How Did The Honda Super Cub Ad Campaign Change Public Perception of Motorcycling?

The Honda Super Cub has taken the world over by storm since its debut in 1958. It has grown to become one of the most favourable motorcycles worldwide. As for Honda, the Super Cub series has continuously grown in both Japan and the rest of the word. Initially, the Super Cub was not seen as a vital part of Honda’s overseas expansion outside Japan. Instead, the company saw it as a model that would have massive market potential in the United States. However, in the end, the Super Cub series alone saved Honda when it hit a dead end developing the American market. The introduction of the Honda Super Cub to the United States changed people’s perception of motorcycling.

How did it all start?

In the development of the Honda Super Cub, the leader of the project was none other than the founder and president of Honda, Soichiro Honda.  Honda’s co-founder and chief executive, Takeo Fujisawa was in charge of management and marketing. The goal of the project was to develop a smart, fun and inexpensive motorcycle that can be ridden by anyone. Within five months, the sales reached 24,000 units and the figure went up to 167,000. In its second year, which was 60% of Japan’s motorcycle sales. In the 3rd year, the sales escalated to 560,000 units.

What made Honda expand overseas?

Honda decided to expand sales overseas as the local sales were very promising. Takeo Fujisawa conducted a market survey to ensure the Super Cub would be a hit outside of Japan. The market survey concluded that Europe is a major market with potential sales of 2 million units per year. While Southeast Asia had a small market potential but had great future potential. America had the least predicted number of sales, standing at 60,000 units per year. The reason for America’s low market prediction was due to the public perception of motorcyclists, where people who use motorcycles were seen as outlaws. Conclusively, motorcycles did not have a very good reputation as a mode of transport.

However, even though Takeo Fujisawa knew America would be the most difficult market, he decided America should come first. Takeo Fujisawa’s decision saw true potential in the American market as the American population was twice that of Japan. On top of this, America was one of the wealthiest nations in the world with an abundant lifestyle.  However, people did not understand the fundamental joys that motorcycles bring. The consumer capacity and the market that could be exploited in America were vast. Takeo Fujisawa concluded that it would take an enormous effort to secure the American market but if they do win the market, the return would be immersed.

How did Honda tackle the American Market and Public perception?

The Super Cub was released to the American market as Honda 50 in 1961. Honda recorded sales of more than 1000 units and 40,000 in the following years.

Honda hit the jackpot when they released the “Nicest People” advertisement campaign with a catchy slogan: “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda” and “The Nicest Things Happen on a Honda.”

The goal of this advertisement campaign was to promote the Honda brand together with the mobility of motorcycles and the lifestyle. Conclusively to help change the public perception of the motorcycling.

What did the Ad Campaign do?

The campaign featured illustrations of men and women of different age groups and lifestyles riding the Honda Super Cub with the catchy phrase. Honda published the advert in magazines such as Time, Life, Look and the Saturday Evening Post. This was done to raise the social status of motorcycles and generate an affinity for the Honda brand.  As a part of the campaign, Honda also launched TV commercials to promote the Honda 50 becoming a lifestyle.

The special feature of life magazine, “America Falling in Love With Honda.” was circulated more than 7 million weekly. Life magazine wrote that Honda 50 had changed the American lifestyle and led to a different momentous way of thinking. The campaign was so successful that even the president of the United States told the prime minister of Japan that “Japan’s Honda has completely changed American life.”

How did Honda 50 become more successful?

Honda came up with various versions of the Honda 50 with different engines and specifications. These models include road-going sport versions and even off-road models ranging from 125cc to 750cc. In the 1960s, the Honda CA100 based on the Honda 50 came out with different kits to cater to the need of different social groups. The kit had four different packages namely; “Roadster”, “Rally”, “Boss” and “Student” as Honda could see the sudden market boom.

The Super Cub was so successful that two years ago in October 2017, Honda’s Super Cub series surpassed the worldwide production milestone of 100 million units. On top of this, the very same model celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2018.

As of now, the Honda Super Cub has evolved and currently, the latest model in the market is the Honda Super Cub C125.

Interested in purchasing this bike? Find out more here.

The Honda Super Cub continues to grow in number every day all over the world because of the way it is designed and engineered since its birth 60 years ago. It is the choice of Motorcycle in countries like Vietnam because of its robustness and even used by custom motorcycle builders because of its design cues.  On top of this, we might get to see an electric version of the Super Cub as an EV concept version was revealed during the 2018 Tokyo Motor show.