How Ducati killed its marketing department

Is this a sign of the new way to partner with all stakeholders - including your customers? BNET provides the access to this Forrester report. Register at BNET (I have no interest in BNET BTW, just my own interest in knowing what's happening in the world) and either search or go straight here to read it.

In a nutshell, famous moto manufacturer Ducati has leveraged their heritage and loyal customers to "kill" - or possibly just rename and de-emphasise - their marketing department. And it seems to have worked.

Now I would have thought that Ducati was a no-brainer in terms of marketing. The bikes are highly differentiated and their fan base is loyal because of that and the company's pedigree. It's also Italian, which to me adds a certain degree of style and passion just by association. These fans are going to develop an unofficial online marketing engine anyway, so why not partner with that effort? Many other famous brands could do the same I'm sure (whether they subsequently decouple their marketing departments or not). I'm thinking top-end racing (push)bike brands like Colnago and cars like Alfa Romeo for starters.

The problems that may arise are manifold, however, so diligent planning and execution are vital. You need to be open yet ready to combat bad vibes from disgruntled rather than loyal clientele for starters. And will this community-feel work for equally well known but less passionate brands like IBM or General Electric?