Harley Davidson and Politics

harley davidson tank, american flag motorcycle — Beautiful paint job!

Who said motorcycles and politics don’t mix?

All over social media I kept coming across the hashtag #unitedweroll. Why would Harley Davidson push a hashtag and a meme that seems political? If you don’t know why, you have been asleep behind your handlebars.

Say what you want in support of President Donald J. Trump, but we are experiencing times of uncertainty and chaos. That is not an idea belonging to any one political party, it is a reality. And while some may love the fact that President Trump is a “disruptor,” that also means he is disrupting the status quo which was his promise and what the voting public wanted, but for every action, there is a reaction. I have seen it and experienced it myself with my practice along with every other business owner I have spoken to, and guess who else; Harley Davidson.

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In an interview in July of 2016 with The Street, Harley Davidson CEO Matt Levatich, made a valid point. Harley Davidson does business in 90 different countries and if the image of the United States is tarnished, then so is their brand. Levatich was critical of both parties at the time, but did state that the Republican party “seem to be leading the crazy parade.” Levatich went on to say-

The real message here is that the world pays attention to the United States of America. They are watching us, probably more so than most American citizens, and they are watching more carefully.

I don’t know for sure, but I bet they are worried because of this circus mentality and this total lack of smart policy and leadership.

And that is damaging to the American brand. And it’s damaging to the health and well-being of American companies who are trying to do business such as Harley-Davidson. We are in 90-plus countries worldwide and our brand identity is connected strongly to the ideals of America – and when the ideals of America seem to no longer be our ideals anymore, it can’t help things.

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In response, Harley Davidson is promoting #unitedweroll. They are offering free stickers for those that visit their dealers and if you visit their website- www.h-d.com, the first image you see is below.