Effies 2010: Taking on competition; 'Discover'ing India

On the second day of the Effies 2010 case study presentations, Lowe Lintas spoke about the 'Discover India with the Power of One Litre' campaign for Bajaj Discover, which aimed to challenge the might of market leader, Hero Honda.

Mileage is undoubtedly among the top concerns for prospective vehicle owners, whether they're considering a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler. And it was on the mileage plank that the newly launched 100 cc Bajaj Discover DTS-Si took on the undisputed market leader in its segment, Hero Honda.

On the second day of the Effies 2010 case study presentations, Lowe Lintas presented its case on 'Discover India with the Power of One Litre'. The campaign was designed to promote the fuel efficiency of Bajaj Discover, so that it could challenge Hero Honda, the clear customer favourite with around 80 per cent market share.

Effies 2010: Taking on competition; 'Discover'ing India

The 'Fill it. Shut it. Forget it.' idea was etched in the people's psyche. The task, therefore, was to design a campaign that would provide for an average sale of 30,000 Discover bikes per month in the first quarter since launch and usurp the attribute of fuel efficiency from Hero Honda.

The answer was the Discover India campaign -- a series of films that showcased little-known but unique places in India. Thus were 'discovered' the Magnetic Hill in Ladakh, where magnetic forces pull vehicles uphill; Mattur near Mangalore, a Vedic village where people converse in Sanskrit; Jambur near Junagadh, a village with African tribal residents and Shani Shingnapur near Aurangabad, where houses don't have doors, since they are believed to be protected by Lord Shani.

The Experiences per Litre idea clearly put forward the superior fuel efficiency of the vehicle, saying that consumers could discover such interesting and fascinating places with the power of one litre, and save fuel in the process.

With region-specific communication, the campaign proved to be further successful. The campaign, the agency claims, yielded results that exceeded targets. Monthly sales of the new Discover touched 75,000 units, surpassing the targeted 30,000. Also, the brand successfully dented the leader's market share and showed a healthy growth rate.

The campaign has been shortlisted in the Consumer Durables (Automobiles and Auto Parts, Two Wheelers and Auto Related) category, as well as the new David v/s Goliath category at this year's Effies.

The David v/s Goliath category, as the name suggests, will recognise challenger brands that are increasingly making their presence felt among the established ones.

A total of 276 entries were received by The Advertising Club Bombay this year for the Effies, the highest ever received for the awards. Of these, 81 entries from 14 agencies were shortlisted for the presentation round.

The awards will be given away on December 07 in Mumbai.

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