Law & Kenneth to craft aggressive campaign for Harman; marketing spends pegged at Rs 12-15 crore

The International premium audio and entertainment brand Harman, is on the threshold of rolling out a visibly aggressive advertising campaign in India. Harman entered the Indian market in 2010 and this is the first brand campaign since then.

Industry sources inform afaqs! that the advertising and marketing budget for the account is around Rs 12-15 crore. This amount has been earmarked for the period until March 2012.

The agency has been appointed to handle the creative mandate for all brands under the Harman umbrella, and the focus brand in India, as of now, is the popular electronics player JBL. The brand is best known for its high-definition audio speakers and audio docks.

In India, the first leg of the campaign is slated to break in a day's time. Commenting on the brand positioning for JBL, Anil Nair, chief executive officer, Law & Kenneth, tells afaqs!, 'The positioning statement is -- True sound as the composer meant it to be', adding that the core TG (target group) includes youngsters within the 24-35 years age bracket.

Since the brand carries a premium feel, the target audience primarily belongs to SEC AB. Music lovers who are particular about the music they listen to, and individuals who enjoy personal music in the form of iPods, iPads and music in their private cars, form an essential part of the TG.

This communication is part of a global campaign for the brand, and will hence feature veteran musician, A R Rahman, the global endorser for JBL.

"This is the first time, globally, that Harman is going for such an aggressive marketing push," Nair continues. India, China and the USA are the key focus markets for the brand, globally.

The media mix for the brand is as follows: Initially, that is for the first leg of the campaign, there will be a visible print campaign. This will be rolled out in the top eight metros of India, with the aim to announce the thematic campaign for JBL. The print campaign will last for the entire festive season, through Diwali, until Christmas. Somewhere along the way, around the pre-Diwali time, an OOH (out of home) campaign is slated to break; the reach of this outdoor communication will go beyond the top eight metros.

"Phase two of the campaign will be an attempt to get consumers to interact with the brand," says Nair. This leg of the communication will be digital-heavy and experiential in nature. Part of this phase includes jam sessions that will be conducted at several touch-points, across cities, populated by the brand's core TG.

Consumers will even be given the opportunity to interact with A R Rahman at these sessions.