Harley's new motorcycle ad -'Screw it. Lets ride.'
The Staff of Clutch and Chrome
May 3rd 2008
Recently,
Harley-Davidson's unique sense of motorcycle advertising
humor landed them in trouble with local officials in
Quebec, Canada. Now the
Milwaukee motorcycle manufacturer takes its advertising to the
raw edge changing out its very familiar slogans to 'Screw
it, Lets ride'.
Whether a
corporate answer to the analysts who have ridden
Harley-Davidson hard over predictions, productions and the
weakening U.S. economy or speaking for their riders facing a
media onslaught of bad, recession-based news, the American
motorcycle company is running a national newspaper and
magazine advertising campaign called
"We Don't Do Fear".
"Over the
last 105 years in the saddle, we've seen wars, conflicts,
depression, recession, resistance and revolution," reads the
ad, which shows a helmeted rider on a Harley chopper
silhouetted against what appears to be the red and white
stripes of a slightly tattered American flag.
The ad
encourages readers to visit a
website, which runs the ad
in flash animation.
Harley-Davidson's new ad encourages visitors to make their
own 'I don't do fear' rally cry.
Click to visit the website.
Image copyright and courtesy of Harley-Davidson.
"We've
watched a thousand hand-wringing pundits disappear in our
rear-view mirror. But every time this country has come out
stronger than before. Chrome and asphalt has always put
distance between you and whatever the world can throw at
you..... If 105 years have proved one thing, it's that fear
sucks and it doesn't last long. So screw it, let's ride."
At the end of the animation the ad encourages visitors to
compose their own similar style statement. The finished
version can be uploaded to allow others to read yours as
well as read what else has been written. At the time of
reporting, there were 54 statements on 'the wall'.
Harley-Davidson has also shipped thousands of bandannas
bearing the "Screw it, Let's Ride" motto to its dealers to
give away for free. Visitors to the website are able to find
the nearest dealership with the free bandanas with a zipcode
search on the advertisements page. |
