Devil's Advocate

Fill it. Shut it. Forget it. Yes, this is the tag line Hero Honda chose when it launched its now legendary CD 100 25 years ago. It was supposed to target the mileage conscious Indian middle class. And the tag line is back once again. And there couldn't have been a more opportune time.

I feel the tag line cuts across all the segments that Kotler talks of. More so in today's day and age when crude prices are hovering around $70/ barrel and will shoot up once this recession thing is done and over with. Plus you have all those doomsday mongers who predict that the world crude reserves will hold only for the next 20 odd years at the current rate of consumption. Also with the world around realising that global warming is going to be the major concern going ahead and fossil fuel emissions are a major contributor, fill it, shut it, forget it never sounded sweeter.

It is also heartening to see the auto companies fighting to provide the consumer with options where he gets that extra mile for every drop of petrol. Auto companies the world over have understood the simple fact that even the consumer wants leaner machines. And those who haven't (General Motors to be precise), well oblivion is staring them right into their eyes.

So wanting to squeeze that extra mile out of every drop of gasoline is not so middle class now. Its supposed to be nature friendly (and in vogue). And thanks to recession, people now want leaner, more efficient vehicles. The companies are going back to the drawing board to survive.

And all this makes for a great sight. So fill it, shut it, forget it. Sit back and relax.....