Leo Burnett claims Bajaj Auto's 'Super 100' bike account

Following a three-way pitch involving club agencies Leo Burnett India, Lowe and O&M, two-wheeler giant Bajaj Auto has appointed Burnett to handle the advertising for its soon-to-be-launched 100-cc motorcycle, code named Super 100. KV Sridhar (Pops), national creative director, Leo Burnett India, confirmed the news of the pitch and the win to agencyfaqs!, saying, "The pitch for Super 100 happened some one-and-a-half months ago. It was fiercely contested, as it was an important and prestigious account for all the three agencies. We are happy to have won the business."

The Super 100 - which was unveiled at the 7th Auto Expo 2004, held in New Delhi last month - is scheduled for launch sometime in April. Positioned at the "top-end of the entry-level segment", the Super 100 is touted to have ‘an ideal combination of economy, performance and style', with a claimed mileage of 100 kmpl (under standard test conditions). The bike is also supposed to incorporate a ‘Ride control system', which is apparently ‘a first in motorcycling technology'.

According to industry sources, the Super 100 is one of Bajaj Auto's most ambitious brand launches this year, and going by the buzz in the market, the company has earmarked an advertising budget of Rs 25-30 crore for the brand in the first year alone. Sridhar, of course, refuses to comment on spends, speculated or otherwise. Neither is he prepared to speak about the bike in much detail. "All I can say at this stage is that it will be a sensational launch which will excite the bottom segment of the motorcycle market," he says.

Billing aside, the Super 100 win is certain to have a positive rub-off on the morale at Burnett, vis-à-vis Bajaj Auto. It offsets the double disappointments that the agency had to put up with when it first lost the Caliber account (Burnett had launched the brand, it may be recalled), and then the pitch for the ‘612 World Bike' (which was subsequently launched as Bajaj Wind) to Lowe. The agency did bounce back when it was handed the Pulsar DTSi account, but the Super 100 win has clearly brought the spring back in Burnett's step.

"Yes, it's a nice feeling winning a big account," Sridhar says. And he attributes the "conviction that the agency displayed" as one of the main reasons for Bajaj awarding Burnett the account. "We went to them with one strong idea which was based on a good insight," he recalls. "We believed in the power of that idea, which is why we kept going back to them with the same idea. I think the idea grew on the client, and because they also liked our conviction, they bought it." © 2004 agencyfaqs!