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<ul><li>Shop Quality Products at the Lowest Prices’ says Meesho in Latest ‘Loon Ya Na Loon?’ Campaign.</li><li>It is conceptualised by <keyword id="910338" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ddb-mudra-group" source="Orion">DDB Mudra Group</keyword>.</li></ul>Meesho has launched its latest campaign, which highlights the consumer dilemma of ‘Loon Ya Na Loon?’. The campaign continues to underline the unmatched value proposition of the company’s ‘Sahi Sahi Lagaya Hai’ (the right price) appeal. <div type="Youtube" id="UG8Op52U15A" title="Loon Ya Na Loon, sawal ka ultimate jawaab is here!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UG8Op52U15A/mqdefault.jpg"></div> People shop to fulfill multiple desires and for many value-seeking consumers, shopping has become an exercise of choosing one desire over another. Meesho’s latest campaign puts an end to the ‘Loon Ya Na Loon’ dilemma often faced by consumers seeking to maximize their spend within a budget. Featuring three TVCs that target three different consumer segments - women, men and young adults, the campaign highlights Meesho’s unmatched value proposition of offering quality products at the lowest prices. <div type="Youtube" id="SjL2-dwqAFg" title="Stress-free shopping ka aasan raasta is here!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SjL2-dwqAFg/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Megha Agarwal, Head of Growth at Meesho, said, “When consumers want to purchase something they desire, the guilt or need to cut down on other expenses often crop up, making them prioritize one desire over another. The core objective of the campaign is centered around resolving the ‘Loon Ya Na Loon’ predicament. At Meesho, we are helping millions fulfill their desires by providing them a wide selection of quality products at the lowest prices.” Conceptualized by DDB Mudra, the campaign is based on the insight that consumers often debate "Loon ya na Loon?" before making any purchase. The TVCs showcase the protagonist's journey from contemplation to a no-compromise shopping experience on Meesho. “To buy or not to buy – that is the question. Which bargain-hunting, value-conscious Indian shopper has not hit the pause button and wondered about all the demands on her/his budget, before picking up something? It is this behavioral truth that we played on to land a simple message – Meesho offers prices so low, you’ll never have to choose between one thing or the other again. The result was a breezy yet insightful campaign which we believe will resonate with our target audiences around the country,” says <keyword id="3282725" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pallavi-chakravarti" source="Orion">Pallavi Chakravarti</keyword>, Creative Head – West, DDB Mudra The campaign will air on major TV networks such as Star Plus, Colors, Zee TV, Aaj Tak, Sony Max, Zee TV in addition to YouTube, and OTT platforms. Each film is shot in three zonal master languages – Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali and further amplified in other regional languages like Assamese, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi and Telugu.

Meesho targets value-seeking consumers; shares how they can maximise their spends within a budget

<ul><li>The Indian <keyword id="6360676" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="railways">Railways</keyword> gets round 5% of the revenue from non-fare sources, compared to 10-20% that other national railway systems earn. </li><li>In January 2017, the Railways Ministry announced a number of initiatives to increase non-fare revenues through <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> on trains and offering on-demand entertainment services.</li><li>This policy hasn’t yielded the desired results so far. Hence, the government has decided to offer tenders with shorter contract durations and decentralise the implementation of the <keyword id="4838282" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-fare-revenue">non-fare revenue</keyword> scheme to the <keyword id="258097" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zonal">zonal</keyword> level. </li></ul> In the past few years, the Indian Railways has made a conscious effort to increase the portion of its revenues that it doesn’t earn from fares in a bid to ensure its long-term financial sustainability. Around 5% of the revenue of the world’s fourth-largest rail network comes from non-fare sources, while the figure is 10-20% for national railway systems in other countries. In January 2017, the then-Minister of Railways, <keyword id="6356597" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="suresh-prabhu">Suresh Prabhu</keyword>, announced a number of initiatives to increase non-fare revenues through advertising on trains and railways infrastructure like crossing gates and roads as well as through on-demand entertainment services. Fast forwarding to September 2018, those initiatives are yet to come to fruition. The tenders floated did not receive an enthusiastic response from vendors. In 2017-18, the Indian Railways earned only ₹86 billion in non-fare revenue, compared with an original target of ₹140 billion, with most of this coming from the sale of scrap assets and station parking fees. This was also a 17% drop from the previous year. Hence, the Railways Ministry has decided to revise its approach. It still plans to earn ₹150 billion in non-fare revenue, but is expecting to reach that level within the next 10 years. Here’s how it plans to get there:- Shorter contract spans In a circular issued this week, the Railways Ministry said it planned to award contracts for non-fare revenue projects for around three to five years, as opposed to original contract durations of five to ten years. In offering shorter licences for advertising on train compartments and bridges, setting up ATMs on railway platforms and offering content to passengers, the government expects to attract more vendors. The licence fee for advertising services will be the same for the first three years, after which it will increase by 10% each year. The contracts will be capped at five years with an option to extend by one year. Decentralisation is the name of the game Rather than centralising all non-fare revenue operations, the Railways Ministry has decided to delegate decision-making and maintenance to the general managers of the 16 zones which the network is divided into. In terms of on-demand entertainment services, vendors will enter into a revenue-sharing model with the zonal railways division and share a percentage of their earnings above the fixed minimum guarantee. Zonal heads will have full authority to implement the scheme. The move, which was announced in May, will facilitate a quicker vendor selection process and reduce the burden of oversight on the central government.

