Harley Owners Group
The Harley Owners Group is a sponsored community marketing club, operated by Harley-Davidson for enthusiasts of that brand's motorcycles. The HOG is "the grandaddy of all community-building efforts," serving to promote not just a consumer product, but a lifestyle. The HOG has also served to open new revenue streams for the company, with the production of tie-in merchandise offered to club members, numbering over one million strong, making it the largest factory-sponsored riding club in the world. The Harley-Davidson community was the prototype for the ethnographic term subculture of consumption, defined as "a distinctive subgroup of society that self-selects on the basis of a shared commitment to a particular product class, brand, or consumption activity."
The Harley Owners Group was created in 1983 as a way to build longer-lasting and stronger relationships with Harley-Davidson's customers, by making ties between the company, its employees, and consumers. HOG members typically spend 30% more than other Harley owners, on such items as clothing and Harley-Davidson-sponsored events. Much of the intent of this branding effort is presenting Harley-Davidson as an American icon, with the focus on authenticity and pride in being American-made. All of this is credited with turning flagging sales around, and allowing the Harley-Davidson company to grow again.
The name HOG comes from the word used to describe Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It is also Harley's corporate stock ticker symbol.
Organization
There are two categories of Harley Owners Group member: full members and associate members. To become a full member there is only one prerequisite: the candidate must own a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Candidates who don't meet this criterion can become associate members by enrolling under a full typically this will be a family member and/or passenger who rides along with a full member. Membership benefits include free admission to the Harley-Davidson Museum, favorable insurance rates, motorcycle shipping, mileage and member year recognition, rallies and events, and camaraderie.Once a motorcycle owner is a member at the national level, he or she is then eligible to join one or as many local chapters as he or she wishes. It isn't required to join a local H.O.G. Chapter.
Each Harley-Davidson dealership has the opportunity to sponsor a local HOG Chapter. Some do not, but no chapters exist without a link to a sponsoring dealership and one Chapter per Dealership. Chapters, both in the US and internationally are supported by Harley-Davidson employees based in Milwaukee, WI, with Regional H.O.G. Managers throughout the United States and H.O.G. Chapter Managers at the dealership level.
In some circumstances, where a sponsoring dealership closes, a chapter can continue without a sponsoring dealer. In about 2014, this was expanded to two Chapters per dealership.
Chapters usually, but not always, elect officers from within their membership, produce a newsletter, and organize events throughout the year. Most events are ride-related. HOG Chapters are managed by volunteers. Some chapters collect dues from members to subsidize the costs of events and the administrative costs of running the chapter.