Honda recently shipped saris from India to its factories in Japan. No, sari weavers need not brace themselves for competition from Japan. These were meant for local Japanese women to wear. Clad in saris, they got in and out of a small hatchback a number of times, while a team of designers and engineers keenly observed them. They wanted to check if Indian women can enter the car comfortably? Is the height right for them? Should the door be redesigned?
Can you believe this!!!!!! This is the extent to which the car maker is going to ensure a successful small car in INDIA.
YES......Honda is readying a new small car. Though it will be sold across all continents, its principal market will be India. And the world's sixth-largest car maker wants to leave nothing to chance. The fabric on the doors, for example, will be different from the one on the seat, though they will look alike. This is because for over ten months in a year, Indians wear short sleeves. As the elbow touches the door, its lining has to give more comfort to the skin. The air-conditioner will be a notch or two stronger because of the scorching heat in the country.
Though it is a mass-market brand in most countries, Honda's market share in India is small - just around 4 per cent. If Honda wants to play the volumes game here, it needs a small car in its product portfolio desperately. Without it, Honda has no presence in 82 per cent of the market. At the moment, the City accounts for 70 per cent of Honda's sales in India. Nowhere else in the world does a single car have such a huge share of its business! This makes the need for a small car all the more acute. Honda needs a second pillar of business after the City.
This obviously will be easier said than done....
Also in terms of a small car one definitely needs to look after distribution right? Existing Honda dealers will have to learn to talk to a whole new set of customers when the small car is launched.
How well the company handles these softer issues will have a drastic impact on how well the car does in INDIA...but knowing HONDA they will leave no stone unturned to ensure complete success!
Keep reading this space for more dope on the HONDA SMALL CAR
Monday, February 15, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Accenture high performance -NOT delivered!
After relentless badgering over the last month and a half, it seems the much coveted Tiger Woods' brand is beginning to crumble. Not to a massive degree (Nike hasn't announced it is dumping him) but still, it’s a HUGE loss!
Firstly, Bloomberg has just reported that not one of Woods sponsors has broadcast an advert featuring their most famous (and most well-remunerated) pitchman since 29 November, two days after the initial car crash.
The last prime-time ad featuring the 33-year-old golfer (in the US) was a 30-second Gillette Co. spot that ran on Nov. 29, according to New York-based Nielsen. Woods was also absent from commercials on a number of weekend sports programs, including NFL games, Nielsen said.
"Last weekend there wasn't any advertisement during those games," said Aaron Lewis, a spokesman at Nielsen.
Darren Rovell, the sports business reporter at the US TV network CNBC, responds on his excellent Twitter feed that "only eight Woods adverts were shown in the whole of November". Still, it doesn't look good!
So now my question is does a Sponsor or a band get affected by what the Brand Ambassador does outside of his professional domain?
I mean let’s take a look at some of Tiger Wood’s biggest sponsors
1. Nike
2. Tag
3. Accenture
Did anyone really BUY a TAG watch because TIGER was a good man, faithful to his wife! NO OBVIOUSLY NOT!
Did anyone go out and buy NIKE Golf accessories because TIGER was faithful in his relationship! And finally & most importantly ….
DO RECENT EVENTS IMPLY THAT TIGER IS NO LONGER A GOOD GOLFER!!!!
That’s ridiculous… absolute nonsense! Tiger Woods is huge and is who he is because he plays exceptional Golf. That’s the truth! And nothing that anybody says or does can change that! INCLUDING HIM!
If he chooses to go and sleep with a 100 women at the same time (and considering recent news that’s distinctly possible) he will still continue to be a tremendous golfer! And that’s why people write about him, want to know him and be seen with him! That’s why brands have flocked to him over the years! It has nothing to do with Elin or anyone else
At this time it would have been more prudent of CEO’s to say we know TIGER is our Brand Ambassador, we think he’s a tremendous golfer and we would like him to be the face of our company, because we think he’s an exceptional sporting talent (which he is!)
So here we are, sticking by him in this i.e. his time of need!
Now wouldn’t that not be wonderful!!!! I’m certain the American public & people world over (or at most ardent Golfing fans) could accept that. That’s not too much to ask for….
And besides people like reality & drama right! They love people who make the best of out their second chances in life! How can you forget?
Can you forget the adulation Jordan got? Or Aggasi or even Martina Hingis??
People love the “homecoming” or the “second-coming”. It’s like their STARS are re-born again! And then, the second time round the love & adulation is also DOUBLE!!