Indian Railways wants to earn ₹150 billion in non-fare revenue by 2028

An FIR has been lodged against actor-turned-BJP leader <keyword id="19913288" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mithun-chakraborty" source="keywords">Mithun Chakraborty</keyword>, following allegations that he delivered a provocative speech during a <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bjp" source="keywords">BJP</keyword> event held in North 24 Parganas district last month. The complaint, filed at Bidhannagar South police station, relates to Chakraborty's remarks at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake on October 27, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also in attendance, launching the West Bengal leg of the BJP's membership drive. According to a senior officer from Bidhannagar Police, “We have started an investigation into the case.” Chakraborty, who received the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award earlier this year, was reportedly unavailable for comment. However, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar decried the FIR, labeling it "vendetta politics." He asserted, "There is nothing provocative in his speech. These are nothing but attempts to intimidate him by using police as a political tool." During his speech on October 27, Chakraborty declared his party's ambitions in West Bengal, proclaiming, "In 2026, the masnad (throne) will be ours, and we will do everything to achieve the goal." He also urged BJP booth-level workers to resist attempts to intimidate BJP voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, alluding to past incidents where voters were allegedly discouraged from supporting the saffron party. Mithun’s message was seen as a direct response to remarks by TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who had previously made comments during the Lok Sabha elections perceived as communal and targeted toward BJP supporters. As the investigation unfolds, the FIR has amplified the already intense political climate in West Bengal, raising questions about free speech and the use of law enforcement in political conflicts. For now, both Chakraborty’s supporters and critics are awaiting further developments, as the actor’s remarks and the subsequent police action continue to stir debate. (With inputs from agencies)

FIR filed against Mithun Chakraborty for ‘provocative speech’; BJP alleges ‘vendetta politics'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Rivian stock surged 37% after it secured a $5 billion deal with Volkswagen.</li><li>The companies will form a joint-venture to develop next-gen vehicle software and electrical architecture.</li></ul>Rivian stock soared 37% on Wednesday after it struck <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/volkswagen-invests-5-billion-rivian-software-development-r2-suv-affordability-2024-6">a $5 billion deal with Volkswagen.</a>The two companies will form <a target="_blank" href="https://rivian.com/newsroom/article/rivian-and-volkswagen-group-announce-plans-for-joint-venture">a joint-venture</a> to collaborate on next-generation vehicle software and electrical architecture, which will be utilized in cars from both brands.As part of the deal, Volkswagen will invest an initial $1 billion in Rivian via a convertible note that will convert into Rivian stock later this year, assuming the companies receive regulatory approval for the deal.Volkswagen will then invest an additional $4 billion into Rivian, represented by two $1 billion common stock investments in 2025 and 2026, and a $2 billion investment into the joint venture by 2026 via both a $1 billion payment to the JV and a $1 billion loan to it.The investment is seen as a pivotal lifeline for Rivian, which has yet to reach profitability since its founding in 2009."Not only is this partnership expected to bring our software and associated zonal architecture to an even broader market through Volkswagen Group's global reach, but this partnership also is expected to help secure our capital needs for substantial growth," Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said.Rivian's stock price has been trending lower since its November 2021 IPO. The stock is down 91% from its record high, and year-to-date is down 30% even after accounting for Wednesday's share price gains.But Wedbush analyst Dan Ives believes the gains for Rivian can continue.In a note on Wednesday, Ives reiterated the firm's "Outperform" rating and raised his Rivian price target to $20 a share, representing potential upside of 21% from current levels."This is a core game changer for Rivian and changes the capital structure of the company looking ahead for the story and the Street's view at a key time," Ives said.The capital investment into Rivian comes ahead of its launch of a new suite of vehicles, the R2 and R3, which are successors to its original R1 vehicle platform."Importantly, this partnership will provide capital needed for the R2 ramp and GA plant R2/R3 midsize platform which we view as a large step in the right direction and a key move for Rivian going forward," Ives said.Rivian's deal with Volkswagen comes just a few hours after the company said it simplified its manufacturing process to cut some costs by as much as 35%. The company said the cost savings should help it reach gross margin profitability by the end of the year.

