TVS goes 'Babelicious' with new Scooty Pep+

The Scooty has always played a special role in a girl's life - right from school to college and even at times - her first job. Keeping the emotional factor alive, TVS Motors has launched its latest campaign for the newly introduced Scooty Pep+ range.

Titled 'Cop', the TVC opens on a girl on a Scooty, who is held up at a barricade put up to allow a fleet of the cars of a politician passing through. She honks at the cop manning the barricade and pleads with him to let her through - but he refuses. The girl then starts making childlike faces to grab the attention of the cop.

Conceptualised by McCann Erikson Bengaluru, the team included Anil Thomas and Joyeeta handling films, while print and digital have been handled by Jayan Narayan, Meera Prem, Neeraja M, Bijo Thomas and Kavita Mohandas. Vishal Nicholas handled planning, while the servicing team included Paul Philip, Kunal Madhavdas and Jeevan Kaur. Jonathan Lennard of Reel Company has directed the film.

"Hence, the importance of spontaneity and effervescence in the characters - who think it's okay to create a ruckus so that she could get past a barricade or the simple act of wearing lipstick in middle of the road."

Currently, the size of the two wheeler market is 10 lakh units per month, out which the variomatic (gearless) scooters category accounts for 1,50,000 units per month. TVS Motor Company manufactures 43,000 units per month, out of which 30,000 are Scooty and 13,000 are Wego.

Speaking about brand Scooty, S Srinivas, general manager, marketing, TVS Motor Company, says, "The constant endeavour of the Scooty brand team at TVS has been spotting emerging style, fashion and lifestyle trends amongst young women that can keep Scooty as the boldest fashion statement on the roads and in the process, give our consumers newer and fresher ways to express themselves as they continually redefine the meaning of femininity. Keeping the changing trends in mind, we had earlier introduced the special range, Wimbeldon."

The 'Go Babelicious' impact

So has the TVC cast an impact with the concept?

"The current advertising, I feel, is not doing justice to the brand. Girls using their charm or unfair advantage is a strategy which has been done a million times before. So there's nothing new strategically and the current creative doesn't add any new dimension to this route, which could have made it at least watchable. More importantly, from my point of view, the product doesn't have any role to play in the ad. A girl trying to use her charm to get her way can either be very cute or irritating. This, I fear, is tilting towards the latter."

For Jitender Dabas, executive planning director and vice-president, JWT, the agency has not focused on the new product range - rather, it has concentrated on the presentation of the girl. He adds, "I don't see much of a focus on product functionality here but I don't think that is the intention of the commercial. They seem to be trying to celebrate the bold, carefree attitude of the urban girl and the scooter is used almost as an accessory which enhances her attitude.

"The attitude surely comes through the grammar of the film and a very chic execution. It should, therefore, definitely find resonance amongst the young girls - though I personally prefer the first of the two TVCs (Make up). However, I don't see this positioning of 'Go Babelicious' as being very 'distinct' from all the scooter brands targeting the females. Now, they all seem to be celebrating the 'bold' attitude of the girl of today in one way or the other."