Distributor in the spotlight – meet Marc Strobl

Resuming our ‘Distributor in the spotlight’ series, where we meet people at our international distributors who make up our MERIDA family, this is the third and final instalment from MERIDA & CENTURION Germany GmbH. Our second interview was with Raffael Oppold, now it is time to get to know Marc Strobl a little better. Photography is his hobby, which closely links with his role in graphic design and marketing, and he finds his inspiration in nature.

Who are you, and how long have you worked at MERIDA Centurion Germany (MCG)?
My name is Marc Strobl, I am 44 years old and from Sindelfingen near Stuttgart, and I have worked here since 2008.

What is your job title, and what does a typical working day look like for you?
I am the Graphic Design Manager and Deputy Head of Marketing at MERIDA. My job is quite varied, so no two days are the same, but essentially, I am working with print and digital media. A large part of my role is designing sales and marketing materials and conceptual work for product launches. So, I get to interact with various teams within MERIDA, and I enjoy the creative side as well as the strategic planning involved.

How long have you been with MCG, and has your role changed over the years?
I have been with MCG since 2008 and started as a marketing assistant. Initially, my work involved adapting adverts and designing catalogues that were already written. However, now we develop everything ourselves here from scratch, so from pagination to planning photo shoots, editing the images and then putting together the finished product. Over the years, I have been supported by the team here to develop professionally and take on more responsibility. I am super grateful for this support, and of course, new challenges keep things interesting!

What are the key elements you like about working with the MERIDA brand and at MCG?
The team, the environment and the atmosphere are what have kept me here for 16 years. The company is just the right size so it feels like a family, I love the fact I can make a difference and change things and that is a good feeling as it wouldn’t necessarily be the case in a larger company. I have a direct line to the big boss, Wolfgang Renner (see his story here), so if I have any issues or concerns, I can discuss those directly with him. That really means a lot to me. I have creative autonomy – hopefully because my superiors have confidence in me, so this sense of freedom is both really rewarding and motivating. Also, for me (and my family) it is vital to have the job security I have here, as the company is so well run.  

How did you get into your profession, and what made you want to work in the bicycle industry?
After I completed my training as a state-certified advertising designer, I started working in Stuttgart at an advertising agency. MERIDA was a client, and I worked on some of their projects, so I gained insights into the brand, the company and the people. I enjoyed the work immensely as it combined aesthetic design and functionality of the product (bicycles), and all that in the context of being outdoors in nature. I love being outdoors, and I found the idea of helping to design a product that makes people active and mobile really exciting. So, when MERIDA advertised a position as a marketing assistant specialising in graphic design, I jumped at the opportunity.

I also learned a bit about the man in charge, Wolfgang Renner, when visiting a slide show evening about mountain biking in Tibet, and his attitude, passion and view of the world impressed me. This made going for the marketing assistant job even more exciting.

From your perspective, how has MERIDA changed over the years?
MERIDA has evolved considerably over the years, but has always remained true to its principles: developing and building high-quality bikes. The brand has always stood for innovative products and continues to prove this today with every new model. I think the focus used to be a lot more on mountain bikes, but this changed with the professional road cycling team. Nowadays, we have strong products in every segment of the bicycle market, and I have to admit that it is rather exciting to see products that were developed and designed in-house make it onto the podiums of the World Tour and even into the recent Tour de France documentary on Netflix.  

The brand identity has also evolved, with a clearer and more focused image that perfectly conveys the principles of MERIDA. I also think the employees play a part in the direction of new developments. Most people here are passionate about riding, and they bring this passion and their expertise to the table.

What kind of riding do you do, and what is your favourite bike to do it on?
I used to try every type of MERIDA bike. I rode a racing bike for a while, but now my riding is focused on the time I spend with my children. That's why I'm currently riding the eBIG.NINE, which is the ideal bike for me for both shorter and longer tours - with or without a child trailer. I'm introducing my two sons to bikes, and who knows, maybe we'll go on a gravel adventure together one day. I also hope to get back to trying out different types of bikes from our range more regularly, as it can really help with what we are doing in the marketing department, but that may be some time away!

Do you have any other interests besides cycling?
Yes, apart from cycling, I'm really interested in photography, hiking and nature. I can combine these hobbies on long walks through my local woods or on trips to the mountains.

Do these interests help you in your work for MERIDA?
Yes, definitely. Photography has been a direct part of my work as a graphic designer for several years now. I often find my inspiration in nature - be it on hikes in the mountains or in the local forests. These experiences give me new creative impulses and help me to develop fresh ideas for new projects.

Do you have any cycling tips or advice for other cyclists?
Sure, definitely buy or ride a MERIDA bike. :-)

Your work goes much further than focusing just on the German market, as you are involved in countless international projects. What has been your most enjoyable international MERIDA project.
A clear milestone in my work with MERIDA was the product launch of the new SILEX gravel bike in October 2023. I had the opportunity to oversee this launch from start to finish in terms of design, conceptualisation and photography. The launch event in Italy, where I was mainly responsible for the photographic reportage and photo shoots with journalists, was also particularly exciting. The crowning glory of this product launch was the victory of Matej Mohorič from Team Bahrain Victorious at the Gravel World Championship just a day or so before the launch, of course, on the then unreleased SILEX. You couldn’t have dreamt of a better market launch from a marketing perspective than this, it was a complete success for the entire MERIDA team. This was by far the coolest project I have ever been involved in.

For a young person interested in becoming a graphic designer, what advice would you give them?
My advice would be to focus on all aspects of the job. Graphic design is not only creative and conceptual, but also includes the realisation and final artwork necessary to successfully complete a project from A to Z. It is also important to always keep an eye on the feasibility of the ideas, to make sure you don’t blow the budget when you are only halfway through the project! A good design must not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also practical and economical.

If you had the choice for a little cycling adventure, where would you go and who would you like to take with you?
Well, I would take my wife and our two boys with me of course! It wouldn’t matter so much where we went, but more that we were all together and outdoors, embracing nature. 

Marc is clearly passionate and proud of his work for MERIDA at MCG. He loves the creative freedom he has, but also the opportunity to collaborate with his colleagues from other teams. He is always practical and a realist, rather than being a creative diva and loves the challenge of a project from conception to completion.

So, this wraps up our behind-the-scenes look at some of the team that make MCG the successful distributor it is. Watch this space for our next instalment, we will give you a clue: we're heading East across Europe.