Yamaha adds Bates Enterprise to roster for new products

After much speculation and a long wait, Yamaha Motor India has decided to split its Rs 50 crore advertising duties between Dentsu Communications and Bates Enterprise. The new player Bates Enterprise will handle the advertising duties for all new brands, which Yamaha plans to launch, this year. Meanwhile, the Dentsu – which used to handle the media as well as creative duties for all Yamaha brands – will continue to do the same for the existing brands(Crux and G5).

It can be recalled that agencyfaqs! had reported earlier that Yamaha Motor India was reviewing its creative as well as media duties in December 2005. Rediffusion DY&R, and RK Swamy/ BBDO were the other agencies in the fray besides Dentsu Communications and Bates Enterprise.

Rajiv Pruthi, general manager, sales and marketing, Yamaha Motor India, confirms the news, saying, “Our needs for the existing and upcoming brands are different. While we needed a continuity on the creative strategy for the existing brands, we also felt the need of a fresh approach for the new brands. This is why, while we have retained Dentsu to maintain this continuity, we have also hired Bates Enterprise for a fresh approach to the upcoming brands.”

“In addition, we also were impressed by the strategy presented by Bates Enterprise,” adds Pruthi.

On winning this new business, Subhash Kamath, CEO, Bates Enterprise, says,

“It is difficult to say what clicked with the client when we made our presentation. We worked on a combination of strategy and through the line thinking which seems to have worked.”

He adds, “Two-wheeler is one of the fastest growing sector and the challenge is to do creatives that will act as a differentiator for the brand. I think we are up for the challenge.”

When asked on the future course of action for Yamaha, Alok Agarwal, executive vice-president, Bates Enterprise, says, “The overall strategy will get evolved as we begin to work with the client.”

In mid-2004, the advertising duties for Yamaha Motor India’s corporate campaigns as well as its newly launched brand, Frazer, were awarded to Dentsu. Mudra used to handle the entire Yamaha portfolio prior to Dentsu.

In fact, Mudra continued to handle the Crux business even when a part of the Yamaha business was aligned with Dentsu. It was only in October 2005 that Yamaha Motor consolidated its entire advertising business with Dentsu.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!