mc<sup>2</sup> to handle advertising for Brother International (India)

Brother International is looking for a change in brand perception, and wishes to gain top of the mind recall in terms of IT solutions. The size of the business is approximately Rs 5 crore

Following a multi agency pitch, Brother International (India) has appointed mc² as its advertising agency. The size of the business is estimated to be Rs 5 crore. The other agencies involved in the pitch were Mudra and Euro RSCG.

Brother International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brother International Corporation, Japan, has a presence in more than 35 countries. The company currently operates in three business segments – printing and solutions (laser printers, multi-function devices, fax machines, labelling machines), personal home solutions (hobby sewing machines, embroidery sewing machines), and machinery solutions (industrial sewing machines).

mc<sup>2</sup> to handle advertising for Brother International (India)

Prabha Prabhu

Brother’s products have been available in India at various retail outlets, but no marketing initiatives were taken before the company set up its 100 per cent subsidiary in March this year. This is the first time that the company is building its corporate image and advertising its products in the country.

The company is looking for a change in brand perception, and wishes to gain top of the mind recall in terms of IT solutions. “Market research shows that Brother’s IT peripherals are not popular, but its office automation systems are. We needed an agency which will help us face the challenge of positioning the company strongly against our competitors,” reveals RS Anand Kumar, general manager, Brother India.

R.S. Anand Kumar

Prabha Prabhu, executive director, mc

, says, “The challenge is to position it against Hewlett Packard (HP) and the likes. We shall provide Brother with a 360-degree communication to promote its products, which are specially designed to suit the needs of the Indian market.”

Brother in India is headquartered in Mumbai, and has three other offices in Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. The company is looking forward to setting up offices in Ahmedabad, Pune, Chandigarh and Kolkata soon.

The media mix, apart from print and television, includes a series of below-the-line activities. The campaign is expected to launch soon. Some of Brother’s clients in India include SBI, RBI, Indian Railways, WNS, Tata, Taj, Hyatt, Jet Airways and Star Group.

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