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Tag: Ayyappan Raj

  • The film, conceptualised by Mullen Lintas Mumbai, highlights the underlying message that it seeks to convey: #RideDontHide

    Bajaj Avenger urges fans to ride and acknowledge true wealth

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bajaj Auto has unveiled a new campaign that urges Indians to discover true wealth (and not just the materialistic stuff that has come to the fore post-demonetisation). Commenting on the need for the film, Sumeet Narang, VP Marketing, Bajaj Auto Ltd said: “We, as a brand, understand Avenger riders really enjoy and cherish riding and value experiencing outdoors. They seek treasure on either mountain tops or some sunny beaches. When demonetisation took the country by storm, we saw the subject of wealth accumulation from the riders’ perspective.”

     

    The film, conceptualised by Mullen Lintas Mumbai, highlights the underlying message that it seeks to convey, namely #RideDontHide. It begins with a statement on the immense wealth that the protagonist, or rather the rider, possesses as he makes his way across amazing trails in the country. Agreeing that his wealth is stashed away across many places, he makes his way to those locations much to the curiosity of the viewers. He eventually leads viewers to the natural wealth that’s abundantly available like the greenery, blue waters, bright yellow leaves, white snow etc. He eventually confesses that he is indeed wealthy beyond measure but none of it is black. Thus every ride that one embarks on makes him richer; richer by newer experiences.

     

    Commenting on the film, Ayyappan Raj, EVP-Mullen Lintas Mumbai said, “Bajaj Avenger has been engaging on social media with topical messaging for almost a year now – from IPL to Social Media Day to Brotherhood Day. And it has worked quite well for the brand. This time, there’s a POV that’s very true to the biker’s attitude/outlook and sincere to the brand belief. How does the Avenger rider look at wealth is the perspective that we’ve brought out in the current context. It’s already got a good response and has received positive comments & feedback.”

     

    Highlighting the creative thought process behind the campaign, Shriram Iyer, NCD, Mullen Lintas said, “A rider’s wealth is the experiences he collects while riding. Riding brings us closer to the wealth of nature. The current conversation about black money allowed us a powerful context to make this point. Acknowledging the beauty of the world around us will.”

     

     

     

    About Mullen Lintas:

    Launched on August 1, 2015, Mullen Lintas is the new creative agency offering from MullenLowe Lintas Group.It is headquartered in Mumbai with presence in key cities of Bangalore & New Delhi. The agency understands that a great brand needs a great narrative that flows seamlessly through screens, experiences, shopping environments and conversations. Mullen Lintas is born ahead of the curve and intends to remain a mashup of the enduring and the emerging. It intends to partner brands whose reality or ambitions are driven by a passionate pursuit of leadership.

     

    MullenLowe Lintas Groupis one of the largest country operations of the MullenLowe Group (part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). It has operating divisions in advertising (Lowe Lintas, Mullen Lintas), design (dCell), PR (GolinOpinion), brand consulting (LinConsult), experiential marketing & activation (LinEngage),video content (LinProductions), digital marketing (LinTeractive) that manage 300+ clients. With a talent pool of over 900 people across 7 cities in India, MullenLowe Lintas Group currently manages more brands amongst the Top 10, Top 20, Top 50 and Top 100 of AC Nielsen-Brand Equity’s India’s Most Trusted Brands (2013 and 2014), than any other agency in India. MullenLowe Lintas Group was also ranked the No. 1 creative agency in the world in effectiveness by the World Advertising and Research Council’s report, WARC 100 for two consecutive years (2015-2016). Recently, the group was declared the Effie Agency of the Year for 2015 in India & also the APAC Effie Agency of the Year 2016.

     

    To know more about MullenLowe Lintas Group, visit us at www.mullenlowelintas.in or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube

     

    For further information, please contact: 

    GolinOpinion                                                  MullenLowe Lintas Group

    Aparna Mehrotra                                          Johnson Napier

    +91 9969623947                                            +91 9892981600

    aparna.mehrotra@golinopinion.in             johnson.napier@mullenlowelintas.in

     

  • Conceptualised and executed by Mullen Lintas, the film has been unveiled only on the online medium

    Bajaj Avenger celebrates ‘Brotherhood Day’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Not many know that  ‘Brotherhood Day’ is observed on September 11. For brands, this has been a distant proposition where nothing significant has been attempted to connect with their consumers. But this Brotherhood Day, Bajaj Auto took the lead with its cruiser brand, Avenger to connect with popular bike brand, Royal Enfield, in its category in a unique way.

