Bates David, Maxus drive away with the Fiat business

Italian car maker Fiat will launch the Grande Punto and Linea Sedan in India this year. The car maker has brought on board Bates David Enterprise to handle the creative duties and Maxus to handle the media duties for the two launches. The pitch for the two businesses, whose collective size is estimated to be Rs 90 crore, was called in October 2007.

Bates David Enterprise won the creative mandate following a multi-agency pitch which involved agencies such as Leo Burnett, Grey Worldwide and Draft-FCB-Ulka. The incumbent agency was Leo Burnett’s second agency, Orchard.

Leo Burnett had handled the internationally aligned business of Fiat India for 10 years, but it had to give it up to Orchard when it acquired the duties for General Motors’ Spark.

Rajeev Kapoor, president and chief executive officer, Fiat India, says, “We identified Bates David Enterprise as the agency with the best capabilities to support us in building the new image for the brands and to help us accomplish our business plans in the Indian market.”

The agencies participating in the pitch were asked to come up with an innovative and fresh communication approach. Fiat India was looking for a strategic partner capable of translating the new international Fiat brand to the Indian reality in an edgy, creative way.

Sandeep Pathak, executive vice-president, Bates David Enterprise, says, “It’s a fantastic win for all of us at Bates. We believe that Fiat is a brand that has a great future in the country. There are some exciting new product launches on the anvil that will drive Fiat towards becoming a force to reckon with in the automotive industry. It was a heady combination of planning and creative and 360 degree solutions that helped us clinch this business. We’re absolutely thrilled that Fiat has reposed its faith in us! As a brand, Fiat holds a special place because it’s a business that I have been involved with in the past for over six years. This makes this win even sweeter.”