Harley Davidson: A brand community

1. Do you believe brand communities like Harley-Davidson result in greater involvement with the brand?

I do. I think that Harley-Davidson has successfully oriented their brand with a lifestyle, a broader sense of ideals and mindset. The effect snowballs when their ad campaigns, after defining their following, begins to focus on including non-typical Harley drivers like in this advert (right). They use the #StereotypicalHarley to show that they are not only a community of hardcore bikers, but of tech-savvy individuals who are free thinkers and free spirits.

2. What elements of the Posse Ride do you believe enhance the meaning of the brand for the riders?
I think one of the most interesting things about Harley is that they target the disenfranchised and provide them with an event that not only lets them network, connect and socialize with similar people (linked by the purchase of a bike) but it also lets them celebrate their disenfranchised status. The public complains about the noise and Harley riders use Posse Ride to go out and make noise. They revel in the community and chaos that it the noise brings, it is their brand and it says look at us.

3. Should Harley-Davidson get more involved in the ride or would that dilute the ride's meaning to the participants? I think getting more involved is a game of diminishing returns. It is better to organize and delegate the running of events through local and international clubs. If you use social networking to connect riders with local groups you still get out your brand message out without need for too much hands-on interaction and organizational expenses.

4. In addition to experiences such as the Posse Ride, what other ways could Harley increase involvement in the brand? I think if Harley developed a ranking system that logged years and/or events attended and awarded them with special patches for their cut, as well as giving them special ranking in their Posse Ride local clubs would be a way to award longtime loyal riders.