Tamara Littleton,
CEO,
eModeration
Harley Davidson
It’s no surprise that Harley-Davidson does better in the SMR index than it does in the Interbrand list. Harley-Davidson is a great example of a brand that inspires real passion among its fans, and that’s what leads to word of mouth – which is what positive social media is really all about. It’s arguably one of the world’s most iconic and aspirational brands. Everyone knows a Harley.
Harley owners have a real sense of community (through the Harley Owners Group – or H.O.G.) so translating this to the online world is a natural progression. Its Facebook presence lets fans get news as it breaks and they respond in the comments section, as well as uploading photos and videos. It seems to focus more on letting fans talk to each other in the comments section than in engaging with them – but maybe the beauty of a brand like that is that it doesn’t really need to do much more than this on Facebook. It’s pretty engaged and conversational on Twitter. But it seems to be more interested in pulling fans into its own community on harley-davidson.com, where they can get exclusive content, create and share ride routes and share experiences.
Whether a Harley is ridden by an old school biker or a 50-something going through a mid-life crisis, it has for its fans what many brands aspire to but few attain: a gut association with adventure, spirit and the possibilities of the open road.
NMA Opinion
Harley doesn’t shout about what it does online, but it doesn’t really need to. The brand knows that its customers aren’t just fans, they live and breathe the biking lifestyle. Launched in the middle of last year, Harley’s Free Country website leverages this, with a tongue-in-cheek tagline and allowing people to express their love of 'living free'. This is a targeted, message-perfect campaign from the legacy brand, and shows true understanding of just what its fans want from it.
