Brand : Aria
Company : Tata Motors
Brand Analysis Count : # 500
Game Changer, New Breed, Super Luxury, Most Awaited, Eagerly Awaited, Flagship ... These were the terms that were used during the much publicized launch of Tata Motor's luxury offering - Tata Aria. Aria was launched inward 2010 - touted every bit the most luxurious, sophisticated in addition to most expensive offering from Tata Motors inward the rider vehicle segment. After a yr of the launch, Aria is struggling to make the seat where the construct expected it would be.
Tata Aria was publicized every bit India's outset 4x4 Crossover. Crossovers are those vehicles that combine the attribute of cars in addition to SUVs. Tata motors aimed to exercise a novel segment of luxury crossovers alongside the launch of Aria. Tata Motors has been trying hard to exercise novel niches inward the Indian automobile marketplace seat the final attempt was through the construct Tata Xenon.
Tata Aria which was expected to exercise novel marketplace seat in addition to a novel picture for Tata Motors withal is forthwith struggling hard to exercise volumes. According to news reports, the construct is finding it hard to convert the involvement and proficient reviews to sales.
Tata Aria was launched alongside an expensive toll tag of Rs 12 -15.5 Lakh making it the most expensive model from Tata's construct portfolio ( excluding JLR). To compensate for the high toll tag, Aria came alongside many features, attributes in addition to gadgets which was available exclusively inward super luxury segments. Many gadgets was fifty-fifty non acquaint inward those expensive sedans. But fifty-fifty alongside this heavy loading of features in addition to goodies, consumers were reluctant to convey the high toll tag.
Blame it on the Positioning.
It is tardily to set the blame on the pricing strategy of Tata Aria. There are critics who fighting that Aria could possess got priced at unopen to Rs 10 lakh in addition to blazed the sales chart. To a certainly extent the declaration has lot of validity. But I experience that to a greater extent than than the pricing , in that location is a larger upshot of positioning. Not exclusively alongside regard to Aria, but it points out to the luxury foray of Tata Motors every bit a corporate brand.
First allow us facial expression at the positioning issue. Tata Aria wanted to seat itself every bit a pioneer of a novel category - a Crossover betwixt a sedan in addition to an SUV.
Positioning theory talks close Points of Parity in addition to Points of Difference every bit the 2 primary focal points of positioning process.Marketers role Points of Parity to constitute a membership inward a category in addition to also to constitute parity alongside competitors. For construct launches inward existing production category, category membership is automatically established because of similarity inward production form, pricing, attributes etc. For instance a novel lather construct withdraw non constitute category membership since consumers know that the construct belongs to lather category only past times seeing the product. Category Points of Parity is of import for "really novel products" where consumers are non able to connect whatsoever existing category to the novel product. In such cases, marketers attempt to tell the consumers that the novel production is related to an existing production category.
Here Tata Motors failed to empathize the perceived points of parity of Tata Aria alongside brands similar Innova in addition to Xylo. It is obvious to whatsoever someone that Tata Aria looks really very similar to Toyota Innova which is the marketplace seat leader inward the premium Multi-Utility Vehicle segment. So only past times looking at Aria, consumers constitute its membership inward the MUV category of Innova. Whether Tata Motors likes it or not, Aria's category membership is alongside Innova in addition to non every bit a crossover.
What Tata Aria did was to ignore this obvious similarities alongside an existing category products in addition to tried to constitute a novel category which it called a Crossover. The construct wanted to role breakaway positioning strategy where past times Aria volition survive positioned every bit a novel category vehicle unlike from the existing category of MUVs.
The outset launch motility was expected to seat Tata Aria alongside the novel category - Crossover
Watch the advertising hither : Tata Aria Crossover
For a construct that aims to exercise a novel category that likewise a luxury one, the launch motility failed miserably to communicate the concept of a novel category. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sedan in addition to an SUV colliding ( mating) to shape Tata Aria crossover was likewise basic , likewise amateurish communication strategy. The construct initially had the tagline " Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 New Breed ". The motility managers failed to empathize that only past times labeling the production every bit a crossover does non larn inward a crossover. The construct should create sufficient evidence that it belongs to a novel breed. In the instance of Aria, the campaigns failed to furnish a pregnant argue to survive called every bit a novel category pioneer.
