What branding, enthusiasm, etc etc. These are just big words to gather more black money. India's companies have a just one formula of super sucess...bribe. The reliance group have even endorsed this fact publically - in the film Guru, the dialogue about gold and silver shoes. The fact is that every Indian businessman carries these gold and silver shoes, few have the audacity to accept like reliance. Some even show they're saints like Tata, actually they're giving just a small fraction of the money they earn by bribing the government and looting the poor. And bribing has acheived professional status, with people like Radia having PR companies who bribe the politicians, media - print and electronic, babus et al. Kya hoga hamare desh ka??
M&M vehicles do not have the simple basics inspected, how are they going to Rise? Just with advertisement and PR?
Example, impressed by the Rise initiative a customer books a M&M vehicle. On delivery first thing he notices is that the doors do not align when closed. On first drive he finds that one of the seats is loosely fitted and squeaks.
This pathetic brand can never make India proud. So they have done a good job by giving away the India context and adopting basic Rise.
Re: The basics are not in place
by Pavan C. Joshi on Jan 21, 2011 07:11 AM
Basic problem- Branding!
Mahindra, Bajaj, Tata, Birla are proper names. Not 'distinctive' marks. Indian trademark act, like all such acts can only offer nominal, circumstantial protection through the caveat of association & prior use.
That's why Bajaj Tempo is now Force, Bajaj Auto trying to be Pulsar Auto, Hero Honda trying out Hero. Average consumers are reasonably confused about the Birls, Modi, Tata type generic trade-marks which can be associated with anything, from table salt to even a service for performing certain tasks on a computer ( howzzat ?). Public confused.
With Globalisation, said Co.'s are into feverishly protecting their main asset - 'turf' (Brand) in India which has turned for them into the incumbent, last and largest market in the world.
Technology, customer service, product quality, price, user delight, worker safety will have to come from MNC Co.'s in India .. so sorry. Competion ... hehe ... is good for customers, not Co.'s.
Trademark cases are fought over territory. That's what this 're-branding' is all about - a fight to secure inherited territory endangered by better, richer and more mature foreign Co.'s.
Buyer ... hehe ...beware! Boycott chor Indian Co.'s. Never buy shoddy 'Lala-type' Indian Co. products. By buying Indian MNC products, teach said Indian Co.'s good biz practices, make India proud.
Re: Re: The basics are not in place
by Pavan C. Joshi on Jan 21, 2011 07:26 AM
... hmmm
How about ... hehe ... 'hmmm'. Might as well call itself 'Wake-up'? If they can't be too original, this way they can simply add hm in front of whereever they have mm for cheap. Plus, realistically convey 'product quality', Co. philosophy and all that;) In their ads, they can pretend to derive the 'hmmm' name from 'Humvee' as that brand is now Chinese, and China Co.'s never sue, and specially never in India.
I'd be happier if M&M focused on 'bottom-of-the-pyramid' utility vehicles where margins are thin, but the market is giant. Rather than spend 100's Cr.'s on branding, how about an hybrid gas-electric rural ... say 'Lakh-takiya' jeep.
Re: The basics are not in place
by Suniiel K on Jan 21, 2011 06:23 AM
Agree with you, it just looks like PR excercise and off laterly AM has been pitching his head into media. Quality needs to be met first instead of branding. Everyone knows what M&M is, but what about the product? Simple example is Renault, european make of Renault has totally different feel than what's sold (in bulk) in India.
Re: Re: The basics are not in place
by Suniiel K on Jan 21, 2011 06:26 AM
Oh! Forgot to mention, main problem with Mahindra group is having world class processes but without any practical application of using them!
Re: The basics are not in place
by abhishek agarwal on Jan 21, 2011 07:00 AM
there's a joke in automobile circles..after 2 years, every part on a Mahindra vehicle makes noise except the horn!!!...and this is a company of tomorrow????
Re: The basics are not in place
by abhishek agarwal on Jan 21, 2011 07:26 AM
they make a big bread box like Xylo and get the Indian auto magazines to call it car of the year...what a joke. Xylo doesn't stand a chance in front of Innova, but bribe works. Paid news is advertising with sensationalism.
Re: Rise
by bellarynaga on Jan 20, 2011 05:09 PM
Club Mahindra is a pack of lies..Thank God I got my down payment back. I then decided that I would not patronize any product of this group...
Mahindra & Tata both bring out good 21st century analogues of the ubiquitous bullock cart ( Bolero, Sumo etc etc)and they are good at it( I have a Bolero, and quite happy with it!). They should stick to it - do best whatever you can do best. No point wasting money to create a brand image for bullock carts!But again, it is good & required for the purpose, so no harm done!
Rise ... says this Corporate chieftain. Raise ... say many employees in the private and public sectors. Rice ... says [wants] the common man. Raise - say many political opponents and groups - in revolt. Raise - says the Tax Man and wants to increase revenue ... Rise or raise, it's the same with prices [be it onion or lentil] Rise or raise, even corruption has gotten hold of this mantra.