Rivian stock soars 37% after it strikes $5 billion deal with Volkswagen

New Delhi, Jun 16 () Honda Cars India on Tuesday said it has partially resumed operations at Tapukara and Greater Noida manufacturing facilities after having production suspended due to coronavirus-led lockdown. The company said it gradually started production of powertrains at Tapukara (Rajasthan) facility from June 8. It was followed by car production at both Tapukara and Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) facilities from June 15. "We have been progressively resuming manufacturing operations with utmost caution in our plants in Tapukara and Greater Noida. The approach has been to target and achieve safe, stable and efficient operations," Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) Senior Vice President and Director (Marketing and Sales) Rajesh Goel told . The plants have started with limited capacity and lesser manpower to ensure strict adherence to the safety and distancing norms, which are must in current prevailing scenario, he added. "Resuming operations with highest safety protocols amidst COVID-19 further strengthens our belief and responsibility to support country's economic sustainability while reinforcing our commitment to protect community well-being through responsible operations," Goel said. The resumption of manufacturing at Tapukara plant marks the start of production of the upcoming version of WR-V apart from Amaze, he added. The company will soon start production of all new City from Greater Noida plant, Goel said. Apart from the City, the company produces Honda Civic and Honda CR-V at its Greater Noida facility. The company's two plants have installed capacity of around 2.8 lakh units per annum. It said 100 per cent of its tier 1 suppliers, operating out of 270 manufacturing facilities, have also resumed partial production after receiving necessary approvals. While majority of associates working in corporate office, including zonal and regional locations, continue to work from home, the company said it has been following roster-based attendance for associates in areas that require physical presence or minimal staffing in critical activities. MSS BAL

Honda Cars partially resumes operations at Tapukara, Greater Noida facilities

With an aim to ensure all senior officials take their work seriously, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=railway+board+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">railway board </a>has started rating its 16 zones. This might prove helpful as the performance of the zones will be reflected in their promotion and career progression. 
 
According to the latest rating by the railway board between April and December 2016, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=South+Eastern+Railway&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">South Eastern Railway</a> headquartered in <keyword id="6354925" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kolkata">Kolkata</keyword> is on the top while <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=North+Eastern+Railway&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">North Eastern Railway</a> with its head office in <keyword id="43253" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gorakhpur">Gorakhpur</keyword> has got the last rank. <keyword id="76478" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Northern-Railway">Northern Railway</keyword>, with its headquarters in Delhi a few kilometres from the railway board office, was third from last. 
 
This private sector like appraisal system, under <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Suresh+Prabhu&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Suresh Prabhu</a>, will make the officials serious about their jobs as the career graph of top officers will depend on the amount of money they have helped the state-run transporter earn, physical assets they have helped create and punctuality of trains. 
 
The ranking is based on a sof 17 key performance indicators (KPIs) such as operational and financial performance measured by passenger traffic and freight loading among others. The KPIs have been made part of the annual performance appraisal reports (APARs) of general managers, divisional railway managers and departmental heads in zonal railways. 
 
