Why One Brand Is Urging Tour de France Riders to Start Doping

The Tour de France has been plagued by one doping scandal after another over the years. But this year, one brand is facetiously telling clean cyclists to start doping—though in a way that's totally legit. 

37.5 Technology says its technology—patented fabrics used in performance apparel—helps athletes stay much cooler during exercising, similar to wearing a cooling vest circulating cold water. The resulting increase in performance, the company claims, is similar to results seen from illegal doping. 

Except, for now, 37.5 Technology is legal. 

The brand seized on this to launch a tongue-in-cheek campaign from Boulder agency WorkInProgress (founded by former members of the Dominos team at CP+B) that encourages Tour de France riders to "dope" by using apparel made with 37.5 Technology. 

Starting today, free "doping kits" will be made available each day at StartDoping.com. The kits actually contain a cycling jersey, bibs and socks made by Mission Workshop that use 37.5 Technology. 

"If we can convince even one clean athlete to start doping with our fabric technology, then it's all been worth it," says Dr. Greg Haggquist, CTO and Founder of Cocona Inc., parent company of 37.5 Technology.

"Hopefully this free sample will get them hooked on doping," adds Jeff Bowman, CEO of Cocona Inc. "And then they'll keep crawling back for another fix." 

"Given that doping has played a key role in sports over the last 50 years, particularly cycling, we figured the best way to get cyclists' attention was to give them what they want—a legal way to dope," says Andrew Lincoln, a creative leader and co-founder at WorkInProgress. "We're using the tried-and-true 'first taste is free' approach." 

WorkInProgress previously won some awards for its "Cliffside Shop" stunt for 37.5 Technology. See that work below. 

CREDITS
Client - 37.5 Technology
Agency - WorkInProgress
Project - Dope With This
Matt Talbot - Partner, Creative 
Andrew Lincoln - Partner, Creative 
Stafford Bosak - Partner, Head of Production
Harold Jones - Partner, Head of Technology
Evan Russack - Partner, Account + Strategy
Al Guerri - Partner, Account + Strategy
Pete Sheinbaum - Partner, Legal + Business Affairs 
Jimmy Rosen - Art Director
Andrew Bridgers - Copywriter 
Morgan Collins - Supervisor, Account + Strategy