Winners all

Hard copy adverts are often artistic, imaginatively designed and creatively written. In the case of motorcycling, the words ‘winner’ or ‘victor’ may mean exactly that but, equally, you may need a copy of the event’s results sheet to understand precisely what the winner or victor achieved.

It’s often stated automotive sport improves the breed and while our daily hack may be far removed from a GP winner, development is often sporting led. Equally, automotive sport can be said to improve advertising, or, if you’d rather, ‘promotional copy.’ And regardless of whether the advert is based on outright victory or a class award, if it has caught your eye, even if then you shake your head in disbelief, it’s a case of job done for the advertiser, and the product, if a motorcycle brand or a sparking plug is in your mind, or at least your subconscious.

Here we take a look at five classics (three off-road and two racing), list the winners and glance at the work of ever-imaginative advertising copy writers, designers and artists...

Colmore Cup Trial, Saturday, February 1, 1936

Spin through the adverts following the year’s first classic, the 21st Colmore Cup Trial, and one could be forgiven for thinking there was a dozen victors. Justifiably, Ariel’s full page advert, published in the same issue as the trial report, stated ‘Ariel Wins the Colmore Cup for a third successive year.’ Perfectly true. And, understandably,