"Zonal railways are being evaluated as per relative performance on each indicator by comparing the targets fixed for each one after much deliberation," a senior official told ET. 
 
Zonal and divisional units were asked for targets for the year. Now, each general manager, DRM and departmental heads are being evaluated against his/her own targets.

This is how Railways is ensuring its officials work efficiently

By K J Bennychan Mumbai, Mar 1 () The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) will link annual appraisals and postings of field officers with their performance in terms of collection under the 'Vivad se Vishwas' scheme, according to a communication. An office memorandum from the CBDT, dated February 21, also said that collection outcomes would play a bigger role in the future postings of the field officers. The latest missive assumes significance as there have been concerns over alleged 'tax terrorism' and undue harassment of genuine taxpayers by tax officials. The economic growth is also slowing down. Soon after the dispute settlement scheme was announced, the department asked the field officers to work on holidays/Saturdays so that when the scheme is formally launched they get a head-start on the collection front. 'Vivad se Vishwas' scheme for resolving income tax cases was announced during the 2020-21 Budget presentation by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. A target of mopping up Rs 2 lakh crore by March 31 has been set. The scheme would formally be launched on Monday, when Parliament resumes the second leg of the Budget session. There are 4.83 lakh direct tax cases worth over Rs 9 lakh crore pending in various appellate forums -- Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), high courts and the Supreme Court. According to the memorandum, the department has told field officers that their annual performance and increments would be linked to the collection outcomes of the disputes they handle. A copy of the memorandum has been accessed by . Latest official data showed that economic growth slowed to a near seven-year low of 4.7 per cent in October-December 2019. The CBDT's missive also comes as the government is desperate to meet fiscal deficit targets. Fiscal deficit has already crossed 128.5 per cent of the full year target as of end-January. "As already conveyed, the performance of the field officers in respect of the Vivad se Vishwas scheme, shall be an essential factor in finalising their Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) and shall also be an important factor in determining their future postings," it said. "In this regard, I have been directed to convey that the target for assessment of the performance of field officers in respect of the said scheme has been fixed at 100 per cent of the cases with disputed tax demand which will fulfil the eligibility conditions under the scheme," Income Tax Commissioner (C&amp;S) Rakesh Gupta said in the memorandum. The memorandum has been sent to all zonal chief IT commissioners. Under the proposed scheme, a taxpayer who pays the disputed tax before March 31, 2020 will get complete waiver of interest and penalty. The scheme would remain open from March 1 to June 30, 2020, and those who avail of it after March 31 would have to pay some additional amount. Though officially no target have been set, some officers said they have been clearly told to ensure that the scheme mops up at least Rs 1.5 lakh crore to Rs 2 lakh crore and at least Rs 50,000 crore this fiscal. The latest missive seems to have left the field officers seething as they have already been asked to work on weekends and holidays. Already, many of their associations have protested against orders to work on weekends to complete the task of extracting revenue from pending tax disputes. A source said total receipts have shrunk by 2.4 percentage points to Rs 12.82 lakh crore this fiscal till January 31. The government has garnered only 66.3 per cent of tax revenue estimated in the revised estimates of this fiscal as against 68.7 per cent of the full year estimate previous year, according to data released by the Controller General of Accounts on Friday. Direct tax mop-up in April-January declined 4.9 percent to Rs 7.45 lakh crore, or 63.7 percent of the revised estimate for the full financial year, as per official data. It also showed that cumulative gross and net tax revenue collection contracted in April-January by 2 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively. With this, meeting the revised estimates would be a Herculean task as for the remaining two months gross tax revenues must clip at 22.1 per cent and net tax revenue at 70 per cent over the previous year, according to taxmen. Total receipts during April-January stood at Rs 12.82 lakh crore, with tax revenue at Rs 9,98,037 crore Non-tax revenue and non-debt capital receipts stood at Rs 2,52,083 crore and Rs 32,737 crore, respectively. The government has already curbed its expenditure by 800 bps to 25 per cent, or by over Rs 2 lakh crore. During April-January, total expenditure stood at Rs 22.68 lakh crore, or 84.1 per cent of the revised estimates. This includes Rs 4.71 lakh crore of interest payments and over Rs 2.62 lakh crore of major subsidies. BEN RAM ABMABM

CBDT to link field officers' annual appraisals, postings with 'Vivad se Vishwas' mop-ups

In a bid to save the cost of logistics and ensure faster deliveries, the Gurgaon-based online marketplace <keyword id="6357066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="ShopClues">ShopClues</keyword> has decided to make different regions in the country. It is also looking forward to expanding its seller base and make intra-zonal shipments. 
 
