BikeCom - Strengthening cycling through the development of communication skills

BikeCom relies on a strategic improvement of cycling communication as a lever for the transport transition, particularly for promoting cycling. Only when cycling is perceived as an attractive, everyday, and natural form of mobility can infrastructure measures, planning decisions, and funding projects unfold their full effect. Communication is crucial to strengthen public acceptance and anchor cycling as an attractive form of mobility for all social groups. However, practical observations show that many measures fall short of their potential because accompanying public relations work is often still too unsystematic, insufficiently professional, or not adequately tailored to target groups.

At the beginning of the project, existing communication approaches, media formats and strategies in cycling are systematically analyzed and developed. The analysis forms the evidence-based foundation for developing tailor-made, transferable communication strategies and formats.

The three implementation pillars interlock: formats are developed in our own video production, tested in model projects and municipalities, and subsequently disseminated and scaled via influencers, creating synergistic effects between the pillars. 

1. In-house Video Production 

   The core component is the production of around 50 short videos on cycling at the University of Kassel. A variety of formats and storytelling approaches are developed in a target-group-oriented manner. These videos form the methodological basis for all subsequent project steps.

2. Support for Model Projects and Model Municipalities

   The video and communication formats developed are deployed and further refined under real-world conditions in several model projects and municipalities. Feedback from practical application and target groups flows directly into optimization, ensuring transferability and practical suitability.

3. Cooperation with Influencers 

   Tested content and formats are leveraged through collaborations with high-reach micro- and macro-influencers. This enables targeted outreach to audiences and broad scaling of effective communication approaches.

The project's result is an evidence-based, practical communication toolkit for cycling. This bundles proven strategies, guidelines, and media formats, enabling actors in municipalities and institutions to engage in structured, professional, and target-group-oriented communication. This sustainably strengthens communication competencies and long-term support for the implementation of effective cycling promotion.