Dhar & Hoon bags creative business of Aiwa

Dhar & Hoon has picked up the creative duties of Aiwa, the consumer electronics brand acquired by Sony globally. Sony India had evaluated a couple of agencies, but agencyfaqs! learns, it was keen on partnering with a creative hotshop. "In Dhar & Hoon we found the right partner," says Dinesh Chandra, head, marketing communications, Sony India. While the size of the business could not be ascertained, company sources mention by the next financial year, the company would have ‘fixed' the ad budget. The media part of the business is with Starcom, Sony's AOR.

Based on Sony India's plans to relaunch Aiwa in India and to position Aiwa as a youth brand, the agency was asked to make a creative presentation. Talking about the win, Nikhil Rungta, account director, Dhar & Hoon, says, "The pitch was won primarily on a fresh creative approach based on incisive understanding of the new youth trends in India. Aiwa is a big win for us and an important addition to our current portfolio of clients like Dabur Real, Revlon, Honda Cars etc."

While Aiwa has a vast product portfolio internationally, in India the company's products would be introduced in a phased manner. Sony plans to launch the personal audio range of Aiwa by the turn of the new year. In the first phase, Dhar & Hoon will work on Aiwa's home audio systems. The range is being launched in the markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.

The primary task of the agency is to launch Aiwa audio systems in India with the Sony ‘reassurance'. By reassurance the company implies assured after-sales services. Prasoon Banerjee, Aiwa, division head, explains the need for harping on the after-sale-service aspect. "The marketing strategy of Aiwa is two pronged," he says. "The first task is to correct the image that burdens the Aiwa brand. Aiwa carries a negative baggage because of the way it was marketed under Baron Electronics. We hope to address this issue by emphasising on the reassurance aspect, where unlike the way the brand was left in the lurch after it was sold (when it was with Baron), Sony would ensure a strong after-sales service." The Aiwa products would be serviced at the 102 after-sales service outlets of Sony across the country.

While instilling consumer confidence in the brand is one task, correcting the brand positioning is another. "We intend to pitch the Aiwa brand on the youth platform. By youth I do not mean the teens, but individuals with a youth-like mindset," explains Banerjee. So while Sony is promoted as a brand for the rich and the adults, Aiwa will gun for the masses. To that effect, the company has created a new logo for Aiwa. "The logo is in a passionate red colour which symbolises dynamism," adds Banerjee. © 2003 agencyfaqs!