Monday, November 20, 2006

The video can be seen at:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/Detour/Black_Sheep.jsp?locale=en_US


Black sheep motorcycle commercial now on TV, online
Hanford Sentinel, The (CA)November 19, 2006Author: By Eiji Yamashita
Sentinel Reporter
Estimated printed pages: 2
The mystery of baa-ing black sheep in China Alley this past summer has finally unraveled.It turns out that the sheep were the unlikely cast in a Harley-Davidson motorcycle commercial now appearing on television.Company officials say black sheep capture the celebration of individualism, which they call the "heart and soul" of Harley riders. And Hanford, with its rustic charm, happened to offer a perfect backdrop for the scenario of the commercial, they said."It's a distinct, beautiful little town, and it is very well tended," said Tom Watson with Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson's marketing department. "It's our type of small town America. We enjoyed our stay."When the filming crew for a new Harley-Davidson commercial shoot arrived in Hanford this June, they came with a flock of sheep instead of shiny machinery and outlaw riders and the trademark "potato-potato-potato" exhaust sound.A camera, handled by Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson, chased sheep running back and forth on Hanford streets and parks all day long.But how exactly a production company would work cinematic magic for a 60-second ad out of a rather odd sequence of scenes was kept a carefully guarded corporate secret.Five months later, that secret is out. With a marketing campaign "Live by it," Harley-Davidson's new black sheep commercial hit national TV six weeks ago.The commercial has been airing on the NASCAR Chase for the Cup programming, and this weekend happens to be the last weekend for the 60-second TV spot this year, said Tom Watson with Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson's marketing department.The commercial will run again in the spring, Watson said.For those who missed the commercial on TV, it is viewable online at www.harley-davidson.com.A flock of black sheep separating from the white sheep herd, rushing down from the foothills and ending up assembling at China Alley - it's all part of a long clich/, escape from the herd, played out in the commercial."Black sheep are less common in appearance and attitudes," Watson said. "The commercial depicts the spiritual journey to individualism, which is the "heart and soul" of Harley-Davidson riders."The commercial uses scenes shot in Hanford as well as in some parts of Tulare County, such as Lake Kaweah. But Hanford accounts for most of the images in the commercial.The commercial, featuring "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses, also served as a premiere of the track from an unreleased album, "Chinese Democracy.""Axel Rose really enjoyed the commercial, too," Watson said.(Nov. 19, 2006)
Section: News
Copyright, 2006, The Hanford Sentinel

Saturday, November 04, 2006

The Taoist Temple Gift Shop will be open three Saturdays in December.
December 2, 2006
December 9, 2006
December 16, 2006
12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.