Harley dumps ad agency
- Thread starter CraigRegs
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Hard to say from that little bit of (non) info. Could be cost cutting as buying ads as needed from the best bidder; maybe other agencies would have "fresh" ideas, or maybe there is some "bad blood"...
They need Darrin from "Bewitched"...
exskibum
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Wow! Those must be the folks behind the wildly successful "Lifestyle" campaign that has been the motor company image and route to the big bucks since avoiding bankruptcy a couple or three decades ago.
Just guessing at this point, but maybe Harley wanted to cut back the compensation, or wasn't paying its bills? Seems unusual that the ad agency would initiate this when they seem to have the Harley market and appeal dialed, with lots of material apparently still available to continue making lifestyle ads.
Or maybe Harley is going to turn their back on their main market and develop world beating engine and chassis technology for the younger sport bike crowd?
Just guessing at this point, but maybe Harley wanted to cut back the compensation, or wasn't paying its bills? Seems unusual that the ad agency would initiate this when they seem to have the Harley market and appeal dialed, with lots of material apparently still available to continue making lifestyle ads.
Or maybe Harley is going to turn their back on their main market and develop world beating engine and chassis technology for the younger sport bike crowd?
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SacramentoMike
Not Safe For Work
Don't know anything about whatever's behind this story, but if it moves H-D advertising off the "Harley Guy Lifestyle" image they've been appealing to, it can't be ALL bad, can it?
zip
Well-known member
It's a fascinating world, advertising. Guessing this firm pulled a
with Harley Davidson. H-D is languishing, and perhaps the agency doesn't want to be affiliated with a dying brand, or one so stuck with a single product line that it won't be salvaged?
"You need to decide what kind of company you want to be. Comfortable and dead, or risky and rich?"
"Out, out! Get your things and get out of my office. Now!"
with Harley Davidson. H-D is languishing, and perhaps the agency doesn't want to be affiliated with a dying brand, or one so stuck with a single product line that it won't be salvaged?
"You need to decide what kind of company you want to be. Comfortable and dead, or risky and rich?"
"Out, out! Get your things and get out of my office. Now!"
Auburn
Well-known member
Agreed, but I still wouldn't buy one of those over priced, under performing turds.
Crash Cash
Well-known member
I guess it's telling that I can't even remember when was the last time I saw a Harley ad? Maybe I'm just not reading the "right" magazines?
marcusorelius
Well-known member
Just saw a new tv comercial today, they were pushing for women to buy.
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
Buy for themselves?
Or buy for their "man" so they can ride behind a stud?
[SIZE=8pt]Shyeah...roight...like I can see a real woman pumping up her "stud" with a new HD. Right Barb, Tyler, MEM, Jill, et al?!?!?![/SIZE]
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Actually, Harley has been one of the biggest makers to focus women riders, the largest growing section of the market. I give them kudos for recognizing that fact but do still wish they would include ATGATT type marketing as well... but then again, I think it's Icon that ran an ad with two women looking like they were gonna go for each other in their brand name leather jackets unzipped to the navel... yeah, that's exactly what I look like when I ride.
Looks like they're already trying some new ideas - look at who they're trying to sell to at the Indy MotoGP race:
ionbeam
2 FUN
Zip read the article correctly, the ad agency quit Harley. "Carmichael Lynch announced Monday it has resigned as agency of record for Harley-Davidson Inc." Perhaps Carmichael owned stock in Buell, perhaps Carmichael doesn't want to be on board when Titanic Harley begins a new advertising year.
"We’ve taken the Harley-Davidson brand as far as we can,” said Doug Spong, president of Carmichael Lynch, in a statement. “It’s in our best interest to part ways.” This is business babble for we can't come to an agreement on what needs to happen next, usually a deep business philosophical rift that can't be bridged. Perhaps Harley wants Carmichael to make them successful without doing anything themselves to make Harley successful. I'm pretty sure this is part of a bundle of things such as Harley saying they are going to move operations out of Milwaukee. What Harley needs is for some really good company that understands motorcycles to buy them, say a company like AMF... :lol:
"We’ve taken the Harley-Davidson brand as far as we can,” said Doug Spong, president of Carmichael Lynch, in a statement. “It’s in our best interest to part ways.” This is business babble for we can't come to an agreement on what needs to happen next, usually a deep business philosophical rift that can't be bridged. Perhaps Harley wants Carmichael to make them successful without doing anything themselves to make Harley successful. I'm pretty sure this is part of a bundle of things such as Harley saying they are going to move operations out of Milwaukee. What Harley needs is for some really good company that understands motorcycles to buy them, say a company like AMF...
