Harley Davidson: Respect Yourself
“Harley Davidson: Respect.”
Allow me to summarize what you just saw in case you went into shock and are experiencing temporary amnesia. A guy rolls up on his Harley to what I guess you would call a house. Inside, his hotter, younger girlfriend/possible sex slave is hooking up with some way cuter guy who doesn’t look like he hates Jews. The couple hears the older guy come in, so the girl makes her boytoy hide in the closet. The guy doesn’t say anything, and he gets on her, and they probably do it. Except then we see a wedding photo, and it’s the girl with the guy we thought was the boyfriend—because surprise! The guy hiding in the closet is actually her husband, and the guy she’s currently hooking up with, the one who is all silent and rapey, is the boyfriend. The husband hides in the closet, because he’s afraid of the boyfriend, who is tougher looking and older (maybe it’s his dad?) The older guy can strike fear into the hearts of husbands, because he drives a Harley Davidson—as the ad says at the end, “Harley Davidson Motor Cycles: Respect.”
Advertisers do not often promise their product will offer you respect. Usually they talk about how you’ll feel like your true self, young, fresh, and not like you’re wearing a diaper. So why did they choose respect? And can someone tell me how I can work in an Aretha Franklin joke right now?
Ads appeal to something we want but don’t have. This ad tells us that potential Harley-Davidson consumers don’t feel they get the respect they deserve. How very Rodney Dangerfield of them. If you have this motorcycle, people will finally—finally—respect you.
Looking at the demographics of Harley Davidson buyers, it’s easy to understand why advertisers would want to appeal to this sense of I Get No Respect. In 2007, 2006, and 2005, 88% of the people buying Harleys were men, and the majority were over 45. It’s not hard to imagine guys a little past their prime feeling insecure and like they need some more respect around here. It is also worth noting that the Buell Riders Adventure Group, which, along with the Harley Owners Group, has over 900,000 members, is known simply as BRAG. Maybe because the people in it want something to brag about. Because they have nothing to brag about. Which would make them want more respect.
Harley Davidson offers a lot in the way of community. BRAG and HOG have tons of members, and group rides are a popular and important part of owning a Harley Davidson. Their popularity implies that these consumers were previously lacking in community—if they already felt part of a group, they wouldn’t feel the need to join this one. Also, if you own a motorcycle, you probably do not live in a city. You might feel disconnected from stuff, since you are farther away from the things that bring people together, such as other people.
Ruth Crowley, former Vice President of Harley Davidson, said, “Harley-Davidson is a person in disguise. Harley-Davidson appeals to you as an individual, appeals to your need for escape and adventure.” Escape from what? Maybe escape from your life in which you get no respect. You’re a person in disguise—normally, you lead an alienated, isolated life in which you get no respect. But the real, inner, you is this cool guy. Harley Davidson lets you escape from the frustrating reality of your life and Get Some Respect. Now if only your wife would respect you a little more and stop sleeping around, all would be well in this world.
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Harley is currently threatening to move production out of Milwaukee. It’s probably just a threat to the unions in order to coerce more wage and bebefit concessions- but if H-D carries through, they might as well just make the damn things in Japan.
[...] Harley Davidson: Respect Yourself – Sophie Pollitt-Cohen – Dangerous Ads – True/Sl… [...]
The problem here is that the author can only see men as impostors, like, they can not possibly have any due respect. The same thing is the reason why people want to brag about things they have and are proud with. It’s not as if they waant to have something they don’t have, they only want to stop hiding things they have and just be proud of them. Easy.
[...] Harley Davidson: Respect Yourself – Sophie Pollitt-Cohen – Dangerous Ads – True/Sl… [...]
Wow. Thanks, Sophie. I had not seen this ad.
Being from Milwaukee, I tend to be aware of the Harley subculture – the essential need of the Harley rider for attention, and their contradictory craving of approval while carefully cultivating an image of being an ‘outlaw’. I would expect this as to resonate well with H-D owners.
In the 60s and even the 70s & 80s, the outlaw image might have held true.
These days, bankers and dentists are riding Harleys. While the latter certainly deserves some respect for choosing an honorable profession, when you get hordes of mild-mannered, even effeminate, men – those who get manicures and fifty dollar haircuts and use bath oils as opposed to soap – it’s fairly obvious that they’re just a bunch of pussies trying to pick up some sort of pre-packaged image to meld into their own personalities.
In response to another comment. See in context »Are you implying that all Harley riders aren’t sexually potent bad asses? But… their bikes are so shiny and loud, surely you’re mistaken!