Zombies over the past decade have become a pop culture icon in America, and with Halloween coming up soon you can expect to see and hear about them. We normally think of them as the grotesque undead creatures from AMC's hit, The Walking Dead, or cult movie favorites such as Zombieland. Perhaps the most famous zombie of them all is Frankenstein, the original dead man brought back to life. Traditionally, we think of zombies as a person who has died and then come back to some form of life. Can the term zombie apply to something not human though? Since we consider corporations people in the eyes of the law, why not? There are many companies and brands that have died in bankcruptcy, only to be dug up and shocked back to life. Most of the time this happens when one company buys out a weak or dying company, and then revitalizes it. An example is Converse(now owned by Nike), and their Chuck Taylor Shoes. Another company near and dear to my own heart, is Indian Motorcycle(now owned by Polaris).
Indian Motorcycle's iconic logo
Indian Motorcycle was originally founded in 1901 in Springfield, MA; the city I grew up around. It continued to grow, competing closely with Harley Davidson for fifty years. In 1953, Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing ceased operations and all production. Since then its name has changed hands seven times, numerous companies have tried to restart it, and has even endured one bankruptcy filing. The company has died and been brought back to life more than once, but it wasn't until Polaris Industries bought it in 2011 that it started to really make a come back. Polaris's maturity, large assets, and Indian's legendary brand reputation are what made the comeback possible.
Polaris and all of its associated brands
Why bother bringing back a company that has not died once, but several times? Two words, "brand name." For motorcycle enthusists, Indian Motorcycle was the underdog brand for the rebel without a cause. It harkened back to a nostalgic era for motorcycle lovers; heavy bikes with powerhouse V-twin engines and made with all American steel. Two iconic American made bikes, the Harley Knucklehead and Indian Chief, captivated a generation of misfits and motorheads. American Picker's, a popular T.V. show on the History Channel, helped refresh the American public's love for Indian bikes recently, with both hosts displaying affection for the old brand. Indian Motorcycles once again launched a couple years after being acquired by Polaris, bringing back legends like the Chief and Scout models.
After more than fifty years of no production though, what changed? Almost nothing. Polaris wanted Indian to be as true to its original form as possible. The result? Indian Motorcycles has exploded back on to the market, even luring some Harley Davidson loyalists to take a step into the past and ride an Indian.
An Indian Motorcycle ad targeting motorcyclists
as Indian being the brand real bikers own
Given its simple design why didn't Polaris just build the bike itself, and sell it under its own name? It could have never competed against Harley Davidson alone. What Harley Davidson and Indian both had that Polaris never could, was brand equity when it came to motorcycles. The brand name, "Indian Motorcycle," adds a tremendous amount of value to the bike, beyond its simple mechanical abilities. It made what Polaris was trying to do legitimate to motorcyclists. By using the Indian brand and staying true to its original form, Polaris was able to offer its customers an exclusive ticket to own and ride a piece of Americana. It continues to market its Indian brand with the slogan, "Honoring our past. Powering our future." Polaris has a valuable brand under its control, but only time will tell if this brand of the past will be a motorcycle giant in the future.
One of Indian Motorcycle's, "Choice Is Coming to American Motorcycles," commercials:
Comments
Post a Comment