Just like the Great White Shark, whose ruthless attack is preceded by a calm circling, Honda strikes with such an intense ferocity that surrendering market share seems the only option. No doubt, the company rules world markets with some of the best selling cars to its credit. But the legacy ‘wait and watch’ strategy of Honda appears to have cost it dear; or has it?
The year was 1958, when Chairman Fujisawa Honda handpicked one of his effervescent subordinates Kihachiro Kawashima, and told him to go ahead and just do “whatever was possible” to sell Honda motorcycles in the US. With everything stacked up against Kihachiro and his team, and with almost zero possibility of success in a market where “macho” Harley Davidsons ruled the roost, Kihachiro failed, and horribly so! Like we said, that year was 1958. And then came the year after that, and after... till one reached the year 1965, a year which finally saw Kihachiro ensuring Honda massacred all US bike manufacturers with vindictiveness to grab a heart stopping 50% of the US market with its ‘non-macho’ bikes; and with a simple positioning line, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda!”
For complete IIPM article click here
Source:- IIPM Editorial, 2006,
The year was 1958, when Chairman Fujisawa Honda handpicked one of his effervescent subordinates Kihachiro Kawashima, and told him to go ahead and just do “whatever was possible” to sell Honda motorcycles in the US. With everything stacked up against Kihachiro and his team, and with almost zero possibility of success in a market where “macho” Harley Davidsons ruled the roost, Kihachiro failed, and horribly so! Like we said, that year was 1958. And then came the year after that, and after... till one reached the year 1965, a year which finally saw Kihachiro ensuring Honda massacred all US bike manufacturers with vindictiveness to grab a heart stopping 50% of the US market with its ‘non-macho’ bikes; and with a simple positioning line, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda!”
For complete IIPM article click here
Source:- IIPM Editorial, 2006,
Editor:- Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri
