Harley's new ad

[KD57]

That ad is similar to lots of others:
Boat flying across the water w/ no life jacket on the operator or the bikini clad girl w/ him, promoting unsafe boating...
Cars flying around corners showing the tach redlining, thus promoting speeding and reckless driving....
Dirt bikes flying over Toyota trucks...
etc...etc...

[HAMMERPETE]

Originally Posted by diamond_jim

Well he does have a point. Ads can subconsciously make you think of things or activities that may not necessarily be healthy for you. For instance, this motorcycle ad disturbs me because it encourages sun bathing which, as we have learned, can be detrimental to your health in that it can significantly increase your risks of skin cancer. Being an advocate of healthy skin, I am offended by this ad. I feel the model should be properly clothed and apply an adequate amount of sunscreen.

You know, I think I might just write this advertiser and complain. Yes, I will do that. I can't believe they actually allow this kind of stuff. It is just a travesty to know that our morals have sunken so low that proper skin care is relegated to a level of complete unimportance.

Hmmm... well, I might just be over reacting.... What do you all think? Do you all have a problem with this ad?



Wilstrick, I love you, man!

Sorry i am to busy typing with one hand....did someone say something about sun block?

[diamond_jim]

But let's be honest. Isn't pretty much all advertisement that is directed more so to the male population often laden with bad boy images and sexual innuendos?

Look, here's the TV commercial that advertisers wish they could make:

(Reader's notice- if you are under 18 or are an adult that is easily offended by common language conveying a sexual image then do not read further.)

The first camera shot is of the face of this very sexy woman. Then the camera slowly pans down to reveal her voluptuous nude "upper torso". It then continues to pan down to her nude lower body and you see her laying down and in a very exposed, very provocative position. Then at the bottom of the screen it simply says, "Drink Coke".

Now I don't know exactly what the message is that Coke is trying to send, but you can bet that Coke is gonna be on my shopping list. I'll be drinking Coke until my teeth and insides rot out.. More Coke, more Coke...

[Clint]

I find that ad childish and utterly ineffective. What's the point?

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

I find that ad childish and utterly ineffective. What's the point?

It is exaggerative satire to illustrate a point. Innuendos, whether sexual in nature or designed to elude to more "manliness" are what we see in advertising today. Hence, the Harley parked in front of the saloon is more effective than a girl scout troop sitting around a Harley and practicing their rope knots.

Sorry to offend you Rowdy.

[Clint]

Never said I was offended. No need to be condescending.

If she was in riding gear (or sexy pseudo-gear), fine. But a bikini? It's just pandering.

[IntruderCruiser]

Like others have said -- The Harley ad is no worse than showing a car hot rodding through town doing spin outs or other stupid stuff --

[Clint]

Yeah, but they all have that tiny, illegible disclaimer at the bottom.

[POE-BOY SAMICH]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

If she was in riding gear (or sexy pseudo-gear), fine. But a bikini? It's just pandering.

PANDERING?

I don't disagree with you, and I approve of your word PANDERING.
But, can't the same be said for many of todays popular advertising campaigns, most well-rated prime-time shows, and nearly all of today's pop-culture icons.

There's no getting away from it if you exist amongst the public in any fashion.
It hardly even need be mentioned that an add is "pandering" any more. It's far more noteworthy when an ad appeals to our intellect.

[palanon]

Sex sells, plain and simple.

You'll probably never see the morning after results of a bad case of " Beer Goggles " in a Budweiser campaign. Only the brainless hotties fawning over the guys during the " Big Game ".

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Never said I was offended. No need to be condescending.

If she was in riding gear (or sexy pseudo-gear), fine. But a bikini? It's just pandering.

Call it pandering or whatever. It works. I'm guessing they'd never put a bikini clad model on or near a bike, or put a bike in front of a saloon if it didn't help the advertisers convey the message they were trying to convey to the target audience they were trying to target.

An absolute non-audience targeted ad would be the product only and against a solid white background. As soon as another visual element is added, be it a beach scene, snowy mountains, a bikini clad model or even a family picnic, you are then communicating something in addition to the product and attaching it to the product. So advertisers add visual elements that are effective for their specific target audience. What you feel is ineffective and childish is probably something not targeted towards you but instead a different group of consumers.

I just know that I'm drinking more Coke!

[Clint]

Originally Posted by POE-BOY SAMICH

PANDERING?

I don't disagree with you, and I approve of your word PANDERING.
But, can't the same be said for many of todays popular advertising campaigns, most well-rated prime-time shows, and nearly all of today's pop-culture icons.

Yup. Which is why I don't watch much television. Or pay attention to what's popular.

[omegajim]

Me, I liked the metric bike ad from a few years back (maybe Honda) where the bike was zipping through some kind of course w/out mirrors.

If you saw what the professional stunt driver was doing, you'd understand that mirrors would've just hit the ground. The bike was leaning that far.

Complete with small disclaimer "professional driver, closed course, do not attempt."

Like that' going to stop anybody.

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by omegajim

If you saw what the professional stunt driver was doing, you'd understand that mirrors would've just hit the ground. The bike was leaning that far.

Dang! I'm trying to imagine how far a bike would have to be leaned so that the mirrors would hit the ground but the rider not lose it.

[palanon]

Originally Posted by diamond_jim

Dang! I'm trying to imagine how far a bike would have to be leaned so that the mirrors would hit the ground but the rider not lose it.

Depending on the bike and rider, it's not hard to picture. If you look at some of the pictures of some of our fellow members like 87gsxrnut, Tab B. and Wookie, it's not hard to see what would happen to their mirrors on the track.

LOL !! I can hear it now...

'nut - " I was doing fine until that tight right hander. Then, for some reason, my mirror dug in instead of folding and I lost the front end. "

[diamond_jim]

Here's a different kind of leaning.

Hey, better watch out for that lamp post just on the inside of the next turn!

[diamond_jim]

Oops... almost took us too far off topic. We were talking about how sex sells and the importance of good skin care. That was a close call. Saved in the nick of time.

[omegajim]

You saved ourselves from ourselves?

Which reminds me of the old Budweiser poster, you know, the one with the three girls in swimsuits lying on top of a budweiser blanket and their swimsuits also say budweiser.

Still didn't make me drink Budweiser; I may not have high standards, but damnit, I still have standards nonetheless.

[diamond_jim]

Originally Posted by omegajim

You saved ourselves from ourselves?

Which reminds me of the old Budweiser poster, you know, the one with the three girls in swimsuits lying on top of a budweiser blanket and their swimsuits also say budweiser.

Still didn't make me drink Budweiser; I may not have high standards, but damnit, I still have standards nonetheless.

I wish I had a Budweiser right now. Gotta add Budweiser to my shopping list now.

[omegajim]

Yous sophisticated people from 'bama. Nothing but class.