Do you remember the beer maker days of yesterday where the desperation for our refreshment $$ ran so high they needed to exposed us to, two voluptuous young women with pounds of bouncing exposed cleavage who got in a “Catfight” that ended with wrestling in wet cement before falling into a sultry kiss?
I do. The advertisement fell under the “Miller Time” umbrella and was a Miller Brewing Co. embarrassment — a term I use advisedly — the cleavage, the clothes ripping and the wrestling match had significant fallout and beer makers around the globe were obliged to declare a moratorium on female objectification. And, sure enough, the cheesecake disappeared, briefly… As a marketing guy my first encountered with “Catfight,” made me doubly embarrassed — first that a mainstream company could be so cheap and vulgar with no real message, and secondly that I leered appreciatively at the TV babes.
Last week Harley-Davidson announced hiring of a communications heavyweight to run the company’s overall global, strategic communications initiatives. A former Kohl’s and Miller Brewing Co. marketing executive Susan Henderson (56) is now VP of corporate communications. Henderson most recently held the same position at Wm. Wrigley Jr…. the Spearmint gum guys. Henderson is replacing Kathleen Lawler, who is retiring. I found it odd that there is no Harley-Davidson press release announcing the hire of a Communications VP?
So how long do you think it will be before we see “Harley Time” ad’s which appeal to men aged 21 to 27, the prime beer-drinking market and same demographic that Harley is recruiting? Maybe it’s time to put a Harley “spin” on it and bring back the Old Milwaukee Swedish “Bikini Team“…one of the most contentious ads ever for a mainstream consumer product. Has everyone forgotten how angry women were about that commercial?
I’m thinking of an ad campaign around the love of riding while chewing gum because it tastes great and freshens your breath, but also has the additional benefits of keeping bugs out of your mouth and losing weight. Yeah I know… not nearly provocative enough is it? That’s why I’m not an ad guy.
Photo courtesy of Wrigley web site.
Northwest Harley Blog 
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