‘Hamara Bajaj’ to ‘World’s Favourite Indian’: A peek into Bajaj Auto’s advertising journey

Bajaj Auto's transition from a domestic scooter maker to a global motorcycle powerhouse speaks of its revamped positioning

by Misbaah Mansuri
Published: Jan 29, 2019 4:22 AM | 4 min read

Bajaj Auto’s move from ‘Hamara Bajaj’ to ‘The World’s Favourite Indian’ to announce its dramatic transition from a domestic scooter maker to a global motorcycle powerhouse merits a look at the brand’s journey from its good old days till now.

Bajaj Auto’s Hamara Bajaj ushered in a brand of advertising that was never tried before. One look at the ad and one could see that it presents a mirror to the old middle-class aspirations. No wonder, the brand slogan was ubiquitous for the longest of time.

Bajaj Auto Ltd now marches ahead with their revamped repositioning and their advertising communication for the same.

An exhilarating ‘ride’

So when ‘Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer’ hit the screen in 1989, it was still the pre-liberalisation era and forging a nationalistic identity in a campaign was quite common. But in 2001 the ‘Hamara Bajaj - Naya Hain Kal’ commercial reflected a strategic shift. By 2004, Bajaj was entrenched as a motorcycle company and the India story was global.

The umbrella brand gave birth to the individual communication one sees on television and elsewhere. Showing a montage of daily life, it advocated taking pride in an Indian brand. At a time before the Internet, mobile phones and 360-degree coverage, the creative work reached out in such a simple, endearing way, and yet carried such a strong message for the brand.

A proud Indian brand, Bajaj Auto gently reminded India of its Indianness in the face of a slew of foreign products invading the Indian two-wheeler market and creating an iron-hard positioning and brand value for it. It became so popular that at one time the scooters had a waiting list of almost 10 years.

Racing ahead

With a dramatic transition to ‘The World’s Favourite Indian’, the new brand identity has been communicated through a marketing campaign, featuring TV, outdoor, print and digital media. The retail showrooms of Bajaj Auto motorcycles and commercial vehicles will also undergo a transformation with new signage and branding in line with the message of ‘The World’s Favourite Indian’.

Having seen significant success in the overseas market, the brand seems to have adopted the revamped brand identity. Building on its ‘Hamara Bajaj’ roots of providing trusted and reliable mobility solutions, the company has significantly invested in technology and innovation to design motorcycles that are loved not only in India but 70 countries around the world. Of the company’s total revenue, 40 per cent comes from the international markets. It has earned US $13 billion of forex in the last 10 years and hit a milestone of 2 million units of international sales in 2018.

On the launch, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, said, “Our international performance is a validation of our strategy of focus and differentiation. Our unwavering commitment towards building the best motorcycles in the world through design, technology, quality and customer satisfaction have made us a truly global brand. The Bajaj brand is not only The World’s Favourite Indian, but also perhaps the most illustrious ambassador for the Make in India initiative of the Indian government.”

“In only 17 years since the launch of Pulsar, we have become the third-largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world ahead of several Japanese and European brands that have been around for much longer. In any market around the world, when people think of motorcycles, they should think of Bajaj. That would help us achieve our vision of being a Global Motorcycle Specialist,” he further added.

The creative communication

The ad film communicating this transition begins in India, documents the south and then the starkly beautiful north. It heads to Russia, bringing the famous Muscovite monuments and cityscapes to the fore before a troop of bikers on Bajaj motorbikes takes off on another adventure. The scene then quickly shifts to Mexico where even more bikers join in, proceeding to a Giraffe-filled Africa, then Malaysia, Turkey and the Hagia Sofia, Egypt and finally, Dubai. It essays how a company and brand that has its roots firmly in India has now evolved to become a global force.