Harley Davidson

Harley DavidsonThe Posse Ride A Consumer Field Study

Govind SridharHarshavardhan YHimanshu VermaShankar SumanShipali Jangra

Harley Davidson The H.O.G. CommunityHarley Davidson, a giant in motorcycle manufacturing, needs no introduction!Formed Harley Owners Group (HOG) on 1983To control the influence of outlaw bikers gangEnhance Harley Davidson lifestyle experienceFirst year free membership, initial applicants numbered to 33000.By 1999, numbers rose to half a millionOne third of HOG members participated in events organized by themWhat HOG does isFrom chapters, locally to international ones.Organise programs and benefits to subscribersHOG ralliesAll international and local chapters reflect local values and interest but retain the essential ethos of HOG organisation

The H.O.G. RalliesHarley Davidson, a giant in motorcycle manufacturing, needs no introduction!Formed Harley Owners Group (HOG) on 1983To control the influence of outlaw bikers gangEnhance Harley Davidson lifestyle experienceFirst year free membership, initial applicants numbered to 33000.By 1999, numbers rose to half a millionOne third of HOG members participated in events organized by themWhat HOG does isFrom chapters, locally to international ones.Organise programs and benefits to subscribersHOG ralliesAll international and local chapters reflect local values and interest but retain the essential ethos of HOG organisation

Rolling RalliesBegan with riders registration. Had passports and checkpoint concept.1996 Route 66 rolling rally covered the historic highway that connected the rest of America to the golden sands and Hollywood glitzFocus on riding as a major source of entertainmentFor route selection > 'the road less travelled' theme.. more a sense of adventurePOSSE I1997, HOG national rally was being held in Portland, Oregon, when hog leadership, Mike Keefe, Joe Dowd decided to ride coast to coast from Portland, Oregon to Portland, .Maineposse oath, tag along, few catch pointsPOSSE IIAugust 2000, Posse I success paved way for Posse II, this time border to border, South Padre, Texas to Canada.Wide range of people from all over the world.Case covers the impacts of the rallies that had on the brand building of Harley Davidson

Reasons for Harley Davidsons iconic statusExclusivityMore than just a make of motorcycleClyde Fesseler, Vice President of business development said iron horsesAl believes that Harley riding and participating in HOG is a life time experienceLifestyleLisa Landry says Its a mystique, a lifestyle opposed to a brandCultureAlan thinks of himself as Harley person, an unspoken cultural understanding

Building a brand into a cultural icon isnt easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. Harley Davidson is a brand that evolved into an icon organically over time in response to consumers interactions with the brand. Effective marketing supported that organic evolution.

Reasons for Harley Davidsons iconic statusA statement about who you areSocial facilitatorLisa believes Harley is a social facilitatorAppeals to individualityLoyal customersAmerican valuesAs Hammet said It almost sounds hokey, but its American. Makes you feel goodWhy hasnt Honda been able to achieve Harley Davidsons status?Customer experienceExclusivity of Harley, more than a motorcycleWhen you buy a Harley you are not buying just for the patented sound or the badass look, you are buying something that represents American Heritage and ingenuity.Focus - Honda produces all types of cars as well as all types of motorcycles unlike Harley-DavidsonNo Owners group in Honda like HOGFuels the passion of freedomThey have transformed the hobby of motorcycling into a lifestyle, replete with clubs, clothing, and a distinct "biker culture.

Brand CommunityBikers NeedBikers want to live the Harley Davidson BrandCommon interest and passion for bikingShare their feelings/experiences about the rideExclusivity fulfills the esteem needs

Benefits of long rides for ridersDiscovering landscapes exploring the big countrySocial facilitators new friends, better cultural understandingThrills & excitements challenging experienceSpontaneity factor enhanced experience due to uncertaintyMemorials (T-shirts, tattoos etc.) preserved for a lifetimeFreedom spirit away from the routine corporate lifedfgdf11Profile analysis of riders for Posse II Huge difference in the perceived value of HD as a brand between male and female as well as their views on Posse MaleAmerican Values/PatriotismSocial FacilitatorHD as a brand over HD as a lifestyleFemaleEmpowermentSense of communityHD as a lifestyle over HD as a branddfgdf12Building brand communityFormation of company-sponsored H.O.G.(Harley Owners Group)Enhance Harley-Davidson lifestyle experienceBring the company closer to customersNeutralize the negative influence of the outlaw biker gangsFree one-year membership with purchase of new bikeH.O.G. is supported on local, national, and international levelsH-D facilitated local organization in the form of Chapters

Membership includes-Subscription of the companys Hog Tales magazine Access to the Fly & Ride program(allowing members to rent H-Ds at 39 locations throughout the world)Rider benefits such as insurance, roadside assistance, rider-safety educationSupport of rallies that span throughout the year, around the globeSale of H-D accessories such as T-shirts, patches, pins, etc.Pre-ridePost-rideI would sign for another long distance HOG rally6.47If I were to replace my bike, I'd buy another Harley6.47No one but Harley could put on an event like this5.25.3I would recommend this ride to a friend5.76.5I feel a sense of kinship with other Harley owners66.3I have made lifelong friends because of Harley66.2My Harley says a lot about the kind of person I am5.45.5Harley really understands what riding is all about6.15.2I really understand what Harley's all about5.75.5I am satisfied with HOG5.75.1My Harley is an integral part of my daily life5.33.8Harley really cares about me as a customer5.14.8Harley really understands my needs4.84.2Rating is on a scale of 7Loyalty towards Harley has seen a rise because of the Posse rallyHowever, managing such a large-scale event is difficultSome participants were dissatisfied with the way it was organized-Days run could have been longerHotel parties could have been better co-ordinatedShortage of customized Posse rally Harley Davidson T-shirt

Building brand community- Result analysisObservational Techniques Field StudyCombines literature searches, experience surveys, and field observationsThe idea is to get a detailed, contextual view of the product and its usage in the real worldThe researchers try to go out in the field and interact with the users of the product or serviceThis process can explain behaviours in terms of the usage of the product customers can find usages of the product that were unintended

Observational Techniques Field StudyProsNo manipulation of the subjects of study or the environmentResearchers can gain insights in the natural environment in which the product is usedOften non-intrusive (as far as possible)Considered when laboratory experiments are impractical

ConsDifficult to distinguish the signal from the noiseHelps mainly to describe the usage of the product, insights from firms perspective will have to be derived separatelyInvolves only a limited sample sizePossibility of observer bias