For whatsoever production aiming for breakaway positioning, the acid examine is to differentiate itself from the category from which it is moving away. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 classic instance of breakaway positioning is that of Swatch construct which successfully positioned itself every bit a fashion accessory rather than a sentry brand. For that the construct created rigid identity interms of design, toll , distribution etc which convinced consumers to consider Swatch every bit a fashion accessory rather than a watch.
Here in that location was no pregnant WOW ingredient inward Aria which made consumer intend that Aria belonged to a unlike category distinct from MUV brands similar Innova. So when consumers checked out the construct Aria, they began to compare it alongside Toyota Innova. Innova had established itself as 1 of the most reliable in addition to comfortable MUV inward India. Innova was priced at unopen to Rs 12 lakh. When consumers began to compare Innova in addition to Aria, Aria was perceived to survive expensive despite the presence of many novel features in addition to attributes.
Sensing the mood of the market, Tata Motors launched a lower priced version of Tata Aria inward the shape of a 4x2 variant. The construct priced the production at par alongside the competitors in addition to launched it alongside a unlike positioning.
Watch the advertising hither : Tata Aria Spy ad
Here in 1 lawsuit again Tata Aria was unsure close the positioning. The construct discarded its Crossover positioning in addition to began to focus on features. The tagline was changed from " Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 New Breed " to " Luxury that Thrills". Within 1 yr of launch , the construct had to construct pregnant positioning changes which in 1 lawsuit again proved to survive a disadvantage for establishing a consistent construct image. The plot of the repositioning advertising which shows unusual models alongside an unbelievable storyline in addition to an attempt at humour creates a confused positioning to the audience ( my personal opinion). Along alongside these motility inward TV, the construct also ran a serial of impress campaigns highlighting the 36 novel features of Aria. Those campaigns helped the construct to exercise a positive picture of a fully loaded premium MUV. But the steep pricing dampened the enthusiasm over the features.
If Tata Aria wanted to survive perceived every bit a novel category pioneer it should possess got looked really distinct from the pack. But since it looked precisely similar to Innova, the construct shouldn't possess got ventured into creating a novel category positioning.
The construct had a ameliorate adventure of survival had it accepted the similarities in addition to competed alongside Innova using the features in addition to goodies in addition to a competitive price. Still fighting Toyota's reliability is a uphill chore but alongside ameliorate value offering, Aria could possess got raked upwards plenty book to continue the enthusiasm upwards inward the market.
If at all the construct Aria wanted to exercise a crossover category, it should possess got created a pattern which had no similarity alongside whatsoever of the existing production categories inward the Indian rider vehicle market.
Tata Motors e'er nurtured an ambition to compete inward the luxury segment inward the Indian automobile market. It tried alongside brands similar Estate, Safari, Manza etc but couldn't abide by huge success because Tata Motors was perceived to survive a value-for-money construct in addition to consumers were never comfortable alongside paying a premium for Tata cars.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 radical displace for the fellowship tin sack survive to exercise a split identity in addition to a sectionalization which is non endorsed past times Tata Motors. Honda , Toyota in addition to Nissan used this strategy successfully for entering the the U.S. of A. luxury automobile market. Honda used Acura, Toyota used Lexus in addition to Nissan used Infiniti every bit split brands ( divisions) in addition to found success inward the the U.S. of A. market. They used this strategy to tide over the perception that Japanese automobile brands are utility vehicles rather than luxury vehicles.Likewise Tata Motors tin sack exercise a luxury sectionalization which volition non possess got the Value-For-Money baggage of the parent construct Tata Motors.
I honey the Tata construct in addition to e'er wished that its products met alongside success. But these construct launches were disappointments because really obvious , fundamentals are overlooked in addition to valuable fourth dimension in addition to construct equities are lost. But Tata Motors are know for perseverance and resilience. Hope that Aria volition construct clean upwards the positioning mess in addition to make its rightful destination. It needs to redefine its identity past times answering this uncomplicated query - What precisely is Tata Aria ??