Tata Nano is about celebrating achievement? You kidding?

When Ankush Arora says he wants the Tata Nano to 'connect with the urban youth on the phenomenon of celebrating achievement', I think he neither understands urban youth, nor the act of celebration. Also I guess Ankush probably has fallen prey to the problem of 'depth deficit' that plagues marketers.

'Depth deficits' hit marketers who are bereft of 'deep consumer insights'. Deep consumer insights don't happen unless you move away from surface-level (read, descriptive) research to one that digs deep. Sure, the urban youth celebrate achievements, but I can bet not with a Nano. In fact, for a graduating B-school kid who's landed a job, a Nano buy must mean he's got a lousy job that pays peanuts! Tell you what, even if the kid's earning peanuts, he'd rather starve and save to buy a car (which won't be a Nano) that gets him the status he wants in his peer group.

I guess its bad luck (plus lousy research) the Nano's stuck between a rock and hard place. Positioning its way of misery will be a tall ask for the brand. I still think the Nano's got to take the redesign route out of its current troubles. That means a complete rework of all the marketing mix variables. For now, the Nano guys think re-positioning via a communication campaign is the answer.

I doubt it will work. Probably its still early days. Note, I'll be waiting and watching. 

Comments

Unknown said…
Absolutely Sir, I really don't understand why Nano is being positioned as as youth oriented vehicle with all that glossy advertising where as its actual reason for its birth was as a common man's car.
Manish said…
Youth in India does not only mean B'School pass outs.
They are perhaps a think minority of the total Indian youth.
The majority youth struggles in villages and small towns.
Majority stays in big cities and work for daily wages. They build your roads, bridges plants, shopping malls etc.

For these pepole Tata Nano is a ray of hope.
Manish
www.getmoneyrich.com
Ray Titus said…
Azeez, The Nano will grasp at anything to up sales. Repositioning is one way out for them.

Manish, Of course not, but the Nano is currently being positioned to target the urban youth. Also I can quite understand your angst about the 'small town and village youth'. But tell you what, aspirations are universal. Meaning, given a choice (which I agree they can't make considering their purchasing power)) they too would not want to drive what's perceived as a 'cheap' car.

About the 'struggling youth' building urban centers, guess who's to blame? Our love for socialism & crony capitalism! The former fosters dependency and poverty among the 'strugglers', the latter ensures a few rake in the moolah while the masses languish!

Welcome to India, eh?

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