HARLEY DAVIDSON

Harley Davidson

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the role of branding in the success of Harley Davidson. It has critically evaluated the successful the marketing strategy adopted by Harley Davidson. The core product of the company is motorcycle. The Hailey Davidson brand is unique from all other motorcycles brands in terms of its promises, personality traits, influence, and customer loyally. The relationship marketing ethos offers much to consumer goods marketers. The marketplace is increasingly dynamic and competitive, and with so much choice for customers, companies face the end of loyalty. It was back in 1983 that Harley Davidson introduced their relationship marketing strategy, via the owners club (Harley Owners Group — HOG). Immense commitment with the customer has been a successful factor for Harley Davidson. Loyalty has played a vital role in realizing the success of Harley Davidson.

Table of Contents

Introduction4

Discussion4

Relationship Marketing5

Niche Marketing7

Components of Success8

Commitment10

Loyalty10

Conclusion11

References12



Harley Davidson

Introduction

Harley Davidson is an iconic brand. The company was founded in the early 1900s and the brand has survived World Wars, the Great Depression, and the rise of both foreign and domestic competition. While the core product of the company is a motorcycle, the Hailey Davidson brand is unique from all other motorcycles brands in terms of its promises, personality traits, influence, and customer loyally (Halinen, 2002, 140).

Discussion

Harley Davidson sells more than motorcycles. In his book, The Brand Who Cried Wolf, Scott Deming quotes a top Harley executive as saying; we sell a 43 year old accountant the ability to dress in leather, drive down a street in a small town, and make everybody afraid of him.

Harley Davidson sells an affiliation with a lifestyle of self-expression, adventure, freedom and perhaps even rebellion. People who are drawn to thy promises and pwsonah1y of the Harley brand purchase more than a motor bike.

The logo can be found on a wide variety of merchandise, including watches, knives, blankets, pillows, pool tables, and coffee mugs. Some customers are so loyal that they have a Harley Davison logo tattoo. Imagine permanently making the body with the logo of a company. Brand influence does not get much stronger than that.

Relationship Marketing

The relationship marketing ethos offers much to consumer goods marketers. The marketplace is increasingly dynamic and competitive, and with so much choice for customers, companies face the end of loyalty. Moreover, in such an environment core product and service offerings are becoming more similar and customers are happy to switch suppliers at the slightest provocation. Thus, the economics of customer retention suggested that, unless loyalty can be recreated, marketing costs could soar while marketing successes could dwindle (Palmatier, 2008, 75).

Marketers, then, see immense opportunities in taking relational principles and applying them in large consumer markets. Rather than competing on economies of scale as had been the norm, organizations could leverage these relationships and compete on economies of scope, and resources would be directed to the areas that provided most value for customers. By building upon the data-based techniques discussed, RM could access information about each customer that was 'complete, ...