Living by your own rules. Soaring down an open road, probably in a desert. Embracing your visceral humanity in a world of automatons.
Picture a Harley-Davidson ad in your mind, and you're likely to conjure up those images. For that, you (or at least the brand's marketers) likely have Carmichael Lynch to thank. The agency worked the Harley account for 31 years before resigning in 2010, noting "we’ve taken the Harley-Davidson brand as far as we can."
Looking back on that relationship, I always think of the print ad headline "Somewhere on an airplane a man is trying to rip open a small bag of peanuts":
The chopper brand has cycled through a few agencies (sorry, pun police, I had to) in the decade since, consolidating its media and creative with IPG's Team Ignite in 2016. Then, this time last year, the iconic motorcycle maker entrusted its creative with Droga5, whose mission was to introduce Harley-Davidson to new audiences.
This week we got our first look at the results of that new partnership, and while the first two spots are certainly open to interpretation, they definitely deserve points for taking the brand's storytelling in a new direction.
"Breathe" essentially uses eerie copy in the vein of Radiohead's "Fitter Happier" to highlight all the shackles of modern mobile/digital life, positioning Harley as one of the few remaining methods of escape. "Magic Hour" leans far more into surreal, dreamlike images conveying the transformative experience of a ride.
Check out both the new spots and let me know what you think at the email below—or find me on Twitter at @Griner.
I've also added in a few of my other favorite creative tidbits from the week below, in case you missed any goodies.
Your day-after Valentine,
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
[email protected]
