Posted on 05/04/2008 4:29:56 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Forget inflation, the economy, your unpaid bills, that pink slip in your locker.
An edgy new Harley-Davidson ad campaign reflects on today's difficult times, finishing with the tag line, "So screw it, let's ride."
The campaign, launched this week with a full-page ad in USA Today, also reminds people that the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker and the nation in general have endured plenty of pain - and not just lately.
"Over the last 105 years in the saddle, we've seen wars, conflicts, depression, recession, resistance and revolutions," the ad says. "We've watched a thousand hand-wringing pundits disappear in our rear-view mirror. But every time, this country has come out stronger than before. Because chrome and asphalt put distance between you and whatever the world can throw at you."
Harley sales in the U.S. fell nearly 13% in the most recent fiscal quarter as consumers felt economic jitters and closed their checkbooks. Caught in a troubled economy, the maker of Fat Boy and Softail motorcycles said last month it was cutting 730 jobs, including hundreds at its Milwaukee headquarters and Wisconsin factories.
The job cuts are the deepest that Harley has made since at least the 1980s. While taking them seriously, the company also is moving ahead with marketing that reminds people that tough times don't last forever.
"If 105 years have proved one thing, it's that fear sucks and it doesn't last long," the ad says. "So screw it, let's ride."
The new campaign hits home for longtime Harley rider Ben Berlin, who has been using motorcycles to get away from it all for 60 years.
"A ride is something that mellows you out. Your troubles are still there, but you sort of forget them for a while," said Berlin, 82, of Mequon.
The ad campaign has a good message, said Berlin, who describes his rides as therapeutic.
Negating doomsayers
The campaign attempts to negate some of the doomsayers, said Mark-Hans Richer, Harley senior vice president and chief marketing officer.
"We felt that we had a unique ability, and maybe even a responsibility," to counter some of the dark mood out there, Richer said. "And we felt there was some value in saying something that many of our riders were thinking."
Besides USA Today, the "We don't do fear" ad will appear in Sports Illustrated, Military Times, NASCAR Scene and other publications.
The phrase "So screw it, let's ride," might be offensive to some people. But it fits Harley's rebel image.
"I think it's a very clever ad campaign," said Dennis Garrett, an associate professor of marketing at Marquette University.
"It's also very opportunistic in that it's trying to take advantage of the tension that a lot of folks are feeling now," Garrett added.
The ads might not convince non-motorcyclists to buy a bike. But it could boost morale among the Harley faithful, according to advertising executives not involved in the campaign.
With 105 years of practice, Harley has become very good at knowing its target audience, said Kevin Brandt, creative strategist at Core Creative Inc., a Milwaukee advertising and public relations firm.
"They have a great way of capturing the mind-set of their audience and speaking directly to them," Brandt said. "With brands like Harley, that are firmly entrenched in people's lives, there's an emotional connection that other companies don't share. Harley riders feel that connection and want an interactive relationship with the company, other than just riding the bike."
Interactive site
The campaign has an interactive Web site, Harley-Davidson.com/screwit. Soon, riders will be able to share their personal testimonies on the site, which will include dots on a map showing where they're from.
The tone of the campaign is uniquely Harley, Garrett said.
"You could mask the identity of the company on this ad, show it to people, and 100% of them would still know it's them," he said.
Berlin has bought a new motorcycle, trading in his previous bike, nearly every year for the past 15 years.
He has owned Harleys since the mid-1940s when he learned to ride while in the U.S. Army. Not long after that, he worked as a test rider for the motorcycle company - practically a dream job for someone passionate about bikes.
Berlin spent most of his career in automotive sales, hardly a stress-free environment.
"I have been through quite a few recessions, believe me," he said. "It crossed my mind, very slightly once, to sell the bike. Then I just put that thought right out of my head."
We need a much better means of using cell phones while riding.
I have seen the police helmets with the big ball sponge shield mic but it is not practical, a full face bug shield defeats the purpose of riding. (and yes I know there are riders out there who are appalled at the notion of riding and talking on the cell but I promise not to call them on my way to my destination)
Ehh?
I guess that depends on your purpose for riding.
I ride to save money and for enjoyment. I wouldn't enjoy it near as much if I didn't have that full face shield to keep the bugs out of my face.
It's not a full face helmet, it's a 3/4 with a full face shield.
And I have tried the bluetooth compatible devices. They work just fine, hardly any wind noise at all if you have a full face or a full shield.
If you want to do it without something blocking the wind, you better get a condensor mike to clip on to your throat.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.