Malaysian automaker Proton along with Iran and Turkey are planning to build an Islamic car. The additional features are supposed to be a compass to find the direction of Mecca and a compartment to keep the Koran in. The realization that as a marketer one needs to be able to address the cultural differences among consumer while designing products and communications has always been acknowledged and we even have a separate sub-discipline called multi-cultural marketing which specifically addresses these issues. The question this proposed new product introduction raises is "Is a need for a specific product like this in the first place or is that the case of a marketer trying to exploit the religious sentiments of a specific set of consumers?" There have been many critical comments on the idea already, saying th
at it is cynical marketing.The idea that one should target specific needs of customers within larger markets through segmentation is a well accepted marketing strategy which has lead to many successes. But from what is available in the media the only additional features it boasts of is the compass and compartments for Koran and the Scarf. The company has also made claims that it has identified a huge gap in the market. Lets us suppose for a minute that there is indeed a need for such additional features in a car how long will it the competition to add a few compartments and compass to their exiting models and bring out their own versions of the Islamic Car?
Correct sir, it will be a tough one to keep up as the competitors will swiftly come up with similar ideas... i think such things can wok only with markets like in the cola industry, where there are only 2 major players - Coke and Pepsi.. there is an islamic cola there.. people have also come up with an islamic version of the barbie doll wearing a hijab to counter Mattel's dolls... so the market segmentation is deemed to work only in two-thre player markets.. but then Proton makers must have had that in mind right?? i think there's more to it tha just a Koran box and they are hiding it just to keep the competition at bay... many more features may be added...
ReplyDeleteGood that you brought out two good examples of products specifically targeted at a people following a religion, One needs to find out how successful they have been in the market place, because in Colas if you are talking about 'Mecca Cola' , then it is from a company different from Pepsi and Coke, maybe you could add some more insights on the two products..
ReplyDeleteAnd I also hope that Proton has something special up its sleeve to attract consumers rather than just the compass and compartments
Yes sir, I was referring to the Mecca cola. I did not know that a third company - Mecca Cola World Company. It was started in France (now based in Dubai) and is also sold in the Arab world and certain European regions.
ReplyDeleteA similar cola - Zam Zam cola, was its predecessor cola, made mainly for Saudi Arabia (where Coca Cola is banned) and Bahrain. It was originally an out-reach of Pepsi.
Both the Colas have been fairly sucessful.
The doll was "Fulla", made by a Syrian Manufacturer and sold to Islamic and middle-wastern countries. Fulla was created as an alternative for Barbie to reflect Muslim values in Saudi Arabia (where Barbie was banned).But due to its relaively high-end price, a cheaper product was also made named "Fulla style".
But both these products had markets - there was a demand for alternative products to Coke and Barbie, which were banned in the predominantly Muslim nations. But Cars are not banned as being "unislamic". So Proton needs to really work out a good strategy to actually create a market for its cars. I don't know if it is making an assumption of the need or if such a need really exists. I hope that the need is actually there.
Perhaps Proton is making a hasty move to counter its slump in 2006 and try to tap into the "Islamic Market". After-all, the per-capita ownership figures of Cars in muslin nations are less... If it makes such a car and have some less features to make the car cheap and accessible, perhaps it may alo tap into the middle-class and lower-middle-class segment of the market also...
thanks varun for insights into Mecca Cola and "Fulla" they add more value than the original post -:))
ReplyDeletei think this new announcement of the islamic car is aqn important marketing decison of the islamic country which is a very large group...remember the hallal logo initiated by Malaysia and now all food sold in the islamic coutries and certain secular like India are marked with the Halal symbol...mecca colla,,fulla,,and now a car with compartment for the koran is actually a new market segment....and Proton as a first mover in Cars sale few more cars this year..in the ..."islam segment"...
ReplyDeleteHey there,
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