24 Belvedere Estate

The Nanomaly

Posted on | March 24, 2009 | 45 Comments

It has been an eventful ride for Mr. Tata.

It began as seemingly wishful thinking. Sparked political controversies. Invited widespread criticism, debate and resistance from ‘social activists’. Put Singur on the country’s map for the right reasons.
And then the wrong and regretful ones.

I remember the Nano for a different reason.

A few months before the 2008 Auto Expo, a hush-hush meeting was called in my erstwhile agency. A core team was formed to work on naming and unveiling of the Nano.
Over the next few weeks some of us spent many days and numerous hours with Mr. Ratan Tata, working and reworking plans.

The man has, one will have to admit, an eye for detail.

The project was personal to him. So personal that barring an occasion or two, he was the only person from Tata Motors attending those meetings.

I recall a few of us once stood in his office as he took a few pictures of the Nano out of his drawer for a sneak preview, before hurriedly locking them away again.
The risk of the pictures being leaked was too high.

Over an year has passed since that event. I have moved on to a different role, a different job. But yesterday’s telecast of the launch brought back memories. It was a privilege for all of us to be associated with the project.
For me, spending that kind of time with Mr. Tata was a greater privilege.

The Nano is an anomaly.
An anomaly defies conventional wisdom.

Remember all the stuff about how the Nano will damage the environment, clog the streets, the politics, the barrage of criticism, the protests etc etc?

Now read what the papers are saying.

Category: Auto Expo, Nano, Ratan Tata, Singur
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Comments

  • mads

    wow!
    u actually worked with the guy!!!
    and i agree, the nano sure rocks.

  • mads

    wow!u actually worked with the guy!!!and i agree, the nano sure rocks.

  • mads

    wow!u actually worked with the guy!!!and i agree, the nano sure rocks.

  • http://blinkjet.wordpress.com Devina

    Fascinating that you were so closely involved! Loved the title of ur post: Nanomaly!!! :) I’ll reserve judgment about the car till I sit in one. If it is everything they say it is, then, well….wow!!

    But must say, the Nano is a frickin case study on buzz marketing. Very well managed PR, great hype, lotsa noise, loadsa raised eyebrows, discussions, debates, WoM…now, would love to see what the launch campaign is all about. Although with the way things are going, the Nano doesn’t seem to be in want of a tagline!! ;)

    Now that the awareness & interest have been (rather successfully) generated, let’s hope the product delivers on its promise.

    Mr. Tata surely does deserve credit for delving into a brave concept as this!! & so does Rediff…I’m sure, for all the sleepless, cumbersome nights!! ;)

  • http://blinkjet.wordpress.com/ Devina

    Fascinating that you were so closely involved! Loved the title of ur post: Nanomaly!!! :) I’ll reserve judgment about the car till I sit in one. If it is everything they say it is, then, well….wow!!But must say, the Nano is a frickin case study on buzz marketing. Very well managed PR, great hype, lotsa noise, loadsa raised eyebrows, discussions, debates, WoM…now, would love to see what the launch campaign is all about. Although with the way things are going, the Nano doesn’t seem to be in want of a tagline!! ;) Now that the awareness & interest have been (rather successfully) generated, let’s hope the product delivers on its promise.Mr. Tata surely does deserve credit for delving into a brave concept as this!! & so does Rediff…I’m sure, for all the sleepless, cumbersome nights!! ;)

  • http://blinkjet.wordpress.com/ Devina

    Fascinating that you were so closely involved! Loved the title of ur post: Nanomaly!!! :) I’ll reserve judgment about the car till I sit in one. If it is everything they say it is, then, well….wow!!But must say, the Nano is a frickin case study on buzz marketing. Very well managed PR, great hype, lotsa noise, loadsa raised eyebrows, discussions, debates, WoM…now, would love to see what the launch campaign is all about. Although with the way things are going, the Nano doesn’t seem to be in want of a tagline!! ;) Now that the awareness & interest have been (rather successfully) generated, let’s hope the product delivers on its promise.Mr. Tata surely does deserve credit for delving into a brave concept as this!! & so does Rediff…I’m sure, for all the sleepless, cumbersome nights!! ;)

  • http://lynnisms.in Smiling Dolphin

    the proof of the pudding is in the eating which is many months away, and after that wait for what actual users will say after they have owned and driven it for a month or so…….as always, the heavier the hype the lighter the truth:-)

  • http://lynnisms.in/ Smiling Dolphin

    the proof of the pudding is in the eating which is many months away, and after that wait for what actual users will say after they have owned and driven it for a month or so…….as always, the heavier the hype the lighter the truth:-)

  • http://lynnisms.in/ Smiling Dolphin

    the proof of the pudding is in the eating which is many months away, and after that wait for what actual users will say after they have owned and driven it for a month or so…….as always, the heavier the hype the lighter the truth:-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Yup Devina: I don’t think it needs a launch campaign either :-)
    Lynn: Agree. And I sincerely hope the car lives up to the hype…

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Yup Devina: I don’t think it needs a launch campaign either :-) Lynn: Agree. And I sincerely hope the car lives up to the hype…

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Yup Devina: I don’t think it needs a launch campaign either :-) Lynn: Agree. And I sincerely hope the car lives up to the hype…

  • ashwini

    wow, you were a part of history as it was being made…truly a privilege rahul!

