PLEASE READ TILL THE END
When I made my first and introductory post here on Steemit 5 months back, I did mention the fact that I have a Guinness Record under my belt - read my introductory post. However, I did not get into finer details which I will do here.
L to R: Guinness official, Honda Cars India President, me, Shantonil Nag
I have been an automobile journalist here in India since 2005 and we sold an idea to Honda Cars for a great marketing initiative for their sedan offering, the 'Amaze'.
AIM - To break the (then) current record for the longest journey in a single country
FINE PRINT - This had to be done by the same team, in the same car, without taking the same route twice
With media (mumbai) and Honda officials
VERIFICATION - We had to get two witness signatures per day, make videos of every single day and ofcourse have a GPS device monitoring our every move. Partner in crime for this epic drive was close friend Shantonil Nag.
RESULT - We covered 23000 kilometers in 55 days by driving around India. From smooth expressways to freezing Himalayas, from sand dunes to coastal roads, we did it all
Splashing it up on the West Coast of India
MARKETING - We met customers at Honda showrooms on weekends and though this slowed our overall pace, this was essential for the 'connect' factor. Plus these meetings also allowed us to interact with the local media.
With the ship of the desert
This happened in 2014. The record has now been broken and belongs to someone in the States. Driving around India for 55 days wasn't easy. Spending 8-10 hours in the car on a daily basis started showing its negative side. Eating out every single meal made us put on weight and other issues. No workout time, daily blog deadlines and natural calamities kept us on our toes.
Freezing Himalayas
However, in the end, it was oh so completely worth it. Proud to have this title. We had to roll out videos on the move every week. Here are some examples!
First Leg
Second Leg
Thanks for tuning in. Feels great to refresh old memories :)
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