That red Maruti

It was not just another car; it became the quintessentially Indian car. Maruti is celebrating 25 years on Indian roads and it is worth wondering whether it changed India in more ways than it might have originally intended to. At a period when getting a family car meant waiting in queues, the Maruti signalled access. Many analyses point to the early 8217;80s as the start of India8217;s liberalisation era; and in a curious way, Maruti8217;s success anticipated the middle-class consumer revolution to come in the next decade.

But the Maruti brought also a sparkle to most eyes. Put bluntly, Indian roads were drab. It introduced to our roads the colour red. What is it about the colour red? It has come to be associated with so many iconic brands 8212; it almost endorses a belief in something greater. The most expensive brands have feasted on this perception. The MAC Red, they8217;d have you believe, is not just a lipstick, it8217;s a commitment, it8217;s a guarantee that with this purchase money will not be reaped by mega corporations but rather it will be sent to fight HIV in Africa. Another red, Chanel8217;s Rouge varnish, is a symbol of style. It is the highest selling nail varnish in history and the one colour which is most likely to be out of stock. From fashion to politics, almost all celebrities have endorsed rockstar Bono8217;s Red, the campaign initiated to fight AIDS in Africa.

Undoubtedly consumerism is the driving force behind corporations: all want to make a profit. Recently, Motorola launched its very own line of Red mobiles, and iPod soon followed. The colour red has come to signify a guaranteed sale, if not purely from the aesthetics of the product, then from what the product can do for you and for others.