"We are moving towards dividing the country into different cities as opposed to regions for our shipments," said Radhika Aggarwal, chief business officer at ShopClues. "The idea of shipping from within the zone of a customer works perfectly for structured categories. The unstructured category might or might not benefit from this," she added. 
 
The Silicon Valley-founded company will work with local courier partners for its zonal deliveries, which would save up to 25% costs, thereby yielding better margins for the marketplace and prices for the customers. 
 
The same policy is being adopted by Alibaba-backed marketplace Paytm, which has been expanding its online-to-offline shipments across regions so that delivery time can be lessened. 
 
"We are currently at 4 lakh sellers on our platform and plan to increase it to 12 lakh sellers by the end of 2016. This will also improve our 
regional selections and price range of products, mainly from the tier-2 and 3 markets," said Aggarwal. 
 
Shopclues was valued at $1.1 billion in its last round of funding, and is targeting profitability by mid next year.

Shopclues goes local, segregates regions for faster deliveries and reduced costs

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Youtube/Nike WomenBritish singer FKA Twigs starring in the Nike ad titled "Do you believe in more?" She also directed the ad.</div></div></div><ul><li>Singer FKA Twigs created a controversial ad for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/nike">Nike</a>, according to a New York Times report.</li><li>The ad reportedly featured unconventional imagery, like men wearing sports bras and a woman dancing suggestively with an exercise pole.</li><li><a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/nke-stock">Nike</a> reportedly spent millions of dollars on the ad, which never ran.</li><li>"We create a wide array of material and not all of it is ultimately brought to life in the marketplace," a Nike spokesperson told Business Insider.</li></ul>Nike may have rubbed some employees the wrong way with an ad it reportedly created last year.The ad, which never aired, was designed to celebrate the release of the women's version of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nike-vapormax-morgan-stanley-note-2017-7">VaporMax sneaker</a> in the fall of 2017. One employee who saw the ad <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/28/business/nike-women.html">told the New York Times</a> it featured men in sports bras in "odd poses," as well as "a woman twirling on what looked like a stripper pole."The ad was created in partnership with British experimental singer and artist FKA Twigs, who was creative director for the project. According to the Times, it was approved by former Nike brand president Trevor Edwards, who recently stepped down from his position as the company completes internal reviews in response to complaints from female <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nike-fired-people-via-powerpoint-allegations-2018-4">employees</a> alleging <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nikes-glassdoor-reviews-describe-boys-club-atmosphere-2018-3">a hostile work culture</a>.The review has also resulted in the departure of several other Nike executives or high-level employees, including Edwards' second in command, the company's head of diversity, a VP-level footwear executive, and a director at Nike basketball."We recognize and acknowledge that behaviors inconsistent with our values have prevented some employees from feeling respected and doing their best work," a Nike spokeswoman told Business Insider. "We are determined to take the insights we have gained to build a culture that is truly inclusive and representative of diverse thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences."She added: "We are already taking action and will continue to drive change to elevate a culture of inclusion and respect."Nike likely spent millions creating the unaired FKA Twigs ad. According to the Times, the ad debacle showed how the company has dropped the ball when it comes to funding and executing successful women-focused campaigns to rival the men-focused ones involving team sports like basketball.This is all happening simultaneously as women's apparel and footwear segments have become target areas of growth <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nike-is-going-after-3-kinds-of-customers-2015-4">for Nike as it</a> strives to improve sales.Nike said it stands by FKA Twigs, and called some of the reporting on the ad "inaccurate.""Twigs is a highly gifted artist and athlete for whom we have a deep respect and admiration. We are proud to have worked together and we remain grateful for her inspiration and partnership," the spokeswoman said. "We create a wide array of material and not all of it is ultimately brought to life in the marketplace."Twigs has created other ads for Nike, like the "Do you believe in more?" campaign for Zonal Strength Tights.<a href="http://creativity-online.com/work/nike-do-you-believe-in-more/50546"> Adage called</a> that campaign "stunning."<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/next-frontier-in-customer-relations?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;utm_content=mobile_ctgr_leadgen&amp;utm_campaign=mobile_ctgr_leadgen_messaging-apps-crm"></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ihop-new-pancake-sliders-ultimate-waffle-stack-vs-mcgriddle-2018-4">We tried IHOP's new breakfast sandwiches to see if they stack up to the McGriddle</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Nike reportedly spent millions on a canceled ad that featured men in sports bras and a woman pole dancing

