Photo: David Bull
Not long ago we ran a story on a cute Vespa-inspired camera which looked really trick and fashionable and which might have made an interesting appearance in Vespa dealerships. The design cues of the camera were fluid and boasted a very strong coherence with the looks of the iconic scooter, making it a really sweet accessory for a Vespa fan. Too bad we cannot say the same about this Harley-Davidson-inspired project… the only thing which comes to mind is asking “why is this happening?”
Motorcycle manufacturers are making nice money selling branded products, from apparel to riding gear, all sorts of paraphernalia and kids’ items, gifts and whatnot. Whether you’re buying a Ducati bottle opener or a Harley-Davidson-branded leather jacket, you can be sure you’re paying a lot more for that object only because it comes with a logo.
Truth is, some guys will buy ANYTHING! A bottle of sparkling wine with a H-D logo on its cork? Sold! The bar and shield smartphone? Take my money! Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could feed our 6-month son while he’s sitting in a Harley-branded chair? Of course it would, go get one!
We have nothing against these folks. They love a certain brand, and would even breathe Harley air if they could. It’s fine, because they are doing this on their own money, of course, and as long as there is demand, not providing an offer is anti-business.
The Harley-inspired camera has no pretenses of becoming a real product, but it just might. The project, or at least as much of it we can see in these photos, is dull, painfully dull. Of course, if some guys feel like their heart beats faster at the sight of the drilled metal lever which marginally reminds of an aftermarket brake or clutch lever, they’re free to fork out the money. But the design remains still painfully dull.
This camera is so eclectic that seeing it exerting a magic allure to the very guys who will spend half of what they paid for a bike to add useless bling and an extra hundred of pounds of metal accessories to it sound a bit crazy.
We’re no industrial designers here, but we can tell when something looks plain. Adding a laser-engraved button and some bolts does not make a Harley camera. We hope that the authors of this design will do better next time. Seriously, the Vespa camera is a masterclass of motorcycle-inspired design and they should learn that lesson well. Even though some will buy absolutely anything Harley…
Branding is cool, but certain limits must be acknowledged
There was an older editorial on the Harley-Davidson factory of dreams, and the analogies with the Apple model business was dissected in all its success. However, as cool and beneficial branding would be to both makers and customers, and even beyond these two, for those who actually produce the to-be-branded items, certain limits must be assessed.Truth is, some guys will buy ANYTHING! A bottle of sparkling wine with a H-D logo on its cork? Sold! The bar and shield smartphone? Take my money! Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could feed our 6-month son while he’s sitting in a Harley-branded chair? Of course it would, go get one!
We have nothing against these folks. They love a certain brand, and would even breathe Harley air if they could. It’s fine, because they are doing this on their own money, of course, and as long as there is demand, not providing an offer is anti-business.
The Harley-inspired camera has no pretenses of becoming a real product, but it just might. The project, or at least as much of it we can see in these photos, is dull, painfully dull. Of course, if some guys feel like their heart beats faster at the sight of the drilled metal lever which marginally reminds of an aftermarket brake or clutch lever, they’re free to fork out the money. But the design remains still painfully dull.
This camera is so eclectic that seeing it exerting a magic allure to the very guys who will spend half of what they paid for a bike to add useless bling and an extra hundred of pounds of metal accessories to it sound a bit crazy.
We’re no industrial designers here, but we can tell when something looks plain. Adding a laser-engraved button and some bolts does not make a Harley camera. We hope that the authors of this design will do better next time. Seriously, the Vespa camera is a masterclass of motorcycle-inspired design and they should learn that lesson well. Even though some will buy absolutely anything Harley…
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