For most car brands, launching a new model means glossy ads, teaser videos, and showroom displays. However in Japan, Honda decided to take a far more unusual route to build excitement around the much-anticipated return of the Prelude — curry. Yes, curry.
This story began last year when Honda’s Prelude development team quietly opened a curry pop-up store in Shibuya called the “Prelude-do.” The temporary shop only lasted four days, yet more than 1,000 visitors lined up to try the limited-edition dish.
The best part about this is that what initially sounded like a playful marketing gimmick has now evolved into something bigger. Case in point; Honda is now officially turning the concept into a packaged product called “Prelude Spice Pork Curry.” At first glance, the idea of an automaker selling curry may sound random, but the story runs deeper, as far as Honda is concerned.
According to Honda’s own company traditions, curry has long been part of daily life inside its offices and factories across Japan. Every Friday, Honda cafeterias serve curry udon, a practice rooted in the company’s manufacturing culture.
Since many workers wear white uniforms, curry was traditionally served before the weekend so stains could be washed afterward. Decades later, the tradition remains alive, with curry udon Fridays still drawing huge participation among employees.
The new Honda Prelude Spice Pork Curry was developed with Japanese curry expert and researcher Ichijo Monko. Instead of creating a simple novelty item, the team designed the curry to reflect the personality of the all-new Prelude itself.
Inspired by the hybrid sports coupe’s S+ Shift transmission technology, the curry includes selectable spice mixes that allow customers the flavor according to their preferences. Honda sees this approach as mirroring the idea of adjusting a car’s driving character through selectable drive modes.
Overall, it is a surprisingly clever concept. Rather than relying purely on horsepower figures or technical presentations, Honda found a way to turn the Prelude into something people could literally taste.
Autocar’s Take
There’s something refreshingly “human” about Honda spinning the return of the Prelude into a curry story instead of another routinary marketing campaign filled with buzzwords and performance charts. To many outside of Japan, the idea sounds strange, at first. But the deeper you look into Japanese culture and Honda’s long-running curry traditions, the more it makes sense.
It shows a company’s personality in a way a typical multimedia advertisement never could. The fact that the curry itself was designed to mirror the Prelude’s customizable driving experience makes the concept even smarter. It is quirky, memorable, and unmistakably Japanese in the best possible way.
But the most pressing question right now is… will Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) bring it here, at least as a quirky little something to build hype on the all-new Prelude? Filipinos love curry, too. And we could already imagine future iterations of the Honda Next Level Mobility Tour with a Honda Prelude Spice Pork Curry food station on the side to attract more visitors. Sounds good, yeah?