So I guess one would have to say that this time the great marketing guru’s of the WEST
have got it wrong!
They should NOT have turned their back on the Tiger, because he is still lurking out there somewhere in the bushes, waiting for a chance to pounce once more!
And yes, oh yes…you guys from Accenture….. high performance -NOT delivered!
Firstly, Bloomberg has just reported that not one of Woods sponsors has broadcast an advert featuring their most famous (and most well-remunerated) pitchman since 29 November, two days after the initial car crash.
The last prime-time ad featuring the 33-year-old golfer (in the US) was a 30-second Gillette Co. spot that ran on Nov. 29, according to New York-based Nielsen. Woods was also absent from commercials on a number of weekend sports programs, including NFL games, Nielsen said.
"Last weekend there wasn't any advertisement during those games," said Aaron Lewis, a spokesman at Nielsen.
Darren Rovell, the sports business reporter at the US TV network CNBC, responds on his excellent Twitter feed that "only eight Woods adverts were shown in the whole of November". Still, it doesn't look good!
So now my question is does a Sponsor or a band get affected by what the Brand Ambassador does outside of his professional domain?
I mean let’s take a look at some of Tiger Wood’s biggest sponsors
1. Nike
2. Tag
3. Accenture
Did anyone really BUY a TAG watch because TIGER was a good man, faithful to his wife! NO OBVIOUSLY NOT!
Did anyone go out and buy NIKE Golf accessories because TIGER was faithful in his relationship! And finally & most importantly ….
DO RECENT EVENTS IMPLY THAT TIGER IS NO LONGER A GOOD GOLFER!!!!
That’s ridiculous… absolute nonsense! Tiger Woods is huge and is who he is because he plays exceptional Golf. That’s the truth! And nothing that anybody says or does can change that! INCLUDING HIM!
If he chooses to go and sleep with a 100 women at the same time (and considering recent news that’s distinctly possible) he will still continue to be a tremendous golfer! And that’s why people write about him, want to know him and be seen with him! That’s why brands have flocked to him over the years! It has nothing to do with Elin or anyone else
At this time it would have been more prudent of CEO’s to say we know TIGER is our Brand Ambassador, we think he’s a tremendous golfer and we would like him to be the face of our company, because we think he’s an exceptional sporting talent (which he is!)
So here we are, sticking by him in this i.e. his time of need!
Now wouldn’t that not be wonderful!!!! I’m certain the American public & people world over (or at most ardent Golfing fans) could accept that. That’s not too much to ask for….
And besides people like reality & drama right! They love people who make the best of out their second chances in life! How can you forget?
Can you forget the adulation Jordan got? Or Aggasi or even Martina Hingis??
People love the “homecoming” or the “second-coming”. It’s like their STARS are re-born again! And then, the second time round the love & adulation is also DOUBLE!!
So I guess one would have to say that this time the great marketing guru’s of the WEST
have got it wrong!
They should NOT have turned their back on the Tiger, because he is still lurking out there somewhere in the bushes, waiting for a chance to pounce once more!
And yes, oh yes…you guys from Accenture….. high performance -NOT delivered!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
India V/s Bharat
Bharat and India are not separate pieces of land. However, they are separate states of mind.
In the last week of November, I travelled to what I would like to call ‘Bharat’, about 180-200 km from Mumbai to a small town near PUNE…. in the suburbs of PUNE if you might call it so….
And as I try & recall & chronicle my trip I realize that the entire experience was filled with contradictions. Contradictions: where a new resurgent India has met an Old fading personality.
The old fading personality with its wealth of experience, plethora of knowledge and age old wisdom is begging new dynamism for some restraint and compassion and has, unfortunately until now found NO response!
The trip starts with the epitome of New India. The road transport i.e. Mumbai-Pune expressway. Nothing can describe NEW INDIA in a way that this road does, wide & big. This is the template. FULLSTOP.
But one look further & you will notice that all is not hunky dory!
The smaller roads adjacent to the expressway leak slum settlements, there are poorly farmed lands and dozens & dozens of people that from the distance of a speeding car just simply appear homeless
From the speed the car then comes to a gradual halt. As we alight the stark India v/s BHARAT difference is refreshingly highlighted… The food court that we have stopped in has a McDonalds in it. I see foreigners in their summer attire standing in a queue. In that queue are also Indians. Mainly people from the 14-35 age group in their jeans & tee’s . waiting their turn to but their McBurgers and Coke floats. Just outside of that air-conditioner cocoon was BHARAT. Just ogling away and the New India!
