HARLEY-DAVIDSON
FREEDOM JACKET JOURNEYS THOUSANDS OF MILES IN ONE YEAR TO UNITE INDEPENDENTS
AROUND THE WORLD
Fans Near and
Far Tell Incredible Stories of Freedom and Adventure through a Single Leather
Jacket as it Travels the Globe for Harley's 110th Anniversary Celebration
MILWAUKEE (Jan. 2013) – In August 2012, Harley-Davidson fans around the world kicked off a
year-long celebration of the company's 110th Anniversary. Over the course of an
entire year, millions of fans across 11 countries and six continents are
celebrating their shared passion for freedom, self-expression, epic adventure,
and the stories that unite them.
As part of the
year-long celebration, Harley-Davidson has enlisted individuals from all over
the world to take a single black leather jacket - the 'Freedom Jacket' - on an
adventure and to share their stories online. The Freedom Jacket will pass from
rider to rider and visit dozens of iconic destinations in all corners of the
globe, collecting their stories before coming home to Milwaukee for the final
celebration, Aug. 29 - Sept. 1, and for display at the Harley-Davidson Museum.
"The
Freedom Jacket represents one of the most elemental, yet powerful truths of
what it means to be a Harley-Davidson rider," said Harley-Davidson's Chief
Marketing Officer Mark-Hans Richer. "A leather jacket is like a rider's
soul - every pin, scratch, scrape and patch is a visual marker of your journey
and becomes part of your identity and the stories you tell."
The Freedom
Jacket was born last August when Richer wore a simple Harley leather jacket
during an epic ride across the Tibetan Plateau in China to help kick-off the
110th Anniversary. At a stop along the ride, Richer asked a local Chinese man,
who was working painting road markers, to paint something on the jacket to
symbolize what he thought about Harley-Davidson. The man painted the Chinese
character for "freedom."
Since then, the
Freedom Jacket has been worn by passionate enthusiasts who've traveled to
destinations around the world, including the foothills of the Alps in Faaker
See, Austria for European Bike Week; the highways of Mexico; Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil; and even the starting line of the NHRA Pro Stock finals in Pomona, CA.
In the coming months, the Freedom Jacket will journey to destinations both on
and off the beaten path, including official Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary
events planned in India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Rome.
Fans can explore
the inspiring videos, photos and stories of those who have worn the Freedom
Jacket by visiting www.h-d.com/110jacket, the company's Facebook page
(Facebook.com/Harley-Davidson), Twitter handle (@harley-davidson) or via the
hashtag #FreedomJacket.
Harley-Davidson
is also inviting fans to share stories about their own journeys via the 110th
Anniversary website. On January 22, the company will launch a unique online app
that allows fans to create a personalized version of the 110th Anniversary
"110 Years of Freedom" graphic with photos of their own epic
adventures which will be featured on Harley-Davidson's Facebook page and other
online channels. The company is also allowing fans the opportunity to create
their own 110th Anniversary pages within the site to share their experiences
with the world.
"The 110th
Anniversary is, first and foremost, a celebration of our fans, so it's only
natural that user-generated content would be at the forefront of our
efforts,"" added Richer.
Harley-Davidson
is planning to reveal several other exciting details related to the 110th
Anniversary in the coming weeks, including announcing headlining talent for the
Rome and Milwaukee celebration events, as well as sharing upcoming Freedom
Jacket adventures. Tickets for the 110th Anniversary celebration in Milwaukee
are currently on sale at www.ticketmaster.com.
About the
Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary
The
Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary is a year-long, global celebration connecting
millions of Harley-Davidson fans across the globe united by a common bond and
shared passion for freedom, self-expression and epic adventure. Included in the
official 110th Anniversary calendar are 12 different 110th Anniversary
experiences that Harley-Davidson will bring to existing motorcycle events in
global markets throughout September 2013. The events span 11 countries on six
continents and will be capped by two main celebration events in Rome, Italy, in
June 2013 and Milwaukee during Labor Day weekend.
About
Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Harley-Davidson
Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and
offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding
gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit
Harley-Davidson’s website at www.harley-davidson.com.
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