We are losing the battle to ACC

[FastBikeGear]

I hate to say it but the ACC's PR department is winning!

The ACC is 100% consistent about the $77 dollar message and it is sticking. All the submissions we sent today arn't worth a single opportunity for the ACC to get their repeated message printed in one more paper that "even with the proposed motorcycle levy increases car drivers are subsidising motorbike ACC liabilities to the tune of $77."

Yes we all have each other convinced here, but we are talking to the converted and we are a minority. We need to get Les on the radio again - he's great at this.

We need to join and address every public forum on the Internet where this can be discussed.

The war for the publics mind is not going to be drawn out. In fact I think it will be over the day after we hit Wellington. Everyone will be tired of us and the ACC and this story by then. We the public has a short attention span....say is that a fly on your head?

This is a marketing battle. Our cause will be won or lost on how National perceive their chances of getting car drivers to side with them (and vote for them at the next election)

• Their message is consistent
• Their message is very simple to understand
• Their message is believable (We are bikers they are a government department with no reason to lie)
• Their message directly impacts on the reader ($77 dollars out of your pocket)

We need to fight fire with fire and place some advertisements of our own.

We also need to be able to tell our story very simply in less than 100 words and with one or two key simple memorable messages. We need to fund and initiate our own marketing campaign so that we can tell our story without interference,

Who else out there has had some marketing experience, has some time available, lives in Auckland and would like to work with me on this?

We only need a small team to focus on this.

[Mom]

The scarey bikers are working their fingers to the bone to attempt to raise money for the cause. Well I have had a blister already

We have no way of matching the criminal way this corporation are using MY/OUR money to spew their propoganda to all and sundry, that is a given. We just have to keep hammering away, letters to editors, letters to MP's etc.

[Skyryder]

We are never going to win the advertising war. Money is the issue. No matter how much is raised ACC can raise more. Someone mentioned the thing about biker charities and the causes that we give to. I think this would be the road to go down. Pretty hard to counter the generosity arguement and lets face it for the PR debate we are unparrelled in that department.

Skyryder

[mud boy]

this sucks as we should be alound to vote
fuckin bull shit!!!

[Hawkeye]

Our cause will be won or lost on how National perceive their chances of getting car drivers to side with them (and vote for them at the next election)

The other thing that we don't appear to be doing very well is making National realise that MOST bikers also have cars. I have 2 bikes and 2 cars. There are also 4 voters in my household.
When National finaly realise that they are screwing with the amount of voters they are pissing off, and realise that the majority are not snotty 16 year olds (sorry guy's) and do actually have a brain, it may be too late.

[StoneY]

ACC are NOT winning anything

I have been talking at service stations and banks, and supermarkets with NON biker public members who all to a man and woman can see through the 77$ argument

There is far more support for us in the public than this bullshit levy hike, even my boss a dedicated 4WD enthusiast who HATES big motorcycles passionately is on our side, giving me use of company resources for the BIKEOI organising

Wether they stick to the flawed figures or not its still a blatantly fabricated piece of bullshit, and in this day and age of the Interweb fingy, no ones buying into it, not im MY country at least

There has been more press on our side lately than on ACC's too so where do you get "ACC are winning" from?
Even Nick Smith is talking about backing off the increase, and FACE TO FACE last on 31st I shot his numbers down, he stood in front of me looking utterly stupid when I told him the true figures

ACC winning...my ass thyere winning

[StoneY]

We are never going to win the advertising war. Money is the issue. No matter how much is raised ACC can raise more. Someone mentioned the thing about biker charities and the causes that we give to. I think this would be the road to go down. Pretty hard to counter the generosity arguement and lets face it for the PR debate we are unparrelled in that department.

Skyryder

Yep, I said we should donate 10 bucks PER class 6 license in NZ to BRONZ and get the ball rolling on a REAL warchest

Think about it, 10 bucks each...250,000 class 6 holders.......2.5 mil? (im no use at math)

[scissorhands]

I disagree. The clashes I've seen on TV, bikers came out the winner.

However, constant continued pressure on National and ongoing street protest MUST be evident to everyone.

Now with Labour by our side, bikers can feel there is a very good chance of success.

Probably all this will die down for Xmas and they will spring it on us again in the very near future, slightly repackaged.

Time and energy to go to thye street, is all that is really required, money is not compulsory to win this.

I'd be willing to protest in my neighbourhood EVERY week. Be fun, have a few beers....

[paturoa]

Forget cagers and the general populace - some will support us some wont, but the real leverage is the next election thing.

What I've sent to my MP is a clear signal that I vote every election and you WILL NOT BE GETTING either my electorate or party vote next election if this goes through.

Get 10s of thousand bikers to signal that to to the pollies and ....

[idleidolidyll]

You're all correct: we are losing, we don't have the money to fight them in the media.

You're also correct when you identify National as the culprit instead of the ACC.

The ONLY way IMO to get air time is to create mahem on the roads; we can do this riding as we see many tin tops drive.

We can ride slowly in groups, we can use all the car parks, we can do many things that will get attention besides just riding single lane and not making others feel our anger.
I believe our feel good ride to Wellington will do little unless it is followed or preceeded by disruptive protest action.

I hope to be there but I don't expect more than a discount on the percentage.

[SARGE]

losers are just morons without the balls to cheat


if the protest rides dont work.. may i suggest a Biker Stop Work rally.. lay down your tools, log off your workstation .. park your delivery truck,


let the 'voting public' know how many there are of us for a few days


its not just the hoon on SH16 .. its your workmate.. your tech guy .. your incoming goods team..the hottie at the mall..

[H00dz]

I hate to say it but the ACC's PR department is winning!



We need to fight fire with fire and place some advertisements of our own.

Who else out there has had some marketing experience, has some time available, lives in Auckland and would like to work with me on this?

We only need a small team to focus on this.

PLEASE Edit your Thread Title, We must be taken seriously but "LOOSING" the battle needs to be ammended, everytime I see another response I just "LOSE" it......C'mon its "LOSING" the message

[StoneY]

The ONLY way IMO to get air time is to create mahem on the roads; we can do this riding as we see many tin tops drive.

Wrong, you'll just piss off the other voters who are currently sympathetic

I believe our feel good ride to Wellington will do little unless it is followed or preceeded by disruptive protest action.

If you think thousands of passive people making a peaceful show of solidarity is nothing more than a 'feel good' ride, then stay home, dont need you


Ever heard of Mahatma Ghandi???
He never raised his voice in anger, or resorted to force or disruption

[idleidolidyll]

Wrong, you'll just piss off the other voters who are currently sympathetic

If you think thousands of passive people making a peaceful show of solidarity is nothing more than a 'feel good' ride, then stay home, dont need you

Ever heard of Mahatma Ghandi???
He never raised his voice in anger, or resorted to force or disruption

history proves you wrong: how many metres of cheesecutter fencing have been removed? That was a feel good ride and yes, I was there.

Piss off other road users? Like most of you, I AM an "other road user", I drive a tin top too. If those in power refuse to listen, you have to slap their cheeks until they do. BTW: who the hell appointed you ride leader?

Ghandi was very happy to stage mass sit ins where he caused massive disruption and bought attention to the cause. He merely rejected violence. Read the words: I advocate LEGAL disruption; go read about Ghandi.

[Kiwi Graham:Me]

I can see what wobblyas is saying.

How much would a national advert be devided by us all to rebut the ad ACC put out nationaly?

Its not only the public that need to see through the ACC lies its the politicians that need to see the public seeing it...........if you know what I mean.