Men dressed in simple pants and shirts, some even in Dhoti’s. Women in their Sarees, and Salwars. All wondering what the fuss was…why the simple patty in between a bread loaf should cost Rs. 20/- when the same VADAA PAV was available outside for Rs. 5!
People wondering what better breakfast food could exist than a POOHA or a UPMA…this was the old…smiling into the new…just standing and wondering what all the fuss was about!
Two days later I saw the India of the 21st century that probably inspired BJP’s spin doctors to coin the ‘India Shining’ campaign in 2004. I had an appointment with a dentist in an old Run down theatre in Mumbai’s GRANT ROAD area. I could very well have been in any of the European countries. All Plush, neat & elegant. The dentist who I had gone to visit agreed with me when I told him he had a wonderful facility. He went on to show me his new machinery and how he had invested quality time & money only for me i.e. his patients. That same afternoon while I was returning home my eyes glanced upon another board of “Doctor Mr. **Gupta. Dental Surgeon”
As I looked closer into the clinic by the roadside I realized that the clinic lacked basic hygiene. As maids & drivers sat there patiently awaiting their turn another set of drivers gathered around to share a joke and spit on the already painted plastic chairs provided inside for seating. From the outside, it looked like a miracle that the fan even worked and even more surprising was how, the walls in their current predicament had now given way until now….
It has been more than 60 years since independence. Yet basic healthcare, sanitation and a minimum wage limit seems a distant dream for most Indians even in urban cities…
It takes affluent Indians driving in their Honda’s 2 hours to drive from Andheri to Worli which is just 18 kilometers away and all of this is just unacceptable!
And its all around us, for us to notice and take in.. its just that we have chosen to ignore it! But after all I can see and understand how do I say Mera Bharat Mahaan anymore?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
1/2 Boy 1/2 Man
The average age of the army man is 19 years.
He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment dole either.
He's a recent college graduate; he was probably an average student from one of the Kendriya Vidyalayas, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip -hop or country or gazals or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 5 or 7 kilos lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting the insurgents or standing gaurd on the icy Himalayas from before dawn to well after dusk or he is at Mumbai engaging the terrorists. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. His pride and self-respect, he does not lack.
He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of combat dress: he washes one and wears the other.
He keeps his water bottle full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the Jana Gana Mana vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hands from their pockets, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from hom e, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy.
He is your nation's Fighting Man that has kept this country free and defended your right to Freedom. He has experienced deprivation and adversity, and has seen his buddies falling to bullets and maimed and blown. But,
He has asked nothing in return, except our acknowledgement of his existence and understanding of his human needs.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment dole either.
He's a recent college graduate; he was probably an average student from one of the Kendriya Vidyalayas, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip -hop or country or gazals or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 5 or 7 kilos lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting the insurgents or standing gaurd on the icy Himalayas from before dawn to well after dusk or he is at Mumbai engaging the terrorists. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. His pride and self-respect, he does not lack.
He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of combat dress: he washes one and wears the other.
He keeps his water bottle full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the Jana Gana Mana vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hands from their pockets, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from hom e, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy.
He is your nation's Fighting Man that has kept this country free and defended your right to Freedom. He has experienced deprivation and adversity, and has seen his buddies falling to bullets and maimed and blown. But,
He has asked nothing in return, except our acknowledgement of his existence and understanding of his human needs.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Of Beer, Wine & Sachin Tendulkar
Beer is made by men, Wine by God.
---Martin Luther, German founder of Lutheranism, (1483-1546)
As one flips past every News channel today it is clearly evident what the flavor of the month is. Well, clearly it is SACHIN TENDULKAR.
As Sachin celebrates 20 momentous years in International cricket the nation is celebrating with him. His majestic 175 recently v/s Australia has served as a timely reminder to all of us just what this man is capable of & his natural God gifted talent.
In this world of beer lovers & slam, baam thank you maam beer lovers cricket (i.e. T20) Sachin Tendulkar is the real McCoy, The real wine….and the creation of none lesser than God himself. And like all good wine, this man too has matured gracefully with age, his gifted talent being wonderfully moulded to serve & play the role TEAM INDIA needs him to essay
There have been endless essays & numerous sheets of work that have been written on what really makes ST great or what really makes him tick….
