Sumita Vaid
Advertising

Leo Burnett rides home Bajaj Pulsar

This sudden realignment of the Bajaj's major brands comes in the wake of the decision of the two-wheeler major to put five of its brands under the scanner

A week ago Leo Burnett had lost the CT 100 Bajaj motorbike account to Lowe. And, just last evening, Leo Burnett was awarded the creative duties of Bajaj's Pulsar.

Needless to say, Leo Burnett is definitely thrilled. Whatever little sadness that lingered post CT 100's departure is now forgotten. And, why not? Pulsar is Bajaj's flagship brand. Leo Burnett, in the past, had worked on a variant of Pulsar, DTSi. However, that was a one-off project.

The Pulsar account moves from O&M.

This sudden realignment of the Bajaj brands comes in the wake of the decision of the two-wheeler major to put five of its brands under the scanner. The review process is, however, confined to the club agencies of Bajaj - Leo Burnett, O&M and Lowe.

A decision on two brands - CT 100 and now Pulsar - has now been taken. The review process of the rest of the three brands is still underway. Discover, however, inform industry sources, is not under review.

The size of the business for Pulsar was not readily available, but considering Pulsar's enviable position in Bajaj's portfolio, spends will be huge. Huge is also the word that describes the excitement at Leo Burnett.

Says an excited KV Sridhar, national creative director, Leo Burnett India, " We are so happy about this win. All the club agencies were asked to make a creative presentation. And, we won the business. That, of course, is very gratifying."

In fact, such is the enthusiasm at the Mumbai office that the team has begun working on a new campaign on Pulsar. The TVC is likely to go on air in five week's time.

The expectations from the new campaign are going to high. O&M had positioned Pulsar on the novel creative idea - that of pure male instinct. 'Definitely male' was the slug. Leo Burnett's Sridhar kept us guessing on whether Pulsar's brand image will now change, or would elements of the previous ad be retained in the new one.

The Pulsar was the first motorcycle from the Bajaj stable not to wear the ‘Kawasaki' label. The bike - in two variants of 150 cc and 180 cc - is in direct competition with the Hero Honda CBZ and the Suzuki Fiero, both in terms of tech-specs and target-group appeal.

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