Harley Davidson business case study analysis

Harley Davidson motorcycle company has marketed their products mainly to men, conveying a macho image for their burly big bikes. Doing so has earned the Harley Davisdon company a stellar reputation in the industry among its target demographic, and brand recognition remains high. A shift in the company's marketing and business plans during the 1980s led to the Harley Davidson image becoming a status symbol as well as a luxury item to differentiate their products from competitors' motorcycles. To further boost both sales and profits, and to solidify its market share, the Harley Davidson company is striving to appeal to the female demographic. Doing so will entail a new marketing mix and messages, based on a thorough examination of the target consumer group in terms of psychographics. The Harley Davidson sportster may hold the key to a successful marketing campaign: a product that can be clearly differentiated from more macho motorcycles while retaining the company's traditional masculine image.

Situation Analysis

Marketing objectives involve increasing female participation in Harley Davidson Owners Groups (HOGs) and positioning the Harley Davidson sportster with greater appeal to female consumers. Strategies include keeping female consumers in mind when packaging the Harley Davidson sportster. Researching core consumer values will help the Harley Davidson company design more effective marketing and advertising campaigns. In particular, psychographics data will be compiled, revealing specific psychological variables relevant to the female consumer group. Maslow's hierarchy of needs may be a helpful tool when investigating what motivates the female motorcycle-riding demographic. The Harley Davidson company can hold onto some of its traditional appeal as the motorcycle of choice for Americans who value independence and freedom, even while attracting more females into HOGs. Finally, the Harley Davidson company must discover ways of differentiating their sportster from competitor products that also target a female consumer group. Competitive considerations can maximize the already fully established image of the Harley Davidson as the motorcycle of choice of patriotic Americans, those who value traditional American freedoms. Doing so will inevitably entail capitalizing on the strong image of the Harley Davidson as a status symbol. Moreover, the sportster is functional in urban as well as suburban and rural environments and therefore geography may only slightly alter the marketing message, which will focus on universal American values such as freedom and strength. The SWOT analysis is as follows:

Strengths: Strong brand awareness, reputation, and familiarity with the Harley Davidson product line

Weaknesses: Harley Davidson also commands a macho image, which may isolate female consumers. Therefore, the sportster must be positioned so that it is differentiated from other Harley Davidson motorcycles while at the same time communicating the company's strong reputation for quality.

Opportunities: The Harley-Davidson company stands to gain a significant share of the market by appealing to female consumers, if it uses marketing research to craft a successful promotional campaign.

Threats: The main threat to a successful marketing campaign to attract female consumers come from competitors that already market to females, especially Japanese motorcycle manufacturers and the Italian company Vespa.

Creative Strategy

Communication objectives include promoting the Harley Davidson sportster as the motorcycle of choice for American females who appreciate the quality, status, performance, and history of the brand. The strategy includes positioning the brand as not just a macho motorcycle manufacturer but one that appeals to all freedom-loving Americans regardless of gender. The promise of the Harley Davidson company is to deliver top performance and prestige. Tone of the message emphasizes strength and independence. Taglines should be simple yet effective and gender neutral such as "Harley Davidson: Strength. Quality. Success."

Media Objectives, Strategies, Tactics, and Rationale

Target audience for the Harley Davidson sportster is professional females in their thirties. Media mix includes local radio talk shows but will focus on print advertisements in women's outdoors and sports magazines with possible advertising campaigns in some women's fashion magazines. The reach of the media campaign will be limited to women in the target demographic: females who can afford Harley Davidson quality and who are concerned with image. Geographical considerations are less important than income and lifestyle issues. Sales promotion and non-traditional media may include some specific Web-based advertisements but also special events at Harley Davidson showrooms and at consumer or trade conventions. So-called "garage parties," and HOG newsletters also appeal specifically to women.