For someone that has played intermediately level of Cricket & Someone who has seen & understood the sport from close quarters I can tell you its just one simple thing… ”the ability to harness what he was born gifted with”. Many people call that dedication or discipline. I will not term it as anything….just ”the ability to harness what he was born gifted with”
For me its also related to a larger Cosmic truth….this Man was born to play cricket…and with the choices that he made here, on EARTH …he chose to play cricket and just simply succeeded beautifully. Let me illustrate what I’m trying to say further…. Its like this….God gifted a lot of people varied talents.. he wanted Pavarotti to sing, Pachino to act and Rehman to create music… they choose to make a vocation of their gifted talents and they made history…. But therein lays their greatness, their choice to do what GOD chose them to do! For geniuses that’s not an easy choice!
There have been numerous instances…where GOD chose someone to do something…blessed them with an innate ability and that person has not been able to do it… (while on the topic of SACHIN, VINOD KAMBLI is the most prime example…someone as talented & gifted as SACHIN) but could not fulfill what he was blessed with.
The arts over the years have continually seen such mercurious talents. Talents just blessed to do things simply & easily, with grace… yet what others would spend a lifetime to achieve. From the world of Snooker Ronnie 0’sullivan is a sporting name that one feels of this way.. from acting one felt that way about Vivek Oberoi, maybe from singing about Kailash Kher (not withstanding his current fame & success) I think he could have done bigger, greater deeds with a voice like that….more akin to someone of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s stature….
Back to the cricketing world.. Maninder Singh… again a herculean talent that really never made it on the world stage.. this man ladies & gentlemen (like Sachin) made his test debut for India at the tender age of 17…and was hailed as the successor to the great Bishan Bedi! (but where is he today… such in controversies of alcohol & drug abuse)
It’s in these simple choices that greatness is born & manifested. Luckily for now all of 1.2 billion Indians can just smile & rest easy…for this man chose to play cricket & chose to fulfill his destiny!
Bravo Sir! And all the best…
---Martin Luther, German founder of Lutheranism, (1483-1546)
As one flips past every News channel today it is clearly evident what the flavor of the month is. Well, clearly it is SACHIN TENDULKAR.
As Sachin celebrates 20 momentous years in International cricket the nation is celebrating with him. His majestic 175 recently v/s Australia has served as a timely reminder to all of us just what this man is capable of & his natural God gifted talent.
In this world of beer lovers & slam, baam thank you maam beer lovers cricket (i.e. T20) Sachin Tendulkar is the real McCoy, The real wine….and the creation of none lesser than God himself. And like all good wine, this man too has matured gracefully with age, his gifted talent being wonderfully moulded to serve & play the role TEAM INDIA needs him to essay
There have been endless essays & numerous sheets of work that have been written on what really makes ST great or what really makes him tick….
For someone that has played intermediately level of Cricket & Someone who has seen & understood the sport from close quarters I can tell you its just one simple thing… ”the ability to harness what he was born gifted with”. Many people call that dedication or discipline. I will not term it as anything….just ”the ability to harness what he was born gifted with”
For me its also related to a larger Cosmic truth….this Man was born to play cricket…and with the choices that he made here, on EARTH …he chose to play cricket and just simply succeeded beautifully. Let me illustrate what I’m trying to say further…. Its like this….God gifted a lot of people varied talents.. he wanted Pavarotti to sing, Pachino to act and Rehman to create music… they choose to make a vocation of their gifted talents and they made history…. But therein lays their greatness, their choice to do what GOD chose them to do! For geniuses that’s not an easy choice!
There have been numerous instances…where GOD chose someone to do something…blessed them with an innate ability and that person has not been able to do it… (while on the topic of SACHIN, VINOD KAMBLI is the most prime example…someone as talented & gifted as SACHIN) but could not fulfill what he was blessed with.
The arts over the years have continually seen such mercurious talents. Talents just blessed to do things simply & easily, with grace… yet what others would spend a lifetime to achieve. From the world of Snooker Ronnie 0’sullivan is a sporting name that one feels of this way.. from acting one felt that way about Vivek Oberoi, maybe from singing about Kailash Kher (not withstanding his current fame & success) I think he could have done bigger, greater deeds with a voice like that….more akin to someone of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s stature….
Back to the cricketing world.. Maninder Singh… again a herculean talent that really never made it on the world stage.. this man ladies & gentlemen (like Sachin) made his test debut for India at the tender age of 17…and was hailed as the successor to the great Bishan Bedi! (but where is he today… such in controversies of alcohol & drug abuse)
It’s in these simple choices that greatness is born & manifested. Luckily for now all of 1.2 billion Indians can just smile & rest easy…for this man chose to play cricket & chose to fulfill his destiny!
Bravo Sir! And all the best…
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