For a company that has been around since the dawn of time Harley has been most successful in what’s called “licensed lifestyle” items. You’ve seen all the pet products, footwear, jewelry, under garments, furniture, Burger King toys, and other companion products which promote or extend to items that people use as a badge of identifying themselves with the Harley brand. Some might argue that Harley could win the “Motorcycle Whore Award” for the brand that has most “sold out” and sticks their logo on about anything. Remember the Harley-Davidson cake-decorating kit made available in baking stores and on web sites? It was licensed by Bakery Crafts.
I’ve written previously about Harley’s brand promise and their movie product placements. They have had a number of successes, but that cake-decorating kit was bad, illogical and a case of product dissonance between the companies core identity and how to reach untapped markets. It diluted the brand.
But we live in an age of relentless co-branding so, what should Harley do? I suggest they leverage the success of the TV show Son’s of Anarchy and launch a co-branded SAMCRO Edition Motorcycle. Make it a limited edition “Reaper Crew” model specializing in the club paint theme and graphics. This embraces the free spirited and rebellious associations of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club while nurturing family relationships that maintain a loyal motorcycle community. A core identity for Harley. As a bonus they could throw in a DVD set of Season #1, a wallet cheat sheet of the biker language and club terminology, a unique skull-head key FOB and maybe even a t-shirt! We’ll talk about SAMCRO cologne later!
There is precedence (Clapton/Fender, Jordan/Nike, BMW/007) for a product and “sell-lebrity” co-branding and the key to any brand extension is make sure it connects with what people love most about the brand.
A SAMCRO Edition motorcycle might be just the ticket. What do you think? Would you consider buying a SAMCRO Edition motorcycle from Harley-Davidson?
Photos courtesy of FX Networks and Bakery Crafts web site.
Northwest Harley Blog 
LOL
I personally think the idea of a Harley SAMCRO Limited Edition Motorcycle is absolutely retarded.
First, I don’t know if the SOA is a real club or not, but I would never buy one of these bikes.
Who in the fuck would ride a bike with another club’s colors used as a theme for the bike?
Sure as fuck not me…
The only retards that would buy & ride these outrageous bikes would be rubs & wannabes.
Fuckin’ stupid shit.
Leave it to a dumb ass wannabe to come up with an idea like that. LOL
@ Bones – Why the hostility? I agree it would be a silly branding trick, but we’ve seen american manufactures do much dumber things along these lines and the public has bought it up.
SOA is not a real club…it’s a TV show, but reports indicate FX is selling a lot of SOA branded products ranging from t-shirts to water bottle holders!
If you or I had the initial idea we’d be cashing checks rather than responding to dumb ass comments! LOL
Yea the club is made for TV ( Biker Soap Opera). I have to agree with Bones. Hell I fly rags and I can’t believe HD ( wait yes I can) is dumb enough to even think about doing this let alone do it. HD bitches about the 1% image and they distance themselves from it and now they could turn around and exploit it, talk about two faced. All that will happen is we will have a bunch of Weekend Warrior Wannabe Rubbie Posers running around trying to act like little mr Billy Badasses and causing more shit for the ones who actually live this life ( oh I forgot they already do).. If all HD is concerned about is the all mighty dollar ( which it seems they have since the 80s ) then let them go for it and let the wannaberubbieposer types rule what they do, If they do actually care about the ones that have backed the HD brand for years they should think long hard before doing it.
Tramp
Why the hostility?
No hostility here. That’s just the way I am.
I just speak the truth as I see it without all the perfume and lace to dress it up
HD doesn’t need to worry about people that have supported the brand for years. Those people will always ride HD because they can’t admit to themselves that better bikes exist. All HD needs to do is find the latest marketing gimmick to suck in first time buyers. Given that, I would not be surprised to see a SAMRCO LE Harley.
TRAMP!!
I agree with you 100% could not have said it better myself!!!
I wonder just how much thought FX has put into the branding of this show. I mean, have they considered the repercussions of someone wearing an SOA backpatch or T Shirt?
The “Clubs” take it very seriously when a new patch shows up in their area. I know from personal experience and I wasn’t even wearing a club patch but the prospects who saw me didn’t know any different and made a major scene.
Not going to go into details of the outcome but lets just say I can wear my badge without interference now.
Do you have any idea what happens to people who “represent” themselves as club members? e.g. you find a tattoo artist dumb enough to put the winged skull of a certain club on your skin without proof you are a member, the club finds out and they remove those colours for you!
Yes we all know SOA is a made up club but it would be a good idea to keep the merchandising off the streets in my books, could cause a shedload of grief and then they get sued by someone on the receiving end of some real clubs reaction.
I agree whole heartedly with gunner about the patch thing… My boyfriend was riding off some old road wearing his vest and someone must have mistaken it for colours because they ran him off the road with their big ass truck…. 16 stitches and 3rd degree brush burns later and we still haven’t found out why they did it.
Simply great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since SAMCRO is a fictatious criminal organisation, I highly doubt that HD would like to see their brand with such an organisation (TV made or not). In comparison, it would be like the American Robot Corporation creating a model named ‘The Decepticon’ :).
I have an idea, why wait for HD to build the bike memorializing SAMCRO? Why not build it yourself, oops, that is what our club is doing already.