     

    Conceptualised and executed by Mullen Lintas, the film has been unveiled only on the online medium. It captures the common thought of riding shared between the two brands who are both iconic in their own respective ways. As such, brotherhood as a concept is inherent to the road, the rider and his machine. The insight is especially true for brands that put these machines out on the road. What better occasion than Brotherhood Day to talk about the thought, through a film that is pitched right in order to resonate with both, Bajaj Avenger and also with the whole riding community.

     

    Sharing his views on the unique nature of the idea, Sumeet Narang, Vice President – Marketing, Bajaj Auto Ltd. said, “There is a natural tendency for bikers to connect and bond during their rides. And that connections cuts across language, culture, region, brands and bikes. The core belief of Avenger is ‘liberation’ and that one should never be trapped by any man made boundaries. This ‘Brotherhood Day’ film also encompasses the same thought subtly and manifests the joy of riding as one.”

     

    Highlighting the unique aspect of the digital film, Ayyappan Raj, EVP – Mullen Lintas Mumbai said, “The best part of creating work for Avenger is the fact that there is a very clear brand brief and from there we keep looking for and finding new, interesting ways to engage with our audience. Wishing Royal Enfield Brotherhood Day is one of them. The insight was at the core of how riders feel clannish to the brands they belong to. On eve of Brotherhood Day, Avenger being a most sought after bike for long rides, it called out to all bikers to ride and celebrate the bikers’ brotherhood day. Between the Avenger brand team and Mullen Lintas team there’s a lot of co-creation that’s happening and there’s a lot more to come.”

     

    The film traverses the journey undertaken by two riders on their favourite riding machine. Whether life offers a rough or smooth ride or puts one through circumstances that are not pleasant, it is the innate bond of brotherhood that keeps them going to achieve more in life. The film communicates this thought in a very candid manner.

     

    The film was tweeted with a greeting by Bajaj Avenger to Royal Enfield and simultaneously unveiled on Bajaj Avenger’s Facebook page and YouTube channel and will be promoted across other social assets as well. Since being unveiled, the film has received over 700k views in 24 hrs. Viewers have started tagging their RE/Avenger friends on FB and are also sharing pictures of the two bikes together and going for a ride too.

  • To be launched first on the digital platform, the integrated campaign borrows from the successful theme of 'Feel Like God' which made the Avenger a highly sought-after bike when it was launched more than a decade ago

    Bajaj Avenger promises a ‘Feel like God’ experience in new campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    The era that we live in today is replete with chores and responsibilities that demand something more than the ordinary. Every day is a struggle where one has to literally push and challenge oneself in their pursuit to achieve something over the ordinary. This adage is particularly true for regular office-goers and those with mundane 9-5 jobs, who are often caught in a rat race to stay afloat and be noticed. But then there are those just chose to veer from the ordinary and do things their own way. Or rather approach life in a relaxed and non-conformed manner. These are the doers that Bajaj Avenger seeks to communicate with as it unveils its latest campaign.

     

    To be launched first on the digital platform, the integrated campaign borrows from the successful theme of ‘Feel Like God’ which made the Avenger a highly sought-after bike when it was launched more than a decade ago. In keeping with the original philosophy, the latest campaign that has been conceptualized by Mullen Lintas, shows the Avenger man traversing a ‘break free’ journey yet again and sees him giving up certain choices that would have otherwise impaired his freedom.

     

    The campaign has been developed based on the insight that there is too much cut-throat competition around us and that everyday has become a rat race for all. People today are competing with everyone and for almost everything. And while we are busy competing and dealing with insecurities of everyday life, we have lost sight of life itself. We have forgotten the bigger picture, forgotten the joy of discovering who and what we are. That’s because all we end up doing is playing the rat race. The new campaign thus serves as a wake-up call, especially to the youth, bringing them face to face with the bitter truth of their lives. It makes them relive and discover life; making them ‘Feel like God’.

     

    Commenting on the launch of the new campaign, Sumeet Narang, Vice President – Marketing – Bajaj Auto Ltd, said, “We launched 3 new variants of the Avenger – Cruise 220 and Street 220 and 150 and they have been hugely successful from day 1. The bikes not only serve well for daily city commute, but are also perfectly designed to take long weekend and adventure rides with aplomb. Their relaxed riding position, impeccable performance and world class looks have made them a big draw especially with the hard working young professionals. Our interactions with customers revealed their love for weekend escape trips on Avenger. Several Avenger riding communities have also come up which celebrate the feeling of liberation this bike offers. Our brief to Mullen Lintas was to dramatise this sense of liberation but with a context to daily life”.

