In the 1990s, Jhonty Rhodes changed cricket when he made fielding glamorous in the sport, which till then, was dominated by batsmen and bowlers. Japanese auto maker Isuzu hopes the South-African cricketer, the new brand ambassador for its D-Max V-Cross, will be the game changer for the lifestyle pick-up vehicle category.
Two years ago, when Isuzu launched the V-Cross in India, it had positioned it as an adventure utility vehicle (AUV), a new category it tried to promote. Now, Japan’s pioneering car company — the first car manufacturer in Japan — is stepping up the game by getting Rhodes to drive the segment’s popularity.
With Rhodes promoting it, Isuzu hopes to make pick-ups aspirational and more mainstream. The South-African cricketer who is a passionate surfer, proclaimed that he was born in a pick-up almost, and spoke about the durability, reliability and performance of the vehicle, and how for an outdoor, sporty person it was the ideal car on the road.
“For Isuzu, this association and the ‘Be the Game Changer’ campaign marks the next phase of its journey in India, said Ken Takashima,” deputy MD, Isuzu Motors India.
Building brand
The Japanese auto maker entered India in 2012 and has so far focussed on establishing a presence in manufacturing sector, building its brand and positioning itself as an important player in the pick-up and utility vehicle category. “India is changing. The Indian consumer is changing. The Indian traveller now has a thirst for adventure,” said Takashima, pointing out how the V-Cross now contributes to almost 30 per cent of the sales of its portfolio in India.
According to Takashima, Isuzu has so far sold 12,000 units in India. It started manufacturing in India in 2016, and now plans to use its plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh as a hub for exports — Nepal and Bhutan are the first two markets it will be servicing from India. “We are evaluating other markets,” said Takashima, pointing out that with Thailand already a base, countries around there are ruled out.
He said the sale of commercial and passenger vehicles in India has been 50:50 so far. And they would like this balance to remain the same. In the commercial segment, pick-ups are the fastest growing category while in the passenger vehicles segment, it is the SUVs.