:lol:
CraigRegs
Well-known member
HD seems to have lost their focus, what w/ the purchase, then unloading of MV Agusta, their open acknowledgement that they need to pursue younger customers, then shutting down Buell, the management/union squabbles in Milwaukee, and now the gut-punch from the recession. Carmichael Lynch likely has an insider's view of the chaos and has decided to get out before they get thrown under the bus."We’ve taken the Harley-Davidson brand as far as we can,” said Doug Spong, president of Carmichael Lynch, in a statement. “It’s in our best interest to part ways.” This is business babble for we can't come to an agreement on what needs to happen next, usually a deep business philosophical rift that can't be bridged. Perhaps Harley wants Carmichael to make them successful without doing anything themselves to make Harley successful. I'm pretty sure this is part of a bundle of things such as Harley saying they are going to move operations out of Milwaukee. What Harley needs is for some really good company that understands motorcycles to buy them, say a company like AMF...
Craig
NMRoadRunner
A Bulls work is never done!
It looks to me that The agengy dumped HD, not the other way around. Selling HD's to "short haired women" wasn't thier cup of tea I guess.
wheatonFJR
...
Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
Willie
Well-known member
Tyler you got it right!!...while I am not an expert, it seems HD is the only ones really paying attention to the women segment. You can see it in the color schemes, the bikes will fit a shorter person (sure wish the ST manufacturers would pay attention to this) and looking at Honda's new introductions being the 700 and the VFR and the prices, HD will be priced competitively. Now you women have a tendency to be more sensible (in some things) than the Testosterone species, so maybe we will see more attention to ATGATT or moving closer to it. For instance, I hardly ever see a woman riding without a helmet out east here.Actually, Harley has been one of the biggest makers to focus women riders, the largest growing section of the market. I give them kudos for recognizing that fact but do still wish they would include ATGATT type marketing as well... but then again, I think it's Icon that ran an ad with two women looking like they were gonna go for each other in their brand name leather jackets unzipped to the navel... yeah, that's exactly what I look like when I ride.
Willie
Crash Cash
Well-known member
Hm. This sounds like a really good point. I remember when they did the VR1000, and Kevin Cameron talked about how "no matter how much they tried to argue, the laws of physics wouldn't change for Harley" and about how they wouldn't listen to anybody's experience on how to make a bike go fast.
Sounds like more of the same.
El Toro
Innocent Bystander
I was in our local H-D dealership this morning. I was waiting on someone else and so I started browsing the famed H-D line of clothing and accessories. I had been told by my friend that the H-D clothing and accessories were much better quality than anything else on the market.
Every single (EVERY SINGLE) item I picked up had a "made in China" label.
H-D lives by promoting the idea that we should buy American.... Yet when they buy stuff for resale themselves, they go to China.
In their hay day they were strong enough to drive the direction of the clothing manufacturers. It appears that they did just that. Right to China. None of their stuff is low cost. Make it in China and ship it to the US ... cost per piece $15. Distribute it to dealer network and sell it to US Flag waving customers ... cost per piece to the customers $200. Pretty good margin.
Pretty phony agenda. Maybe what goes around will come around.
Every single (EVERY SINGLE) item I picked up had a "made in China" label.
H-D lives by promoting the idea that we should buy American.... Yet when they buy stuff for resale themselves, they go to China.
In their hay day they were strong enough to drive the direction of the clothing manufacturers. It appears that they did just that. Right to China. None of their stuff is low cost. Make it in China and ship it to the US ... cost per piece $15. Distribute it to dealer network and sell it to US Flag waving customers ... cost per piece to the customers $200. Pretty good margin.
Pretty phony agenda. Maybe what goes around will come around.
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