Hyundai Faces Backlash In India After Kashmir Tweet

[tennisluvrredux]

Back in my college days, I was a marketing major. I took class after class on things like corporate identity, brand voice, and how to properly consider your target demographic in all forms of company communication. Out of all the various lessons I learned in those years, one big one has always stuck with me: “If possible, try to avoid injecting your brand into a nearly century-long geopolitical dispute.” Hyundai, it seems, missed that day in school.

Every year on February 5th, Pakistan celebrates “Kashmir Solidarity Day” “to express Pakistan’s support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination as envisaged in the UNSC Resolutions and in accordance with wishes of the Kashmiri people.”

This past Saturday, February 6th, a series of social media accounts seemingly belonging to Hyundai’s Pakistani wing made posts celebrating the holiday. In doing so, the accounts drew the ire of thousands of Indian social media users, with many going so far as to suggest a national boycott of the automaker.

 

 

 

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The posts came from unverified accounts claiming to be Hyundai Pakistan, but the response from the company’s Indian wing seems to neither confirm nor deny their authenticity. The statement calls the social posts “unsolicited” but doesn’t specify whether they were the actions of rogue employees or entirely fictitious accounts.

 

 

 

@PakistanHyundai, the Twitter account in question, has been locked down since the tweet. The account does, however, appear to have posted 237 tweets in its lifetime — likely more than enough for Hyundai to notice if an impostor account had been set up. While it certainly seems like the accounts could be real, it’s unclear how posts unsanctioned by the company made it through review — or if such a process exists at all.

 

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Rather than staying out all together, Hyundai has now taken multiple stances on the conflict. Maybe they should’ve attended class a bit more often.

[tennisluvrredux]

[tennisluvrredux]

South Korea's Hyundai Motor faced calls on Monday for a boycott of its cars in India after a tweet from the account of its Pakistan partner expressed solidarity for separatists in Kashmir.

The controversy erupted on Sunday, a day after posts on behalf of Hyundai's partner Nishat Group appeared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Hundreds of social media users in India backed calls for a boycott, saying Hyundai must apologise for the social media posts.

Dozens of Indians posted their intention to cancel orders for Hyundai cars in order to punish the company while urging support for homegrown brands like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra.

Responding to the controversy, 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 is offending our unparalleled commitment and service to this great country," @HyundaiIndia said, adding that it stands firmly behind its "strong ethos of respecting nationalism".

Reuters requested comment from Hyundai's headquarters in Seoul and from Nishat Group, Pakistan's largest business conglomerate, but did not receive any immediate response.

Hyundai is India's second-largest car seller after Maruti Suzuki selling close to half a million vehicles in the country last fiscal year and exporting over a million units, making it India's largest car exporter.

Ashwani Mahajan, an official at the economic wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) group, said Hyundai should clarify its position on Kashmir.

 

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"While not criticising @HyundaiPakistan Indian arm of @Hyundai_Global is not even saying that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Speaks tons about their commitment to India. Doesn't this call for #BoycottHyundai?", he said.

Twitter user Ashutosh Soni said he has cancelled his booking for Hyundai's Verna sedan which was due to be delivered this month and purchased a car from rival Honda Motor.

"#BoycottHyundai, that's it!", Mr Soni tweeted from his handle @CA_AshutoshSoni on Sunday, along with a photograph of himself taking delivery of a new Honda car.

"Let's make them bankrupt. India is one of the biggest market for cars," filmmaker and social activist, Ashoke Pandit said on Twitter with a screenshot of a fall in Hyundai's share price on Monday.

 

 

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While Hyundai's share fell 1.25% on Monday, weakening more than Seoul's benchmark index, the main factors behind the drop were concerns over record numbers of COVID-19 cases in South Korea, and ongoing worries that a global chip shortage could hit production and sales.

CommentsTwitter users in the country have made similar calls in the past, seeking to boycott Chinese goods after a border clash between the two Asian giants which disrupted automobile supply chains and other industries. Amazon.com Inc has also faced social media backlash in India after its overseas website was found selling goods with faces of Hindu gods and other sacred symbols.

[DummyVariable]

All auto stocks assam today 

[Raven_Rayes]

If I ever buy a car, it'll be Hyundai.

fcuk Indian losers.

[naranjaX]

They will start offering some enticing schemes for a few months and bookings will climb again 

[Hector8]

awesome.... ippudu aa cars unnolu andaru kalabettali .... or else they aren't indian's anymore

[sri_sri999]

3 hours ago, Raven_Rayes said:

If I ever buy a car, it'll be Hyundai.

fcuk Indian losers.

Inka nevvu respond avvaledu enta anukkuna nevvu asalu evarini disspoint cheyyavu kada suleman

[JackSeal]

4 hours ago, tennisluvrredux said:

Back in my college days, I was a marketing major. I took class after class on things like corporate identity, brand voice, and how to properly consider your target demographic in all forms of company communication. Out of all the various lessons I learned in those years, one big one has always stuck with me: “If possible, try to avoid injecting your brand into a nearly century-long geopolitical dispute.” Hyundai, it seems, missed that day in school.

Every year on February 5th, Pakistan celebrates “Kashmir Solidarity Day” “to express Pakistan’s support for the just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination as envisaged in the UNSC Resolutions and in accordance with wishes of the Kashmiri people.”

This past Saturday, February 6th, a series of social media accounts seemingly belonging to Hyundai’s Pakistani wing made posts celebrating the holiday. In doing so, the accounts drew the ire of thousands of Indian social media users, with many going so far as to suggest a national boycott of the automaker.

 

 

 

Related Stories

The Hyundai Tucson "Beast" From The Uncharted Movie Plays It Too Safe

Tesla Will Disable Rolling Stops

Noted Tesla Hacker Finds Evidence Of 'Seat Abuse' Protection That Locks You Out Of Seat Controls

The posts came from unverified accounts claiming to be Hyundai Pakistan, but the response from the company’s Indian wing seems to neither confirm nor deny their authenticity. The statement calls the social posts “unsolicited” but doesn’t specify whether they were the actions of rogue employees or entirely fictitious accounts.

 

 

 

@PakistanHyundai, the Twitter account in question, has been locked down since the tweet. The account does, however, appear to have posted 237 tweets in its lifetime — likely more than enough for Hyundai to notice if an impostor account had been set up. While it certainly seems like the accounts could be real, it’s unclear how posts unsanctioned by the company made it through review — or if such a process exists at all.

 

Subscribe to our newsletter!

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Rather than staying out all together, Hyundai has now taken multiple stances on the conflict. Maybe they should’ve attended class a bit more often.

@aath_care ban China products ani podduna lesthe China products vaduthalera… inko week lo evadu patinchukodu… ee tweet chese vallu andaru Hyundai customers aa

[Picheshwar]

4 hours ago, tennisluvrredux said:

ee AndhBhakt gallu prati danni boycott boycott antaru.

 

veella dear leader emo aakhariki statues contract kooda china ke istadu. thoo veella....