     

    Providing his perspective on the idea for the campaign, Ayyappan Raj, Executive Vice President – Mullen Lintas, Mumbai said, “For the tribe of Avenger riders, ‘Feel Like God’ is a way of life. Which is the reason why we have approached the entire campaign more like a lifestyle brand and not a typical two-wheeler brand. From the digital videos (demonstrating the riding experience) to all the social media engagement and the special rides, we’ve tried to create a ‘Feel Like God’ experience for the Avenger aspirers. The coming days will see more communication being unveiled that will espouse the cause even further, including the activities planned through our FB page ‘Avenger United’.”

     

    The campaign shows the Avenger man undertaking his ‘break away’ journey reminiscing the things and experiences that would have otherwise slotted him among the ordinary. A journey where he forgoes the rush-hour race where all scramble to reach their office in time, or the race to grab the most sought-after chair in the office or to gain good monetary raise, or even the race to garner fame and a corner seat in the office…basically stay away from the rat race and opt for a life that detests these temptations. It is when one rises above from his or her everyday role that they get to experience the ‘Feel like God’ moment.

     

    Explaining the creative thought-process, Shriram Iyer, National Creative Director, Mullen Lintas said, “The campaign attempts to capture the spirit of ‘Feel like God’. Again. An idea that originally launched the bike a few years ago, remains as relevant today as it was then. Back then we saw a rider effortlessly forgiving the people who did him wrong. And now, it’s a rider who laughs softly as he imagines the world of men caught in a rat race. He imagines the futility of it all. And as he takes in the road, the sky, the sun and the wind, he ‘Feels like God’. He rises above the everyday. He distances himself from the preoccupations of modern life. He chases nothing; rather, he ‘Feels like God’.”

     

    After a digital burst for a few days, the campaign would traverse the offline route and play on popular television channels across regions & genres.

     

    Team credits:

    Agency: Mullen Lintas

    Creative: Amer Jaleel, Shriram Iyer, Garima Khandelwal, Satish Sethumadhavan

    Account Management: Raj Ayyappan, Manish Somani, Ahsan Khan, Pallavi Krishna

    Planning: Ekta Relan

    Production House: Shouvik Basu

    Director: Richard d’alessio

     

    About Mullen Lintas:

    Launched on August 1, 2015, Mullen Lintas is the new creative agency offering from MullenLowe Lintas Group. It is headquartered in Mumbai with presence in key cities of Bangalore & New Delhi. The agency understands that a great brand needs a great narrative that flows seamlessly through screens, experiences, shopping environments and conversations. Mullen Lintas is born ahead of the curve and intends to remain a mashup of the enduring and the emerging. It intends to partner brands whose reality or ambitions are driven by a passionate pursuit of leadership.

     

    MullenLowe Lintas Group is one of the largest country operations of the MullenLowe Group (part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). It has operating divisions in advertising (Lowe Lintas, Mullen Lintas), design (dCell), PR (GolinOpinion), brand consulting (LinConsult), experiential marketing & activation (LinEngage), healthcare marketing (LinHealth), video content (LinProductions), digital marketing (LinTeractive) that manage 300+ clients. With a talent pool of over 900 people across 7 cities in India, MullenLowe Lintas Group currently manages more brands amongst the Top 10, Top 20, Top 50 and Top 100 of AC Nielsen-Brand Equity’s India’s Most Trusted Brands (2013 and 2014), than any other agency in India. In February 2015, MullenLowe Lintas Group was ranked the No. 1 creative agency in the world in effectiveness by the World Advertising and Research Council’s report, WARC 100. Recently, the group was declared the Effie Agency of the Year for 2015 in India.

     

    To know more about MullenLowe Lintas Group, visit us at www.mullenlowelintas.in or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube

     

    For further information, please contact:

    GolinOpinion                                                      MullenLowe Lintas Group

    Aparna Mehrotra                                                Johnson Napier

    +91 9969623947                                                  +91 9892981600

    aparna.mehrotra@golinopinion.in              johnson.napier@mullenlowelintas.in

     

     

  • Appointments made across Mumbai, New Delhi & Bangalore

    Mullen Lintas announces senior leadership team

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mullen Lintas, the recently launched creative agency of Mullen Lowe Lintas Group, has appointed its senior management team across cities.

