When digital performance plateaus, where do ambitious brands go next?
For Jorvik Tricycles, the answer was TV advertising.
At yesterday’s Northern Marketing Festival, our fireside chat with James Walker explored how Jorvik Tricycles moved beyond rising PPC costs and unlocked new growth through an integrated media strategy that saw them advertise on TV for the first time.
Jorvik had initially grown through familiar digital channels, including Google, Amazon and eBay, but began to see performance flatten as spend increased.
“We were spending more money, but not really getting more sales,” James said.
That prompted Jorvik Tricycles to rethink its channel mix, moving beyond purely digital activity and testing direct response TV – all strategised and delivered by HUB.
For Rob, the key was not abandoning digital but understanding how different channels could work together around a highly considered product.
“This wasn’t a ‘switch PPC off, put TV on’ moment,” he said. “It was how do you make the world work harder? How do you help develop the brand?”
The campaign was built around Jorvik’s customer insight, with many buyers looking for freedom, independence and mobility rather than simply a product. Walker said some customers did not even know electric tricycles existed until they saw the TV ad.
“A lot of our customers don’t know tricycles exist until they see one,” he said.
The move into TV produced a clear uplift, with traffic spiking around broadcast slots and a halo effect continuing after the campaign came off air.
“The phone was ringing off the hook, the emails were coming in, the sales were going in,” said Walker.
The session also underlined the importance of physical experience in the buying journey. Jorvik’s York showroom and indoor test track now play a key role in conversion, with James closing off the session by announcing that Jorvik Tricycles is expanding its showroom model into Southampton and Chester
The session was a powerful reminder that real momentum happens when brand marketing, media and customer experience work together, not in silos.
At HUB, we’re huge believers in the power of TV advertising – even with a modest budget – so it was fantastic to hear James share his experience of taking Jorvik onto TV for the very first time.
Thanks to everyone who attended the session and visited our stand – if you weren’t able to make it, you can read the rundown of the day on Prolific North.
