It has been only a year since Honda and Hero Group parted ways and the latter created its own brand and now the latter, who is the World’s largest two wheeler manufacturer by volume sales, is planning to re-launch its entire two-wheeler range under the brand name ‘Hero’. Although Hero Group can retain the Hero Honda brand name for the next two years as per the agreement, it does not want to maybe to aware its consumers that Hero is on its own from now onwards.
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), HMCL, Pawan Munjal, said,
“We will be re-launching our entire range under the Hero brand name, and will complete the exercise by the second quarter of this fiscal.”
image – Hero Moto Passion X Pro 110 CC Motorcycle at Auto Expo 2012
The agreement says that Hero can retain the previous badge till June 2014, it is the same year till which Honda will provide technical assistance to Hero MotoCorp, but we believe Hero wasn’t planning for any such thing. Last year in August, it launched its own brand Hero MotoCorp along with two new two wheelers, Hero Impulse and Hero Maestro. After the alliance was discontinued and Hero went solo, it recorded the highest sales ever of 6.2 million units.
At present the company is busy expanding its network to new markets like Central America and Nigeria and the shipping of a 125 CC motorcycle will commence come July-September 2012.
When asked about the company’s overseas plans, Munjal said, “Now that we are on the threshold of becoming a truly global company, our initial focus is on markets where the volumes are large and products can be sold with minimum changes. So right now, our existing products with suitable modifications will be made available in the new international markets. We have already identified partners for these markets.”
This move off rebranding is something which had to be done sooner or later, but the good side is that Hero MotoCorp has been largely successful in making its new brand-name reach masses with its extensive TV, Print and Online media campaigns which have been quite aggressive as well as innovative like the Billion voices campaign which included engaging customers with the TV commercial by making them a part of the ad. We will look forward to the rebranding activity and will keep you posted on the same, stay tuned.
