January 28, 2026
How Farrow Harley-Davidson Grew Showroom Traffic with TV Advertising
Table of Contents
Farrow Harley-Davidson has been selling and servicing motorcycles for over 15 years. They have a loyal following among local riders, but owner Mike Farrow knew there were thousands of potential customers in the area who had never stepped foot in the dealership.
"Harley riders are passionate, but you have to reach them first," Mike says. "We were doing well with the customers we had, but we weren't growing. The same faces every weekend."
Here's what happened when Farrow Harley-Davidson invested $750 a month in streaming TV advertising for six months.
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15%
More showroom foot traffic
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35%
Increase in branded searches
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$750/mo
Monthly ad spend
The Challenge
Farrow Harley-Davidson sits about 25 minutes outside a major metro area. They compete with two other Harley dealerships within an hour's drive, plus a half-dozen independent motorcycle shops.
Before running TV ads:
Most customers came from within a 10-mile radius
Weekday showroom traffic was consistently slow
Marketing was limited to social media and a few local event sponsorships
Online reviews were strong, but discovery was the bottleneck
"People who found us loved us," Mike says. "The problem was getting found. We're not on a main highway. You have to know we're here."
Why TV Advertising
Mike had always associated TV advertising with big national brands and six-figure budgets. When he learned about connected TV advertising and the ability to target specific zip codes at a fraction of traditional TV costs, he decided to give it a shot.
"I figured if I could get our ad in front of people within 20 miles who are into motorcycles or outdoor recreation, that's about as targeted as it gets," Mike explains. "And honestly, there's something about seeing a business on TV that makes people take you more seriously."
The cost was the deciding factor. At $750 per month, it was comparable to what he'd been spending on boosted social posts with limited reach.
Campaign Setup
Campaign details:
Geographic focus: 20-mile radius around the dealership
Targeting: Adults 25-64, with interest signals in motorsports, outdoor recreation, and automotive
Timing: Evenings and weekends, when people are thinking about their next ride
Budget: $750 per month for six months ($4,500 total)
Goal: Increase showroom visits and build brand recognition across a wider area
The Creative
Farrow's 30-second spot was built using Adwave's creative builder. Mike uploaded photos and video clips from the showroom floor, a few shots of customers on rides, and some scenic local roads.
The ad focused on the lifestyle rather than hard selling: open roads, the Harley sound, and a welcoming dealership where you could grab a coffee, browse bikes, and talk to people who actually ride.
"We didn't want it to feel like a used car commercial," Mike says. "We wanted it to feel like what it actually feels like to walk in here on a Saturday morning."
The whole thing was done in about 4 minutes. No production crew, no studio time.
The Results
Over six months at $750/month, the campaign delivered roughly 180,000 impressions across households in the target area.
Awareness indicators:
35% increase in branded Google searches ("Farrow Harley-Davidson") over the campaign period
Regular mentions from walk-in customers: "I saw your ad on TV"
Google Maps views up noticeably during the campaign months
Business impact:
15% increase in showroom foot traffic compared to the same period the prior year
More test ride requests, particularly from first-time visitors
Service department bookings increased as new customers came in for their first oil change or tire swap
Customers driving in from further out, beyond the dealership's usual draw
"The foot traffic number is real, but the thing that surprised me was the service side," Mike says. "People came in for a bike, and then they became service customers too. That's recurring revenue we didn't have before."
What Worked and Why
A few things made this campaign effective for a motorcycle dealership specifically:
The product is visual. Motorcycles look great on a TV screen. The sound, the roads, the chrome. It's a product that sells itself when you can show it in motion, and TV is the best medium for that.
The purchase is considered. Nobody buys a motorcycle on impulse. Buyers research, visit dealerships, think it over. TV builds the familiarity that puts you on the shortlist when someone is ready to start that process.
The audience is targetable. CTV allows targeting by interest and geography, so Mike wasn't paying to reach people with no interest in motorcycles. Every dollar went toward households that fit the profile.
TV builds credibility. When you're competing with national Harley-Davidson corporate advertising and other dealerships, having your own TV presence levels the playing field.
Advice for Other Dealerships
Mike's take on what other motorcycle or automotive dealerships should know:
"Don't overthink the creative. We used real photos from our shop. That authenticity is what connects with people. If your showroom looks good in person, it'll look good on TV."
"Give it time. We didn't see a rush in month one. By month three, the mentions started. By month five, we were tracking a real change in traffic. You're building recognition, not running a sale."
"Track everything you can. We started asking every walk-in how they heard about us. That's how we know TV was driving it."
Ready to Put Your Dealership on TV?
Farrow Harley-Davidson's results show what's possible when a local dealership uses TV advertising consistently. No massive budget, no production crew, just a clear message delivered to the right audience over time.
Adwave makes it straightforward to get started. Build a professional TV commercial from your existing photos and video, target households in your market, and launch at a budget that works for your business.
Your next customer is streaming right now. Make sure they know where to find you.