We recently got a chance to have a face to face with the person responsible for a rather radical movement in India. <keyword id="190682" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Anoop-Prakash">Anoop Prakash</keyword>, MD, <keyword id="6357453" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Harley-Davidson">Harley Davidson</keyword> India tells us the story of Harley Davidson’s Indian chapter and how the road to success here has been so far. 
 
Q. Is India a tough market? How has the journey been so far? 
 
I think India if anything is an exciting and dynamic market. It is always changing and I think the last five years since we have been here, it has just changed tremendously. Just look at the number of not only automotive and motorcycling brands, but also premium non-Indian brands that have come here in the last five years. The preferences and expectations of customers are also changing. In the beginning, five years ago, it was a brand new market — kind of an open market. Today’s consumers have developed high expectations; they have a preference for premier global brands and I think that trend is here to stay. We had two challenges: one was to establish Harley-Davidson as a brand of lifestyle and culture; secondly, we had to establish leisure motorcycling as an activity and a great investment of people’s time and money. I think, (touchwood) it has gone in the right direction. We have captured the imagination of the customers. 
 
Q. How hard was it to build a less expensive Harley for developing markets? 
 I think there were two really fundamental strategies we had when we entered the market. One, we had to deliver the world-class customer experience that every customer expects. That got enabled by hiring great employees and <keyword id="6356318" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Dealer">dealer</keyword>s, delivering all the merchandise and accessories along with the motorcycles, having a full line up of motorcycles etc. The second big challenge was making the lifestyle experience accessible to as many people as we could. Like the young urban riders who were riding their way to life, or the well-off middle class, mid-aged folks who were coming into biking for the first time. Accessibility started with our investment in CKD. In 2011, we set up our plant. We didn’t wait for the market to prove itself. We opened our first dealer in 2010, and started assembling in 2011. And again in 2012, we added three more models in the assembly line up. And then in 2013, we added three more to the assembly line up. 
 
So in 2014, a natural progression was to launch the Street 750. Street 750 and Street 500 came out of a global effort to develop the next-generation motorcycle, the younger urban professionals who wanted a good ride, who are into the leisure motorcycling culture, who appreciated a Harley but didn’t see a bike that was made for them in that stage of life. So now, they have something that has the right styling, the dark custom styling, the very urban edge to the design, and it’s designed for the environment. That is where the Street came from, and to be able to build it in two places, in US and in India, is really a testament to Harley-Davidson becoming more global and being close to where the customers are. You know when you are building it in both Eastern and Western hemispheres, you can serve customers better by being closer to where they are and that also keeps the India price and the US price more or less the same. 
 
Q. Can we expect another not-so-expensive motor bike coming from Harley-Davidson? 
 
We are always thinking about ‘what is next’. We don’t talk much about the future launches or products. We have multiple models within a family of bike. If it takes off in the right direction and the indication is positive, we will hopefully develop a new variant in the Street family. There is a lot of imagination already around what can be done with Street. 
 
Q. How has the feedback been, till now? 
 
The feedback has been phenomenal. The first reviews from customers as well as journalists who have ridden the bike have been really positive. They have told us how fun the motorcycle is and how perfect it is for all travelling conditions. They have also given us some things to work on; we have taken a note of all this and we are working to improve on them. 
 
Q. What kind of market share is Harley looking at now, in India? 
 
We have been the first ones to come out and start manufacturing in India, and obviously the first ones to start assembling. I think when you look at the first-mover advantage that we have, our market share reflects that today. We have a dominant market share in the above 600 cc bikes. 
 
