Harley-Davidson Ride On Ad

hd-ride-onThe US is not the only country with economic difficulties. Almost all European consumers are also obliged to reassess their spending priorities.

Like Harley-Davidson did it here in the US from 2008 to 2011, the company is developing european campaigns positioning its motorcycles as the ultimate escaping tools. Unique Selling Proposition (USP): only our motorcycles can help you ride through the storm…

This ad just started to run this month in the UK.  Advice to the art director and copy writer. Don’t write all your text in caps. More difficult to read…

Advertising Agency: Big Communications, London.

UK
 Creative Director: Billy Mawhinney

Art Director: Ashika Chauhan

Copywriter: Gareth Hopkins

20 Responses to “Harley-Davidson Ride On Ad”


  1. 1 Rodent Feb 26th, 2013 at 9:15 am

    Bet they won’t run exact same ad in the USA!

  2. 2 BrotherT Feb 26th, 2013 at 9:59 am

    @ Rodent.

    I hope they do.

  3. 3 Matt Feb 26th, 2013 at 9:59 am

    Rodent: Definitely not without a much bigger logo, a Harley, and a model in leathers. =)

  4. 4 Rob Campbell Feb 26th, 2013 at 10:00 am

    That is hard to read, art-wise.

    Somehow I keyed in on the part about the middle finger, though. Don’t they flip off differently in Europe? Isn’t it two fingers? No idea as I’m a poorly traveled provicial small town American.

  5. 5 Dave Blevins Feb 26th, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Too wordy to be effective on clothing or outdoor advertising, but maybe OK for print media.

  6. 6 BobS Feb 26th, 2013 at 10:21 am

    I really like the message, there’s a lot of truth to economics mostly just reflects our attitude. If more people would just turn off 24 hr biased news and go live life, economies would turn around a lot quicker. I can’t help but wonder if all the sensitive posters who were offended at Victory’s ad that included vulgarities will also chime in regarding their dissatisfaction with Harley’s…

  7. 7 BrotherT Feb 26th, 2013 at 10:59 am

    It reminds me of “Print our Obituary Where the Sun Don’t Shine” campaign of a few years ago.

    Love it.

  8. 8 domino Feb 26th, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    This somewhat grabbed me… pulled me in… held my attention…
    Effective advertising, well done.

    ad·ver·tis·ing
    [ad-ver-tahy-zing]

    noun
    1.
    the act or practice of calling public attention to one’s product, service, need, etc., especially by paid announcements in newspapers and magazines, over radio or television, on billboards, etc.

  9. 9 bigitch Feb 26th, 2013 at 1:13 pm

    needed a postscript:

    “don’t listen to music when you work!”

  10. 10 Steve The Producer Johann Feb 26th, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Just a longer version of Screw It, Let’s Ride.

    I find nothing creative here at all. i wonder how much they paid the agency to create this mind numbing slogan packed ad? Oh I get it, it was the first draft of the Screw it, let’s ride campaign before they shortened it.

  11. 11 GuitarSlinger Feb 26th, 2013 at 11:32 pm

    Interesting ! Not good mind you but interesting . Over written . Overly long . A bit tedious to read to say the least . Far from quality prose . Visually it wouldn’t catch my attention . Methinks this ones a two thumbs down to the marketing department ;

    Advertising 101 Rule #1 – Keep it simple stupid !

  12. 12 courtney Feb 27th, 2013 at 1:15 am

    Middle finger aside (not to mention unnecessary…) just ride. Yeah, I like that: just ride.

    In the meantime, as per the economy, I sure hope “WE GOT THIS.” Otherwise, I may be on a bike alright — peddling back and forth to Good effing Will.

  13. 13 Sportster Mike Feb 27th, 2013 at 3:32 am

    Yes, its two fingers in England not the middle one, don’t quite get the ad as its American words but for English people? doesn’t quite work and no mention of the euro crisis….if your’e going to have a crisis I’d mention that one. ie Europe’s going to shit but lets go for a ride…

  14. 14 Motormark Feb 27th, 2013 at 7:30 am

    I like it. We DO pay too much attention to the media. It drives us to act, promotes herd mentality. Turning off the news is fine, turning up the music, good, going for a ride, best. And I do like the all caps. Grabs attention. Looks like a warning label. Even though it breaks graphic design rules, as does the white type on black layout. Narrow column helps.

  15. 15 highrpm Feb 27th, 2013 at 7:51 am

    bs is still bs. they–the wall streeters, of which h-d is–will tell us–the renters, scrappers–anything to get us to spend our nickels. we’re [wage] slaves, no matter what we ride or wear. and they are happy as long as we keep buying from them.

  16. 16 Will Feb 27th, 2013 at 7:55 am

    It draws you in …. then keeps you waiting way too long for the pay off. But hey, we’re all talking about it so maybe it’s doing it’s job?

  17. 17 Calif Phil Feb 27th, 2013 at 8:08 am

    I could do without the crass language. I would rather see a positive message.

  18. 18 Kroeter Feb 27th, 2013 at 10:33 am

    One giant cliche’, but I suppose they love that American-independence stuff overseas. I’d think the marketing department can come up with something more original than that.

  19. 19 Mack Feb 27th, 2013 at 11:03 am

    I think it sucks
    K

  20. 20 Blackmax Feb 27th, 2013 at 6:16 pm

    Right On BobS ….
    All the comments on the Victory ads & this is the same damn thing.
    Calif Phil is right, lose the vulgarity !!!!

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Cyril Huze