An undefined, large group of people or community, crowdsourcing. This term has been causing some head pounding in traditional marketing agencies. The latest ad agency to feel the pain of this model of advertising is Carmichael Lynch who had represented Harley-Davidson for 31 years. One of the new kids on the block creating ripples in the pond is Victors & Spoils, the agency has been named the main creative shop for Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Victors & Spoils is the world’s first creative (ad) agency built on crowdsourcing principles. Their goal is to provide businesses with creative solutions to their marketing, advertising and product-design problems, by engaging the world’s most talented creatives.
Back in September John Winsor, CEO of Victor & Spoils, wrote on his blog
"Mark-Hans, It looks like you’ve been busy. We noticed that your relationship ended with Carmichael Lynch after 31 years. Sounds tough. We also heard that you’re not going to put the account up for review. Sounds smart. AOR relationships tend to be expensive and can lack the kind of flexibility that it takes to succeed in today’s rapidly changing culture. Anyway, it all got us thinking. We love the Harley-Davidson brand (just like most everyone). And we’ve talked to a bunch of our creatives and strategists (I dare say some of the best in the world) in our 1,800-strong creative department, and H-D was also at the top of the list of the brands they most loved. So, instead of going through the typical steps of credential decks and pitches, we thought we’d try something different. We’re getting to work."
From twitter: Mark-Hans replied "@VictorsnSpoils John, while we definitely don’t need a new 20th century agency, your approach is worth a look so go for it. ^MHR"
Flash forward to Novemeber...
We now have a creativity model that starts with the customer-generated results from Victors & Spoils and concepts chosen by Harley-Davidson.
Mark-Hans Richer says: "The Harley-Davidson brand has always represented the individuals who aren't afraid to go against the grain. Today, we're excited to announce that we're building a new road to ride. This is a bold approach, and while this might intimidate some marketers, we're proud to be living our brand not just through what we do, but how we do it."
A bold move for a company adjusting to an ever changing market, what other exciting changes can we expect from Harley Davidson?