The key thing here however is not that we target market share, we are actually trying to build the experience for the riders and the accessibility. We are hoping that the market continues to grow though. We want more interests to come in and offer more choice for the customers so it’s a better experience for them overall. We have seen the companies that have come over the last year or two, and there are some other companies that are planning to. I guess in the next several years, customers will have lots of choices. 
 
Q. Can we say that Harley-Davidson wants to be the dominant player in India? 
 
I think it is the dominant player and we hope that we continue to lead the market. We enjoy being the leaders of the market because we feel like we deliver a pure and leisure motorcycling experience and it gives other brands an opportunity to pick up in the same direction. 
 
Q. We have heard about the strict procedures Harley-Davidson follows to pick a dealer. Can you in brief tell us how does Harley-Davidson come to a point that yes, this is the right guy for our dealership? 
 
Our dealer network is a critical part of our strategy. As I said, customer experience is the focal point for our company, and we can deliver this experience up to a point. Customers finally interact with the dealers, so that is very important for us to be careful in selecting them. First of all, the dealer must have a great business record (that goes without saying). The business acumen and the ability to succeed in the market should be impeccable. 
 
Two, they have to have the values that are a good match to Harley, as our company is a very transparent. It’s a 110-year-old company built on ethics and values. We have to find partners who appreciate that. Last, but not the least, they really have to understand the brand. Brand has to be something that they just intuitively appreciate and understand because if you don’t understand the brand, you don’t appreciate the lifestyle that we are trying to develop and deliver, there is no way you can translate that into your team. I am really happy to say that a lot of our dealers are riders as well, and that makes a big difference. When you can put yourself in the shoes of the customers, you can really understand what a customer needs. 
 
Q. What’s next for Harley-Davidson in India? Can we see some fine dining restaurants café’s in India? 
 There is no plan for that as such. It was a rumour that started sometime back. Right now the only café in the world is in <keyword id="2390" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Las-Vegas">Las Vegas</keyword> so, I am not sure if India is second on the list but I can tell you that there are a number of ‘larger’ plans for the dealer network. We have just opened a very impressive facility in Navi Mumbai. It has a kiosk facility, it is a 12,000 square feet space where customers and enthusiasts can come in and experience the brand. A similar facility is opening here, in Gurgaon next month and then we will also be targeting a similar facility in Bangalore before the end of the year. 
 
We will also be opening new locations in Gauhati, Surat and Coimbatore. Further investment in our quad-metro markets is happening. We look forward to introduce new products in the market down the road and we will make those announcements in the due course. 
 
Q. How is the riders’ programme going? Something new coming in? 
 
For the Harley owners, yes, of course we have the H.O.G rally that we have been doing. We just did our second national H.O.G rally in Goa. Over 1,200 owners came together from all over the country; it was tremendous. We also have our zonal rides, which are western, southern, northern, eastern hog rallies. We just did the western one and 450 owners came for the weekend. Next up is the northern and southern rallies that are happening around September. So, we have these big rallies coming up; and of course they will continue. They keep getting better and better and they have to keep meeting the customers’ experience and be more interesting for riders keep coming back every year. 
 
Q. Is there any other way that you stay in touch with the Harley Owners? Is there any other programme that is also running? 
 We stay in touch with the Harley owners via many touch points. We offer a lot of benefits to them because again, it’s not just about a bike — it’s a lifestyle to experience. We have large national and zonal rallies, but we also have weekly rallies that are run by the local dealers. Programmes are being offered to our owners that run in every city with our dealership. We have several bike rides/nights and other activities related to bikes, where people come together and spend time together. Beyond that touch point, we are also about to launch an automobile app, which is a smartphone app that is going to allow the riders to connect with each other and us as well, so we can serve them better. We also have our <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> pages and a closed group for Harley owners that give us a lot of connection with the customers. 
 
 
Q. On a personal note, what does Anoop like to ride? Your favourite Indian road stretch to ride on? 
 
The most epic ride I did was across Rajasthan. I went all the way through Jaipur and Jaisalmer. The roads and people of Rajasthan, the overall environment just makes you feel that you are in another world. And then recently, we rode Pune to Goa, which is a great ride because you get to go up the hill (and you get some great views) and then you get down to the beaches. The whole journey can be done in hours and that’s a great ride for one day. I rode a Fat Boy for both occasions and that is my favourite bike.

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