It’s no secret that the real cash cow for Harley-Davidson isn’t their bikes. It isn’t hard goods, either, like replacement air cleaners, exhaust systems, seats or other farkles that may or may not add horsepower. Harley-Davidson was one of the first companies to realize the power of brand licensing, and gets a cut of every single item that bears their bar-and-shield logo. Demand for Harley swag is enormous; not everyone can afford their bikes, but dropping $20 on a Harley t-shirt still gives you the biker image on a budget. Now Chrysler is following suit and launching a line of t-shirts with their “Imported From Detroit” slogan, made popular by Eminem’s Super Bowl ad for the Chrysler 200.
The shirts are available in white, gray and black, in both bold logo and distressed logo designs, on the Chrysler Collection website. I should be more precise and say they WERE available on the Chrysler website, until they sold out. In every color. In every style. Priced at $29.95 (really, I’m not making that up), shirt sales will go a long way towards adding to Chrysler’s 2011 bottom line, if they can keep them in stock. If Harley’s history is an indicator, we can expect Chrysler to trademark the sound of Dodge’s 5.7 liter Hemi V8 any day now.
Source: Autoblog
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
