Why do Brands need to meddle in POLITICS?

Automobile company HYUNDAI found itself on Twitter this afternoon with the hashtag #BoycottHyundai, over a now-deleted tweet by Hyundai Pakistan

The company tweeted the same on February 5th.

Hyundai Motors and commonly known as Hyundai, is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer company headquarters in Seoul, South Korea founded in 1967

The social media handle of the Hyundai Pakistan team Tweeted a post

“Let us remember the sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers and stand out in support as they continued to freedom for struggle”

#HyundaiPakistan

#KashmirSolidarityDay

Hyundai India, the country's second-largest carmaker, has come under massive crossfire on social media after the car maker’s Pakistan arm released posts on its official Twitter and Facebook handles, announcing “solidarity with Kashmir”. Social media users in India on Sunday called for mass boycotts or canceling bookings of the carmaker.

Several verified handles of BJP and VHP ministers also called for boycotts of Hyundai India through tweets on Sunday, adding taglines such as 'Kashmir?Hamara hi Rahega’

Hyundai used to assemble cars in Pakistan until 2004 when their local partner Dewan Farooque Motors went Bankrupt.

Finally, Hyundai returned to Pakistan in2017 by partnering with Nishat Mills, a subsidiary of Nishat groups.

Hyundai Nishat is a Pakistani automobile manufacturer and a joint venture between Hyundai and Nishat Mills, based in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

It began production from its Faisalabad plant in 2019.

‘25 YEARS OF HYUNDAI IN INDIA’

It has been a runaway success, from debuting its?first model Santro to selling more than 9 million cars in India, for the South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Company, in India.

The market which was dominated by the top three major automobile manufacturers in the early 90s- Maruti, Hindustan, Premier- was a tough one to penetrate for a company that was unknown?to every Indian.

The journey began in 1996, and Hyundai launched its first car Hyundai Santro in 1998.

The Korean giant gained immense popularity in the Indian market, making it the second-largest automobile manufacturer in India, within a few months of its inception.

And, since then the company has maintained the second-largest share in India after Maruti Suzuki.

Hyundai holds a 17% market share as of January 2021, in India.

WHAT WORKED FOR HYUNDAI IN INDIA?

Industry experts said that brands should steer clear of sensitive political or cultural issues, or else face massive backlash.

“The heat the brand is facing in India is collateral damage from being a global brand which, for the lay consumer, is the same irrespective of country,” said Sandeep Goyal, managing director of ad agency Rediffusion. Goyal added that Hyundai Pakistan could have, in fact, should have, shown more restraint. “Political comments are highly?avoidable for brands as they often do more damage than good,”

Hyundai's India unit said that it has a "zero-tolerance policy towards insensitive communication and we strongly condemn any such view"

"The unsolicited social media post linking Hyundai Motor?India India is offending our unparalleled commitment and service to this great country," Hyundai India said, adding that it stands firmly behind its "strong ethos of respecting nationalism.