  • ashwini

    wow, you were a part of history as it was being made…truly a privilege rahul!

  • ashwini

    wow, you were a part of history as it was being made…truly a privilege rahul!

  • http://www.munnaontherun.com/ Munna on the run
  • http://www.munnaontherun.com/ Munna on the run
  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Interesting reads Hemant.
    Imagine charging your car for 7 hours :-)

    I am sure they will juice up the Nano for European markets (though if I remember correctly that’s 4-5 years down the line and by then the versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.3 etc would have happened)

    Rightly said, this country needs a better public transport system.

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Interesting reads Hemant. Imagine charging your car for 7 hours :-) I am sure they will juice up the Nano for European markets (though if I remember correctly that’s 4-5 years down the line and by then the versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.3 etc would have happened)Rightly said, this country needs a better public transport system.

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Interesting reads Hemant. Imagine charging your car for 7 hours :-) I am sure they will juice up the Nano for European markets (though if I remember correctly that’s 4-5 years down the line and by then the versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.3 etc would have happened)Rightly said, this country needs a better public transport system.

  • http://cockybox.com Harprabhjot Paul Singh

    I would’ve loved to work on that account. Especially if meeting Mr. Tata himself was going to be part of the show…

    It surely a loud voice from a teeny tiny Nano

    Here is my take on it…

    http://www.cockybox.com/2009/03/nano-peoples-car.html

    Cheers

  • http://cockybox.com/ Harprabhjot Paul Singh

    I would’ve loved to work on that account. Especially if meeting Mr. Tata himself was going to be part of the show…It surely a loud voice from a teeny tiny NanoHere is my take on it…http://www.cockybox.com/2009/03/nano-peoples-car.htmlCheers

  • http://cockybox.com/ Harprabhjot Paul Singh

    I would’ve loved to work on that account. Especially if meeting Mr. Tata himself was going to be part of the show…It surely a loud voice from a teeny tiny NanoHere is my take on it…http://www.cockybox.com/2009/03/nano-peoples-car.htmlCheers

  • kedar

    frankly, the launch was disappointing.
    and it was boring.

    in so many ways, the nano is for Tata today
    what the macintosh was for Jobs in 1984.

    so, i was hoping we’d see something
    on the lines of this -

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7219749745981699470

  • kedar

    frankly, the launch was disappointing.and it was boring.in so many ways, the nano is for Tata todaywhat the macintosh was for Jobs in 1984.so, i was hoping we’d see somethingon the lines of this -http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7219749745981699470

  • kedar

    frankly, the launch was disappointing.and it was boring.in so many ways, the nano is for Tata todaywhat the macintosh was for Jobs in 1984.so, i was hoping we’d see somethingon the lines of this -http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7219749745981699470

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    kedar – no comparison here :-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    kedar – no comparison here :-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    kedar – no comparison here :-)

  • http://tangled-up-in-views.blogspot.com meraj

    whats with the silence?

  • http://tangled-up-in-views.blogspot.com/ meraj

    whats with the silence?

  • http://tangled-up-in-views.blogspot.com/ meraj

    whats with the silence?

  • http://bornofchaos.blogspot.com/ gaea

    where have you disappeared?

  • http://bornofchaos.blogspot.com/ gaea

    where have you disappeared?

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Hey, was tied up with work, but back now :-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Hey, was tied up with work, but back now :-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Hey, was tied up with work, but back now :-)

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  • http://jigarbpatel.blogspot.com/ Simply Ridiculous

    Yup.. The Nano is certainly an example of Indian engineering and creativity..

  • http://jigarbpatel.blogspot.com/ Simply Ridiculous

    Yup.. The Nano is certainly an example of Indian engineering and creativity..

  • http://jigarbpatel.blogspot.com/ Simply Ridiculous

    Yup.. The Nano is certainly an example of Indian engineering and creativity..

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Thanks for the comment mate :-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Thanks for the comment mate :-)

  • http://rahuljauhari.com/ Rahul Jauhari

    Thanks for the comment mate :-)

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