Top 10 Most Powerful Brands of 2015
#10 Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, one of America’s most beloved brands, fell from its 2014 #5 position to round out the Top 10 this year. The company has been working to move the customer experience needle with unexpected innovations like Project Livewire – a proof-of-concept electric motorcycle – and the introduction of smaller models. Nevertheless, Harley has been struggling in its largest market, the U.S., as motorcycle industry sales have remained flat. This, along with adverse events in 2014, took a toll. At the height of riding season last summer, the company issued a major recall of near-new motorcycles due to a front wheel locking problem – recalling 66,421 Touring and CVO Touring bikes. The recalls, along with increased competition from rivals and the aging of the company’s core baby-boomer customer base, are likely indicators of why Harley’s Familiarity and Favorability scores both decreased this year.
