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By the Staff of Clutch and Chrome
Contributions by Maria DeWeerdt, Harley Davidson Archivist
With help from the official Harley Davidson
archives, we look back at 103 years of advertising from days gone past by the American
Legend.
The name has become synonymous with the
motorcycle in so many ways. Like 'Xerox' is common slang for photocopying and 'Tivo'
has become the term for recording a television show, only Harley can commonly replace the word
'motorcycle'. The term is so
ingrained in society that when a rider mentions he or she owns a motorcycle the
first question asked is if it's a Harley.
It would be hard to find a
corner of the globe that doesn't know
the word 'Harley'.
This association has created a passion so
unique it runs from the diehard faithful who wouldn't
even sit on another brand of bike, to the rider who loves to hate the American
motorcycle company just because of who they are.
How did a company that famously built their
first few motorcycles in a shed in the backyard gain such widespread fame and
notoriety, all so easily uttered
from worldwide lips?
When Clutch and Chrome looked at the phenomenon
of Harley Davidson marketing it's image in
Branding to Success,
we found a variety of factors came together to create the many different
perceptions the motorcycle manufacturer has known. Some of these
perceptions were absolutely directed and created by the powers-that-be at Harley
Davidson, while others came about from random events in history and changes in
society. These are covered in more detail in Clutch and Chrome's
Outlaw Biker.
So let's look at the different images Harley Davidson
set about presenting to the public with it's print advertising. With the help of Maria DeWeerdt, official archivist for Harley
Davidson, Clutch and Chrome is going to take a trip down memory lane, blowing the
dust off those long lost advertisements and follow the company's different
directions
through the years.
Sign of the times
Riders and non-riders alike are familiar with ad
slogans such as "Turn on Your Own Thunder," and "Ride to Live--Live to Ride",
some of the other slogans Harley Davidson used in it's advertising may seem
strange to our 21st century ears.
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One 1932 ad published by the Fred J. Merlow dealership in
San Jose, Calif., illustrates this point perfectly: "Present This Ad and Receive
$5.00 Credit On the Purchase Of a New Or Used Motorcycle." While $5 may have
been an incentive in 1932, it seems comical today, as do many ads that used
words and phrases common to the times.
Incentives aside, even that long ago it soon became
apparent that Harley-Davidson motorcycles had a unique
emotional connection to the soul of its rider. What may
have started as an economic alternative to the motorcar
and a speedier conveyance than the bicycle soon took on a
wind-in-the-hair sense of freedom and exhilaration.
As with all
the older advertisements, not only was using artwork
over photographs a more
economical way to print, it was the style. Staying in
line with the mass printing technology of the time,
the ads tended to be few colors if any.
It's also important to note what kind
of society the invention of the humble motorcycle was
introduced too.
The simple and friendly ad of
'Always a trusted friend' from 1910 really shows this.
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Copyright Harley-Davidson
One of the earliest ads
we could find, 'Always a trusty friend' from
1910
Click to enlarge
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Copyright Harley-Davidson
Click to enlarge |
With the motorcycle
manufacturers of the time wanting to establish their
product as a viable alternative to the automobile, it's not surprising that an ad in 1912 ran the headline of 'The
motorcycle that is not that uncomfortable'. The ad
went onto
to compare the performance and handling to that of a
car!
What must have surely been the first piece of named
technology is featured in the advertisement with
William S Harley's specially designed seat called a 'Ful-Floteing
Seat' built to absorb the bumps from the rigid frame
and the rough roads
of the time.
A close up of the seat is even included.
A look at some of the ad copy that hit the headlines
for Harley-Davidson throughout the years makes you wonder
how the tough biker image ever managed to get started!
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- Here's the Sport Coat That's the 'Berries -
1921
clothing ad
- All Roads Lead to Joyland -
1923
- The Sport of a Thousand Joys -
1927
| An ad from 1927 gives a good idea
of the direction Harley was trying to take by showing
the motorcycle as a fun-filled alternative to the
automobile, implying two wheels could take you places a car couldn't.
Add a sidecar and it was an experience
that could be shared with that special someone in your
life. The marketing was a success with 'Get a kick
out of Life' first seeing print in 1925 and
the phrase becoming
popular by the time this ad saw print in 1927.
'Get a kick out of life'
across the top of the ad, the girl in obvious bliss
with her head thrown back, who wouldn't want to own a
Harley Davidson! |
Copyright Harley-Davidson
Click to enlarge |
Copyright Harley-Davidson |
The 1920's saw other interesting advertising
headlines which certainly made sense when they were
published. But when reading them in today's world not only do they sound
strange, even seem to have double meanings.
- Here's the Mount for a He-Man - 1927
- Smart - Chummy - Easy Riding-The 1928 Harley-Davidson Sidecar!
- 1928
By the 1930's Harley's expertise and reputation in
the racing world was growing. In some races, all of the winners,
as well as anyone who placed usually rode
a Harley Davidson.
The 1340cc engine had
appeared offering the rider of the time the most
powerful bike around and in 1936 the knucklehead was
introduced.
All these factors would come together and help Harley claim victory over their
main rival at the time, Indian motorcycles.
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ad from 1938
Copyright Harley-Davidson
Click to enlarge
Continued......
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