In the beginning, the term 'Hog' when used in conjunction with Harley Davidson motorcycles was the shortened version of the derogatory nickname 'Hogley Ferguson'. However, when the company was bought by AMF in 1981, they began looking for new and interesting ways to bring back their client base and improve customer relationships. To do this they decided to put a positive spin on the nickname and started the Harley Owner's Group (HOG) to help them accomplish their goals. This group was officially started in 1983, and the company touted it as a way to excite their existing fans and to build a fraternity of sorts founded on the motorcycle enthusiast lifestyle.
However, the company actually didn't realize just how many people supported their company or how many Harley Davidson owners felt a strong connection with the company. Because of this, the HOG membership opened up a whole new stream of revenue to help revitalize the struggling motorcycle franchise. This included specialty club merchandise and tie-in products with cross over companies like the Ford F-150 Harley Davidson edition. When they looked at the numbers, they realized that on average a HOG member would spend up to thirty percent more than other, more traditional consumers on things like motorcycle patches, leather riding gear, and other products that carried the Harley Davidson logo.
Today, HOG membership is a world-wide phenomenon with more than a million members. There are more than fourteen hundred different chapters around the globe. By embracing a nickname that was given at a time when their motorcycles were not doing so well, Harley Davidson managed to turn HOG into a factory sponsored group that is the largest of its kind in the world by promoting customer loyalty.
