Leo Burnett bags Bajaj Crystal

After having lost Bajaj Pulsar to O&M, Leo Burnett is back with a win. It has been awarded the creative duties for the yet to be launched scooter brand, Bajaj Crystal. This was confirmed to agencyfaqs! by a source at Bajaj Auto, although the source declined to give any further details.

Providing additional confirmation, however, is KV Sridhar, Leo Burnett’s NCD. “Yes, we have been awarded the creative duties for the Crystal and this is a product that will target young college students, both male and female.” The brand is likely to target existing TVS and Kinetic scooter users.

It is further learnt that the Bajaj Crystal is a technologically advanced product with special emphasis on design and styling. “But in a category as ‘me-too’ as two wheelers, most brands tend to load consumers with technological stuff. Here, our emphasis will be more on the benefits offered by that technology to the consumer,” Sridhar says.

The Bajaj Crystal was showcased at the Auto Expo held in New Delhi in January 2006, along with the Pulsar DT-SFi (an upgraded version of the Pulsar).

Bajaj Auto has three agencies on its panel, namely, Lowe, O&M and Leo Burnett. The company reviews its creative duties in two circumstances – if a new brand is to be launched or if an existing one has been upgraded. In such a case, all the three agencies are briefed and the one with the best creative makes the next campaign for that brand.

In May 2006, Bajaj Auto ordered a review of a similar kind. For one, Bajaj Pulsar is all set to upgrade itself in a few months. Also, a new model, the Bajaj Pulsar DTS-Fi, and a new product, the Bajaj Crystal, will be out in the market soon.

Following this review, O&M was given custody of the Bajaj Pulsar, which was earlier with Leo Burnett. Now that Crystal has gone to Leo Burnett, all eyes are on the Pulsar DT-SFi. Rumour has it that since O&M already handles the Pulsar, this one, too, will go to O&M. But a concrete decision is yet to be taken on this.

At present, Lowe handles most of the Bajaj portfolio, with brands such as the Avenger, Discover, CT-100, Platina and Wind 125 in its kitty.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!