How Harley-Davidson Drives Mobile Marketing, Facebook†

Brandweek, April 29, 2009 — For decades, Harley-Davidson has been singled out as one of the strongest brand names—in an exclusive circle of cult brands including Apple and Mini. But how does the marketing arm of the Milwaukee, Wis.-based manufacturer drive sales leads into its 650 independent U.S. dealerships? And how has the brand parlayed its audience’s rare offline devotion into an interactive marketing success story?

Harley, You’re Not Getting Any Younger

New York Times, March 22, 2009 — SPUCK BENNETT’S dealership just outside Ocean City, Md., is cluttered with 65 shiny Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including the chrome Sportster and the sleek V-Rod. Last year, Mr. Bennett, 79, sold 200 bikes, down from 280 the year before. This year, sales have slowed to a crawl.

How Apple, Others Have Cultivated Religious Followings†

Nine Components That Powerfully Engaging Brands Share With Religion

Advertising Age, December 8, 2008 — Having spent years talking with brand fans — from obsessed Harley-Davidson riders to devoted Guinness drinkers to young Hello Kitty admirers (one of whom owns more than 12,000 pieces of Hello Kitty merchandise) — I've been struck by the power brands have over their followers. But can the apparent parallels between brands and religion possibly hold up? Have some brands actually managed to create their own religions by, coincidentally or deliberately, adopting triggers and tactics from the world of religion?

Creativity Has to Be a CMO's Core Competency†

Harley-Davidson's Top Marketer on How Not to Strangle Ideas and, in Turn, Business Resu

Advertising Age, September 8, 2008 — So, I shot my mouth off at a Spencer Stuart CMO conference recently, wondering aloud why CMOs did not select "creativity" as a core competency for the successful CMO ("As If You Didn't Know By Now, It's About the Bottom Line for CMOs,". And as sometimes happens when spouting, Ad Age called me on it and asked me to back up my view. What I will do here is explain, but also expand on my view that creativity (without quotations needed) is as much a core skill set for a successful CMO as a results orientation. In fact, it may be the key differentiator between business success and failure.

Bikers Hog Web As Harley Video Ads Go Live From Sturgis

MediaPost Publications, August 8, 2007 — A LARGE PORTION OF THE avid motorcycle community--some 450,000 strong--is in the Black Hills of South Dakota this week attending the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Thousands of other bikers and fans who couldn't make the rally in person are flocking online for unprecedented live video coverage--via Harley-Davidson banner ads and a downloadable Google Gadget.

This marks the first time a Google Gadget has included live video, while the display ads arguably represent the greatest use ever of live video in a banner ad--offering 10 hours of coverage each day.

Harley Woos Female Bikers

Women are buying more motorcycles than ever, and Harley-Davidson is going after that market with a vengeance.

New York Times, July 25, 2007 — At a recent convention of Harley-Davidson dealers here, Delia Passi, a marketing consultant, was sharing the finer points of selling to women with her audience of about 150, many of whom wore boots, jeans and tattoos. One wore a T-shirt that read, “Born to Party, Forced to Work.”

Companies Extend Brand Names

MSN, January 25, 2007 — Today Show profiles the proliferation of brand extensions

Harley Just Keeps On Cruisin'

Aging customers? Sure. Nostalgia brand? Definitely. So why is its stock at a record high?

BusinessWeek, November 6, 2006 — For years, doomsayers have been predicting that a demographic time bomb would blow up Harley-Davidson Inc. (HOG ). The median age of a Harley buyer has leapt from 35 in 1987 to nearly 47 today. Whatever youthful countercultural mystique Harley may have once enjoyed, it is now a middle-aged nostalgia brand.

thirty years in hog heaven

BusinessWeek, March 21, 2006 — Harley-Davidson's outgoing CEO reflects on how the brand and motorcycling's image have evolved and the need to keep "a little bit of the edge"