In the very days of Lovemarks, one of the first brands we identified as Lovemarks was Harley-Davidson. It was by studying the DNA of amazing brands like Harley-Davidson that we developed our ideas about what a Lovemark needed to be. Harley turned out to be a Lovemarks archetype. I have always admired the personal intensity that blasts from every pore of a Harley rider. I sometimes contrast Harley-Davidson with Suzuki. One produces an excellent product and riding experience; the other is Harley-Davidson. In in a general downturn on purchases like boats and recreational vehicles, it’s good to see Harley holding its own. They may get squeezed but they have what I call love in the bank to get them through. That’s another sign of a Lovemark. Sales may go down but you stay ahead of the competition. But Harley people are not ones to be happy with treading water. They are making big attacking plays while many others drop into defence. Their new line “So screw it, let’s ride” has attitude to burn. From the Company that brought us the great line “Throw the map in the trash and ride”, who’d expect anything less? Coming up fast though is the push to expect much more. Pride of place in a new sustainable world. It may sound counter-intuitive but I believe that hogs can do it. The new dynamic is to not just do less harm to the environment, to our communities, but to do active good for them. We’re talking the far edges of innovation with materials that absorb pollution, filtrate water and processes that oxygenate purify raw materials. Harley always goes for attitude so now is the time to pick up that amazing optimism and confidence and to make something great happen. When you have so much Love at your back I am convinced that if came to it, and the last drop of oil was needed elsewhere, Harley owners could nourish their spirits by spending time with their machines polishing their beloved ones to a mirror finish.
