Harley-Davidson

1. Yes, I definitely believe that brand communities like Harley-Davidson result in greater involvement with the brand. Not only do they sell motorcycles, but they also are creating relationships within those who enjoy using the motorcycle. The consumers are no longer JUST consumers, but are now connected to the brand. Once you build relationships and get people involved by bringing them together, the chances that they move on to another brand are very slim. This can happen with many other products. I find this happening on social media, specifically Twitter. Different nail polish brands will retweet users and even start a conversation with the different users that "follow" them. They will also ask users to help them name a certain color or decide on a prize for them to give away. By doing this, they are making the users feel as if they are part of their family and part of the production process.

2. I think the Posse Ride was created to bring people together, which enhances the meaning of the brand for the riders. Bringing people together will ensure a sense of community, especially if they are doing the things they enjoy and love doing. During the Posse Ride, the article states that riders entertain each other about the adventures that they've taken with their motorcycle. Not only has Harley-Davidson brought people together, but they've also built friendships among those who ride. Harley-Davidson will then be known as a family, and family always stick together. 

3. As a person who is unfamiliar with Harley-Davidson, I have heard a lot about them. If you were to ask me to name a motorcycle brand, Harley-Davidson is the only one I know. With that said, I do not think that Harley-Davidson should get more involved in the ride. Many people are already enjoying them for who they are and what they produce. As we learned in class, the Harley-Davidson brand represents freedom. By getting more involved in the ride, the meaning of freedom will be lost. If Harley-Davidson's brand of freedom is working for them, there is no need to introduce another competing theme.

4. I think something fun that could increase involvement in the brand, if it's legal, is to hold motorcycle races. A lot of people enjoy competition, especially in something they enjoy doing. Their incentive to race could be something that Harley-Davidson gives away as a first place prize, perhaps even a motorcycle. They could have pop polls on their Facebook page asking viewers of the race who they think will win. By doing this, people who don't even own a motorcycle can get involved. Many products have become reliant on social media to spread their brand. For Harley-Davidson, I don't think getting involved with social media would be a bad idea. It would give them a bigger consumer market.