Harley-Davidson Video Takes Best in Show at Addy Awards

Online, April 11, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Made in York, a video produced by MessageMakers for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, won a Gold Addy and Best in Show: Broadcast at the Mid-Michigan ADDY® Awards annual dinner and awards presentation.

"Made in York is an honest piece about the challenges and opportunities of a major company evolving to the next stages of its growth," said video editor Tom Lietz, "told through the story of the factory in York, Pa. The video was developed to provide Harley Owners Group members with a 'peek behind the curtain' and a sense of the vision and direction present at all levels in the Harley-Davidson Motor Company."

"We took a true documentary approach," said videographer Tim Whalen, "documenting the situation as it happened. A Harley executive who had started his career in the York plant came back to his roots to show us around, helping us to meet and talk with people we might not have otherwise interacted with, people at all levels of the company."

"Harley employees were incredibly open to our team-it was a collective geek-out about the process of building motorcycles," said Lietz.

This openness enabled the use of innovative camera techniques: clamped to a motorcycle frame moving through the assembly line, covered in plastic running through the paint system, attached to workers' tools in use, and even fastened to a 360-degree-rotational pinstripe painting robot as it spun through its work.

Made in York has been played at numerous large events and distributed on DVD to thousands of Harley Owners Group members.

The ADDY® Awards is a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation, honoring excellence in all media including print, broadcast, out-of-home and public service advertising. The ADDY® Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition for creative excellence. The Mid-Michigan ADDY® Awards is sponsored by the Mid-Michigan Creative Alliance (MMCA), a member association comprised of advertising and media professionals. Proceeds from the ADDY® Awards help support MMCA's educational programs, public service projects and proactive government relations efforts.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company is the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer. It 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 http://www.harley-davidson.com.

MessageMakers produces experiences that transform worldwide in arenas including events, learning programs, and video, operating from its headquarters in "Old Town" Lansing, Mich. For more information, visit http://www.messagemakers.com.

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