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Yamaha looks for creative and media partners for Ray
The Japanese bike major will make an entry into the scooter segment with the Ray in the second half of 2012.
Yamaha Motor is looking for creative and media partners for its scooter, Ray. The pitch process has begun in Delhi but is at a nascent stage. Till now, the two-wheeler company has invited credentials from about three agencies for this purpose.
Although the annual spend on media could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report, it is known to be substantial.
At the Auto Expo 2012/03, Yamaha Motor had unveiled its plan to launch a scooter prototype in India, called Ray. The company had also mentioned that the scooter would project a 'Cool and Beauty' image and would target young Indian girls. With its launch scheduled for later this year (probably the second half of 2012/03), Yamaha will now be present across all growing two-wheeler segments.
Ray will most likely be powered by a 125cc single cylinder air-cooled engine and will be styled in vivid colours.
This is the first time that Yamaha Motor will enter the scooter industry in India. Globally, the company has very interesting scooters and it intends to bring the range to India as well.
For the record, Yamaha made its initial foray into India in 1985. Subsequently, it formed a 50:50 joint-venture with the Escorts Group in 1996. However, in August 2001, Yamaha acquired its remaining stake, becoming a 100 per cent subsidiary of Yamaha Motor, Japan (YMC). In 2008, Mitsui entered into an agreement with YMC to become a joint investor in the motorcycle manufacturing company, India Yamaha Motor Private Limited (IYM).
Today, IYM operates through its manufacturing units at Surajpur in Uttar Pradesh and Faridabad in Haryana, and produces motorcycles for both domestic and export markets. The company also has a countrywide network of more than 400 dealers.