Emotional Goal

To build community, share conversations and hear from SRAM’s athletes and ambassadors about how they’re changing the world.

The Mission

As SRAM continues to grow, the scale and scope of the brand can sometimes feel intimidating or distant. Internally, there was a desire to stay grounded in what has always made SRAM great: approachability, openness, and community. The goal of this project was to build a podcast that felt like an extension of a group ride. One that would make the brand more relatable, more human, and more connected to the athletes, ambassadors, and audiences it serves.

The Approach

Every successful show begins with a strong foundation. For us, that meant identifying the core insight that would guide the entire creative direction. After several rides and many conversations, we found it.

Bikes are equalizers. They bring people together, spark unexpected conversations, and create space for real connection. Some of the most honest, perspective-shifting moments in sport don’t happen in the headlines. They happen between breaths, on long climbs and fast descents, when we’re side by side on the saddle. That simple truth became our creative north star.

We designed the show to feel like a group ride - familiar and inviting. From that concept, we built a structure, format, and visual identity that would consistently reflect those values.

Hosted by SRAM’s VP of Marketing, David Zimberoff, the show followed a Q&A-style format with athletes, community leaders, and changemakers in the world of cycling. We mirrored the natural flow of a ride—starting with warmup topics, digging into personal stories, and ending with reflections or challenges. The result was a rhythm that felt both structured and spontaneous, professional and personal.

The show was named “Changing Gears” to reflect both the literal act of riding and the metaphorical shift many athletes experience, moving from competition to community. After exploring several directions, we landed on a brand identity for the show.

With YouTube as the primary platform, we knew the show needed a visual home. We designed and fabricated a custom set that balanced rawness and polish. Steel panels, lit signage, light tubes, and a functional bike rack all helped ground the show’s tone.

We worked with SRAM to define the technical infrastructure to run the show remotely, including shipping plug-and-play tech kits to guests around the world. We produced launch trailers for video and audio, created a full graphic system for episodes and social content, and managed weekly production across 50 episodes for a year.

Our team handled post-production editing, sound design, graphics, set design, publishing, and written show notes.

‍

‍

Testimonial

“I’ve worked with Cole and the team at Port Side for over a year now and have been super impressed with them. They are smart, fast, authentic, humble, respectful, resourceful, creative, and highly communicative. They are a thorough group that gets it, and does what it takes to get the job done. I’ve literally worked with hundreds of agency’s and creative partners throughout my career, and I can honestly say they are awesome. I would highly encourage you to work with them if you have a project in their wheelhouse. When I first met Cole, the roles were reversed. He invited me to be on HIS podcast. I was his guest. He was so pro, and really made me feel comfortable. His approach, mannerisms, communication and respect were amazing. His curiosity was genuine and intelligent. Fast forward a couple years, and when I had an idea for a podcast, and promotions to support it, there was nobody I was going to turn to but Cole and Port Side. He quickly put together an A-team of insiders and partners to execute and they nailed it. I’m so happy, and stoked to be working with this team. The only mistake you might make is NOT hiring them for something!"

David Zimberoff

VP of Marketing at SRAM

‍

‍