Your Welcome
Col. Montgomery
Knytes Of Anarchy, MCC
Idaho Chapter
NWHOG Editor: This dude is faux as $3 bill. I’ve deleted URL references to his web site.
Col. Montgomery, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I agree there are folks who are taking advantage and leveraging SOA. I went to look at your site, but it’s invite only so I can’t see the work your org has put into the MCC. It’s an interesting direction none the less.
Cheers, -mac
mac,
Try the link below for “Colonel” Montgomery’s crap.
http://samcronewz.blogspot.com/
Just some info for anyone reading this comment: “Colonel” montgomery never spent a day in the military. He also never spent a day as a Knytes of Anarchy member. He is a fraud and his real name is Patrick Montgomery and he currently lives in Idaho. He goes by the online name of “ayrewolf”. Google his real name or his online name and you’ll know what I am talking about. If you don’t believe me, follow the link below and it takes you to his main blogspot page. He has close to 40 blog pages all describing him as someone doing different things. Some of his blogs are invite only (noone actually reads them) but many will paint the picture I’m talking about. Fact of the matter is, that he is on SSI and is delusional. Sorry for pointing this out, but you all should know.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/10540689616887336335
anon6
mac, you’re welcome for the info. The guy is loons and his latest entry on his fake samcro blog proves it. Sorry for taking up space on this blog…I’m out
mac,
I know I said I was out, but I just had to add this. This is his myspace html.
http://blogs.myspace.com/ayrewolf
You should read his latest entry about the death of a couple of bikers. If it is true about the riders, I am truly sorry.
But he is associating yours, and other clubs, with himself and it makes me sick.
Just for your info, he has been kicked off military.com for impersonating a marine and he was also kicked off zimbio (a blogspot site) for the same and making threats–which none of us take seriously.
Sorry again for taking space on your blog, but this guy needs to be called out again.
P.S. I post comments on a local site from blogspot.com along with many others about his antics. If you or anyone else who is as disgusted with his posing as I am, you can read them at “www.mtnhm.blogspot.com.” We have been keeping an eye on him for quite a while.
Sincerely,
anon6
Speaking of SAMCRO, what’s the latest opinion of this season so far? I like the angle of the SOA getting outmanuvered by another faction and burned but you know they are gonna hit back hard in the end.
Even though SAMCRO is a fictitious MC, doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have the rights to advertise with merchandise. Hell, I went to Disney many years ago, and I bought a Binford Tools mug. (You know from the fictitious show Home improvements, Fictitious show, Tool Time.) It’s all about people who like a good show, showing their support and having fun with it. I do agree that H.D. would never go for this, as they don’t want to relate themselves with outlaws. But as for people who are in 1% M.C.’s even giving a rat’s ass about other bikers RUBS or not wearing any merchandise that says SAMCRO on it…. Get a fucking clue. It’s a T.V. show. Who cares! Get over it!
this samcro crap is a fucking joke, i was just at the reno gun show and saw some g.r.u.b. wearing a support samcro patch, and then saw about 4 patches, these wannabes are a joke and going to get there asses beat if they step wrong
bigben,
Although I think people trying to look like they are from SAMCRO are kind of stupid; See above. Get a clue. It’s a T.V. Show. Grow the fuck up. Get a life and worry about something that really matters. You gonna threaten people for wearing an Easy Riders T-Shirt? It’s the same damn thing. It’s a fictitious show about bikers with people wearing shit they think is cool from a show they think is cool. I guess I don’t see the problem. You know, not everyone who rides wants to be a 1%er. That’s why it’s 1%. I don’t give a rats ass about what other people wear. Wear a fucking pink tu-tu on your bike for all I care.
Adding to this “what-to-wear” debate:
The Marlon Brando estate signed off on a new project with Triumph Motorcycles to debut Brando-related apparel at the company’s dealerships.
The Triumph Legends Line will now offer replica leather jackets inspired by the movie character in The Wild One. The replica includes key features of Brando’s original jacket right down to the embroidered ‘Johnny’ name tag and the BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) distressed print on the back of the jacket. They are also developing Brando print men’s and ladies’ T-shirts. Brando played a tough biker gang leader Johnny Strabler and rode a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird 6T.
See: http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/brando-lands-bike-deal_1122255
[…] of this will likely add to the “what-to-wear” debate and whether you’ll get beat down for imitating or wearing so-called “colors” of a motorcycle […]
ITS A TV SHOW, GET OVER IT AND TAKE IT EASY ON THE TOUGHGUY TALK BECAUSE NOBODY GIVES A SHIT!!
SOA and FX are way ahead of you keyboard commandos. Illusion Motorsports in OC has been commissioned to build a custom SOA-themed bike for auctioning at a charity. It’s done, it’s awesome, and this discussion is OVER…put the bong down and step away from the PC.
im shakin in my boots all u big scary bikers wantin to beat people up cause they wanna wear a fictional t shirt or the like, ur only bullys, an ride a bike cause u think ur hard,im gonna wear one an i hope u try an bully me ur a bunch of pricks who need to wise up its not real, but ur one brain cell cant tell the differance,real bikers ride for the luv of the bike an the ridin of that bike not to intimadate people,if u want some bring it on shitheads. big al,east belfast northern ireland.