambler might be the door that opens to a refreshing new attitude towards bikes and riders.

No different to Monster owners, panigale owners , diavel owners and streetfighter owners. I reminded somebody who took the piss out of me for buying a youthful scrambler and reminded him that Ducati didn't design the Monster for fat gutted balding 50 year old either. Same goes for cars. Those who can will because they want to. I just blatently refuse to get old just yet.

 

[outofthebox]

all have mentioned very valid observations and sentiments so far. no doubt the sales registers are ringing for Ducati this year thanks to Scrambler and it definitely fulfils a gap for seasoned riders and first time Ducati owners alike.

but current sales is never a guarantee for future revenues. this product launch and the marketing campaign was a strategic & long term one - with a very obvious objective to create new markets and attract a younger set of first time riders, build new, potentially long term relationships etc. a bit like what iPad - Apple’s last successful product launch did to the personal mobile computing genre - till then ruled by laptops.

so the question remains - have Ducati succeeded in connecting with their intended target group? do we see a flock of yuppies/hipsters lining up to learn riding and get their ticket to the ‘land of joy’?

 

[dukes]

all have mentioned very valid observations and sentiments so far. no doubt the sales registers are ringing for Ducati this year thanks to Scrambler and it definitely fulfils a gap for seasoned riders and first time Ducati owners alike.

but current sales is never a guarantee for future revenues. this product launch and the marketing campaign was a strategic & long term one - with a very obvious objective to create new markets and attract a younger set of first time riders, build new, potentially long term relationships etc. a bit like what iPad - Apple’s last successful product launch did to the personal mobile computing genre - till then ruled by laptops.

so the question remains - have Ducati succeeded in connecting with their intended target group? do we see a flock of yuppies/hipsters lining up to learn riding and get their ticket to the ‘land of joy’?

This is very true, and a surge in interest as the product becomes available is always expected and happens. How it plays out in the long term over x amount of time will be a true test to how well it sells. I just hope after the hype that things don't drastically slow down. Sure seems like it has the potential to maintain sales well for an extended period of time.

 

[albie]

Oh please don't get me wrong I agree with you. I can tell you that lots of ducatisti hate them and lots actually like them. But as per the launch things get people assuming that they are selling purely young guns who ride like free spirits in a land of joy wild and free with no kids and time on their side. Not in my world lol. It rains , its cold and if I take it to the beach I will get arrested

 

[Bestia]

The scrambler sells nostalgia, you cant sell nostalgia to people who were never there. THe marketing made it clear to me from the beginning, this bike was aimed at 50 yo's

 

[outofthebox]

albie, Bestia, I agree and I know exactly what you mean. I'm in the same boat as you!

 

[silverluxe]

I disagree because you can sell nostalgia to hipsters all day long. And then they mash it up in an anachronistic display of WTF. The whole lumbersexual thing is completely sold to and bought by people who have never used an axe for anything other than a wall hanging. Look at all the young people into any subculture like skinhead, rockabilly, mod, etc... None of them were alive when the first wave of all of that was taking root. Yet kids still love idealizing it and trying to recreate it as their own every new generation.

Lumber jack boots and 1980s aerobic sweat bands were never meant to be seen on the same body at the same time... But they are.. in 2015.

The Scrambler facebook page has over 100 -thousand- people following it. So this path they have chosen has got a lot of peoples' attention.

 

[PeteI]

It is no secret that serious motorbiking as a mainstream sport/lifestyle activity is not finding any takers in the younger demographics. A super bike is more of a mid life crisis machine than anything else if one looks at current consumption patterns globally.

It was fairly obvious by all the promo campaigns last year that Ducati intended to buck the current trend and find a new demographic/source of future revenue. Thus Scrambler was born. Targeted specifically at that critical target group which seems to be shying away from the joys of motorbiking - i.e. the cash rich, upwardly mobile twenty somethings in metropolitan centres around the world, aka yuppies, aka hipsters etc.

Now look at the response this machine has got - no offence to anyone but everyone I talk to who is interested in this machine is on the wrong side of forty, self included. Launch of Ducati Scrambler was a 'meh' moment for the yuppies in my social & professional networks. They couldn't care less. One of them even asked me if Ducati was a footballer!!!

Not that I'm complaining - Scrambler is definitely a game changer for Ducati. It has made brand Ducati infinitely more accessible to first time Ducati owners like me, who used to view Ducati as drool worthy, magnificently engineered works of art but far too intimidating to own & operate in real world conditions.

Looks like Ducati couldn't have been more wrong with the intended target group & expected market response of this product. What do you have to say?

I'm not sure if I'm mid life or not at 42? Guess I have to wait for others to tell me...0Anyways...just like the way the bike looks for now. Who knows in 2 years what I'll fancy.