‘They went beyond the brief’: Bureau of Everything unveils branding for ‘disruptive’ eBike brand
In August, the Bureau of Everything was appointed the agency of record by a new eBike brand launching down under. This week, the name, visual design, and positioning of the brand has been unveiled.
Described as disruptive and “category defining”, the new brand – Flight Risk – has officially hit the market, intended to disrupt the “bro-ish culture” that surrounds the eBike category.
In addition to the naming and brand design, the Bureau of Everything also created its packaging and apparel, and even developed an enduring positioning for the brand – ‘Electric Escape Vehicles’ (EEVs).
Flight Risk is said to focus on freedom, safety, and technology. Starting with eBikes, the brand has been designed to bring a “strong dose” of irreverence and spontaneity of spirit.
“To point creativity at different problems is why Em and I started the BoE. It’s incredibly satisfying for the whole team to work end to end through the manufacturing & design process,” Cam Blackley, creative founder of the Bureau, said.
“We’ve come out the other end with a distinct design aesthetic and physical range of products that could still be here in 100 years albeit as some kind of post apocalyptic Mad Max vehicles.”
Michael Kleinman, creative and design director at the agency, added: “Flight Risk takes a highly mischievous approach, mixing aesthetics of high end streetwear with vintage airline graphics, 80s BMX culture, the GTA franchise and a hint of Y2K indie sleaze.
“We really sweated the details in the design. FR’s include signature pink custom shock absorbers (their version of Louboutin red soles), individual flight numbers, nicknames names and touches like the ‘L8R’ decal on the back of the seat – which we know Avril Lavigne would enjoy.
“The vibrant color palette, featuring a musk stick pink, is intended to disrupt the bro-ish culture that surrounds the category,” he added.
The Flight Risk Speed Shop at 22 Ewan St, Mascot, NSW, 2020
Flight Risk’s founder, Abe Mikhail, said it was important that marketing thinking was “baked” into this project from the start.
“Whilst BoE have deep experience in creativity and advertising, they aren’t yet known for product design. But they clearly got our vision and pitched a process that we just had to take a punt on,” he explained.
“Cam and the team went beyond the brief, giving us a lifestyle brand in EEVs that plays to our ambition to be a whole lot more than eBikes; as well as a sophisticated design system and a name that’s hard to forget.
“Off a successful launch we’re excited to kick off phase two with BoE in the coming week.”
Keep up to date with the latest in media and marketing
Got a tip?
Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
Linkedin
Sorry, you can’t just throw a pink shock on the bike and say that it battles the bro-ish reputation of electric motorbikes like these. Everything else about them – the design that look like motorbikes, the name ‘Flight Risk’, the fact that their website actively notes how fast they can go when unlocked (which is illegal, along with the throttle, as one commenter already pointed out) – is so Bro that you may as well throw in a beard trimmer with each sale.
The branding is good and the products look good as well, but let’s be real clear about what they are (not ebikes) and who they’re targeted at (Bros).
User ID not verified.
And not one consideration of the fact that these dreadful things are absolutely illegal to use on Australian footpaths, bike paths, trails or roads, I’ll bet. If it has a throttle, it needs to be registered, full stop. An absolute bottom-feeding piece of cheaply made garbage that won’t be improved one iota by basing out an HQ splattered with pink paint.
User ID not verified.
Having risk in your name as an e-bike manufacturer seems foolish. It might impress the kids but its the regulators that you currently need on side and i’m not sure pink shock coils are what they are looking for.
User ID not verified.
Have your say