The Man Behind Cycling's Coolest Branding
@Garrett_Chow
Even among the cool, this guy is cool. And fast. Especially on a track bike snaking through rush-hour traffic in San Francisco. (Google "MASH SF 2007" for compelling video evidence, and a little adult language.)
Since 2007, Garrett Chow has worked with Mash SF, a bike-racing team/creative-branding agency of sorts that helped revive Cinelli using a mixture of artsy paint jobs and clever marketing. MASH SF also sells everything from stickers and patches to stems, handlebars, and backpacks, all emblazoned with the MASH SF lightning-bolt logo that's become an underground symbol of cycling coolness.
The Bay Area-based graphic designer with jet-black hair did a stint at Specialized from 2008 to 2013 that included creating one-off bikes for the likes of Tom Boonen and three-time cyclocross world champ Zdenek Stybar. He's widely credited with bringing street art, graffiti style, and skateboard culture to the world of bike design.
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"The bike industry is great at rehashing the same old things," says the 40-something Chow. "I look for inspiration outside of it, in fashion, in art. A lot of things interest me more than what other bike brands are doing."
It only makes sense that Chow's perspective resonates the strongest on the most visual of social-media platforms, Instagram, where he has nearly 15,000 followers. "I don't have a website or any other way to show my work," he says. "And I don't pursue work; it finds me. Instagram is my portfolio."
Garrett's Instagram Tips
Be genuine. "It's easy to recognize when you're not. I don't post a lot of food or cat photos. I use Instagram to show off what I'm working on."
Stick with a POV. "At the same time don't constantly ask yourself, 'Is this on brand?' Use your intuition and ask, 'Is this appropriate for me as a human?'"
Compose a good photo. "It also helps if a deeper meaning comes through. It has to look great, but it can't just be cake decoration. If you don't have anything to say, don't say anything."
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