Comments on: Branding Nirvana: A Cult Following

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:36:50 +0000

My son and some friends just returned from the huge “Roar to the Shore” Harley gathering in South Jersey. He was blown away. I’ll probably put a follow-up post on the Stickyfigure blog, with pix.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:24:23 +0000

Henry, if you don’t mind, what were these things you learned and was the bike a Harley?

By: Henry

Henry — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:28:52 +0000

there are somethings I simply didnt understand about life until I owned & rode my motorcycle. Then, life became very clear & transparent.

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:29:07 +0000

@neil: I always have far more comfortable with leather hiking boots than leather jackets. Probably always will!

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:52:57 +0000

By the way, while I am not a motorcycle rider myself I am impressed by the Harley brand and its incredible following. I see big groups of them out on the road and, these days, they really do seem like a mix of people.
I would expect a quick poll of some riders would find a dentist, an accountant, a retiree, and an iron worker. Though they still have that tough image thing going with all the leather so I won’t do this poll any time soon, especially at a bar.
The last thing I need is to get my ass kicked by a dentist, an accountant, a retiree, and an iron worker.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:30:41 +0000

BTW, Steve, I do not know your age exactly but I *guarantee* you CAN get back into base camp shape.
So instead of thinking about chrome, get out running, pumping iron, bicyling, running, and hiking.
Start right now by getting down and cranking out push ups until failure a few sets. That is your hazing back into the tree hugger cult.

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:49:50 +0000

If you are a fellow tree hugger, which you clearly are from your description, then why would you speak pejoratively of our cult? And it is fantastic there are indoor environmentalists. Come one, come all. Even John McCain counts himself a Teddy Roosevelt Republican.
Second, even cowboys drink lattes these days. The drink used to be used in pejorative descriptions of “yuppies” and “eastern liberal elites.” Now, you can find a latte at Duncan Donuts and wherever. Does this cult you speak of really ride over to DD in a Prius (car pooling, of course) to pick up some lattes?
My last point is are Prius drivers really somehow the opposite of authentic (you used them to contrast with authentic Harley riders)? I’d say, even if it is a brand cult around the Prius, the cult is doing more to end our dependence on oil from noxious dictators than most other brand cults.
BTW, your post was excellent on the Harley brand cult. I am not meaning to attack you but I have to defend my tribe of tree hugging environmentalists.

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:23:29 +0000

@gavin – Thanks for the international perspective. Good to see that the brand has translated to other areas!
@becky – doesn’t it make a whole lot of sense to continue to target your existing advocates? Best use of marketing dollars ever.
@katie – thanks for mentioning that!
@neil – as you well understand, there are “indoor” environmentalists (my over-simplified example) and there are the rugged types. I spent many days hiking (in younger/stronger days), despising the encroachment of too much civilization. I still longingly wish I could have done the entire Appalachian trail (sometimes I still think I could work my way back up to “base camp” shape!)

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:21:55 +0000

What is this tree huggers/latte cult? The hugging and the drink are not connected…
How about you come out in the wilderness with me for a week or climb a mountain that takes two days to summit? I will show you tough.
And yes there are brands we tree huggers love, too, and they generally are very high quality. If our gear fails, not unlike a motorcycle, we could die easily.
I will meet you at the base camp my friend.

By: Katie Harris

Katie Harris — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:02:45 +0000

Great post!
You might find John Grant’s discussion on this of interest too: (see Brand Innovation Manifesto). Another interesting point of view on the Harley Owners group within the context of lifestyle ideas (p. 13) and clans (p. 175).
Coincidentally, I just blogged about his book last night!

By: Becky Carroll

Becky Carroll — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:44:41 +0000

It is more than just a great product that makes Harley Davidson customers so loyal. It is the people. One of my first blog posts (ever!) was about the way that Harley Davidson puts a big chunk of their marketing spend back into marketing to EXISTING customers, rather than new customers (http://tinyurl.com/5uvkox). They then use that money to spend time with their customers, learning what makes them the way they are.
And that is a big part of what makes it all work.
Rock on, Steve!

By: Gavin Heaton

Gavin Heaton — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:53:09 +0000

The interesting thing is that this “on the edge”/outsider positioning translates very well globally. You can see it in Australia, Europe and Asia. It speaks to our sense of non-conformity and yet allows us to recognise the other non-conformists easily. Great stuff!

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:43:40 +0000

@sandra – you’re my favorite reader. Even if I don’t have a tattoo of you on my arm…
@jay – it is true that Harley simply lets their customers “run with the brand” (or ride with it). It’s a cool example of creating the score, but letting the worshipers make the music.
@Alan – interestingly enough, my friend tells me that the mechanics of a Harley are very old-school, and often not so reliable. But the sound and the feeling that come from it are the real essence – that’s where the superiority lies.
@Raymond “…a brand by which they actually base much of their lives” – very insightful phrase. I need to chew on that one.

By: Raymond Santopietro

Raymond Santopietro — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:21:18 +0000

Steve,
You are absolutely right! The Harley cult provides a unique ability to drive directly into the souls of the target audience, speaking to them through a brand by which they actually base much of their lives. It is arguable that there is no other brand on the planet that has such penetration.
We at Virgen Advertising in Las Vegas have recently been granted a challenge in this context, to “create a cult within a cult” as we move forward with an all-inclusive strategy to boost brand awareness within a unique local community for an agressively expanding Harley-Davidson dealership. Red Rock Harley-Davidson chose Virgen for our unique ability to strategically combine advertising methods and potentially expand their local customer base beyond the obvious “Harley cult members” and into entirely new demographics through brand combinations, positioning, influencing and lifestyle events. If anyone would like to follow our progress, you can email me at rsantopietro@virgenad.com and we will keep you informed. It should be a wild ride!

By: Alan Wolk

Alan Wolk — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:52:16 +0000

First off, welcome to the DF family Steve.
Second– I suspect that the secret sauce for any of these brands with cult-like followings (I call them “Prom King Brands”) is that they make a superior product. There’s only so much marketing can do with a product that doesn’t live up to the hype. And while brands like Harley and Apple and Whole Foods and Virgin aren’t perfect, they represent a real sea change from what’s come before and their fans appreciate that.
As you note, they’ve reached “Brand Nirvana”

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:09:32 +0000

Steve,
I am a huge fan of Harley. In fact, my wife often calls me Harley. And I don’t even own a bike. Great brand, great product and great understanding of their customers.

By: Jay Ehret

Jay Ehret — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:10:21 +0000

Spot on illustration of brand nirvana, Steve. Harley Davidson is one of those rare companies that has found the balance between allowing customers a measure of control while maintaining brand integrity.
Glad to see you made it out of the temple intact (without spending $20k)

By: Sandra Woodruff

Sandra Woodruff — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:41:46 +0000

Love it!