Automotive awards are not what they used to be

Automotive awards in India have gone through a metamorphosis and become a very big thing for all automobile manufacturers. A decade back an auto award given by the automotive media was welcomed by a manufacturer as recognition of its products. Now auto awards are not just an acknowledgement of its vehicles, but also important and essential marketing tools to sell its products. But now many manufacturers actively campaign for awards with some getting desperate to win them. In fact there are also manufacturers who demand awards. This clearly shows how vital winning auto awards has become for manufacturers in India.

As the year draws to a close, auto journalists start getting calls from manufacturer’s asking “When will the judging begin for your awards? What cars or bikes do you need us to send?” As the date of the jury rounds approaches, some …