     

    Amer Jaleel

    Announcing the new team, Amer Jaleel, Chairman and CCO – Mullen Lintas noted, “I’m thrilled with the all-star-lineup that Mullen Lintas has been able to assemble in such a short time. With this kind of firepower at the start, this team has the weight-class to rival the biggest and the best. I look forward to cutting our teeth into briefs, and creating some great work together.”

     

     

    Ekta Relan

    Ekta Relan has been appointed Senior VP & Planning Head – National Brands. Based in Mumbai, Ekta’s mandate would include leading the strategic planning function across offices and brands for the agency.

     

    Ekta has spent more than 15 years in the insights and ideas business. Prior to Mullen Lintas, she was with Sapient Nitro Singapore for about 2 years, Unilever (India & Singapore) for 7 years and Lowe Lintas for 5 years. During her career, she has handled a rich portfolio of brands like Fair & Lovely, Pepsodent, Clear, Moet, Lux, Paddle Pop, Health Promotion Board Singapore, Continental foods, MetLife and Eu Yan Sang.

     

    Garima Khandelwal

    Leading the Creative Art function for Mullen Lintas would be Garima Khandelwal who has been appointed Executive Creative Director. Garima would be based in Mumbai and would drive the creative function on core brands for the agency.

     

    In her last role, Garima was the Group Creative Director at Lowe Lintas where she worked for 5 years lending her creative expertise to a diverse client set across product categories. She has spent a total of 15 years in advertising and began her career with Ogilvy in Delhi. From there she briefly migrated to Prague where she worked for Leagas Delaney, on the Skoda account for the European market. Some of the clients that she has been associated with include Suzlon Pals, Tata Tea (Kala Teeka), Axe (Boat Party), Liva, etc.

     

    Syed Amjad Ali

    The business mandate for the Delhi office would be led by Syed Amjad Ali, who has been appointed Executive Director. Amjad moves into this role from Lowe Lintas Delhi, where he spent 20 years in multiple business leadership roles managing large client portfolios across product categories.

     

    Amjad has led the business mandate for a host of clients including Maruti Suzuki, Olx, Havells, Micromax, Hero Motors, Dabur, Expedia, LG Electronics, Greenply, Woodland, ABP etc. Under his leadership, brands have benefited through highly effective advertising and won many effectiveness awards.

     

    Ayyappan Raj

    The business mandate in Mumbai would be led by Ayyappan Raj who assumes the role of Executive Vice President. With this new role, Ayyappan moves to Mumbai from Bangalore, where he was heading a unit for Lowe Lintas.

     

    Ayyappan has spent the last eighteen years in advertising handling business for Chennai and Bangalore markets across a host of agencies including Ogilvy, Lowe Lintas and McCann Erickson. With the ability to break down any complex problem to the simplest solution possible, Ayyappan has offered effective solutions to a host of clients spanning different industries like Automobiles, Personal Care, Food & Beverages, Telecom, Insurance and Technology. Few prominent clients that Ayyappan has worked on include Saint-Gobain, Vodafone, TVS Motors, Britannia, MetLife, Tata Tea, ITC Foods etc.

     

    Kishore Subramanian

    The Bangalore business for Mullen Lintas will be driven by Kishore Subramanian who assumes the role of Executive Vice President. In his last role, he was Head of Karishma Lintas in Bangalore.

     

    Kishore is a finance professional who accidentally walked into advertising about 19 years ago. After learning the ropes in Grey, he moved on to Lowe Lintas where over a period of twelve years across Mumbai and Bangalore, he worked on exciting brands like Sonata, Tanishq, Fastrack, Kissan, and Britannia both as an account person and a strategic planner. He followed it with a short crash course in Japanese work ethic, cars (Toyota) and culture at Dentsu where he headed the Bangalore operations. From there he moved to JWT, in a strategic planning role, and worked across both the Delhi & Mumbai offices on the GSK and Godrej business.

     

    Welcoming the new team on board, Virat Tandon, CEO – Mullen Lintas said, “This is a dream team to start off with. Between them, they have shaped the biggest and the best brands in the country and internationally. With this formidable team, we offer clients, caliber that is second to none. We can’t wait to get going and showcase our prowess as the new creative startup to watch out for.”