Honda's second inning: All set to spread its "wings"

Positioning itself as the “Only Honda” in India, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has commenced its latest advertising campaign titled ‘Honda is Honda’. The brand launched its corporate campaign titled in two phases.

In the week-long Phase I, the brand launched a teaser on various social sites and blogs, followed by the TV teaser which was on air from July 15-18. Phase II, beginning this week, will see the 360-degree campaign spread across TV, print, radio, outdoor and cinema halls. Engaging with his fans, Honda’s brand ambassador Akshay Kumar, too, is promoting the campaign through his social page and YouTube feed.

Brand positioning

The new corporate campaign aims to unambiguously demonstrate that Honda is the partner of choice for Indian two wheeler customers in pursuit of their dreams, and to firmly embed Honda’s Wings as the metaphor of the company's commitment to enable people to achieve the lift they seek.

Speaking about the campaign, Y. S. Guleria, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, said, “Honda is Honda is not just another campaign, but announces the start of a new era. Honda has unleashed Wave 2.0 of its business expansion. As its next move, Honda is strategically reinforcing its solo and empowered identity, the “wings” as it makes inroads into rural environs.”

The company launched its first corporate campaign with “Hamein Jaldi Hain” (we are in a hurry) campaign, which spoke about how the country was in a hurry and how Honda could help the countrymen and women to their dream destinations.

“In its second campaign we wanted to establish clearly that this ride is not just a ride but a flight. It is interesting that when we ride a motorcycle or a scooter, we lift our feet off ground. When birds fly, they lift their feet off ground. The brand had this incredible symbol, which we had not leveraged. So it all came together in the new campaign,'' said Titus Upputuru, National Creative Director at Dentsu Marcom.

“The vast brethren of India get up every morning, charting a new journey on their two-wheelers – buoyed by their dreams and aspirations to surge ahead and take this steady flight to do better in their lives and create a better tomorrow. Their ambition to be better sets them chasing newer dreams, and making them work hard to realize them. The shrinking world and expanding horizons propelled by the wings of Honda make sure that no distance is too long and no road is too tough for these dreamers. This campaign is a salute to the million wing-riders who are soaring on the two-wheels of Honda. So no matter who you are, or what your dreams are, the wings of Honda will make sure you reach your desired destination,” said Abhinav Kaushik, Vice President, Account Management, Dentsu Marcom.

Storyboard:

The digital-first film shows an entire town intrigued by a spectacle taking shape high up in the sky. Little girls, boys, elderly men, rural women, global travellers, working professionals, monks, all looking up to the sky. What catches their attention are divers diving out of two planes and hovering over the town.

People peep out of windows, standing on terraces and coming together to watch the spectacle. One of them is Honda’s brand ambassador Akshay Kumar. Finally, the divers come together to form the Wing aerially. The spectators are thrilled to see Honda Wing high up in the clouds. As they ride on their respective motorcycle and scooter afterward, they too relate to the same feeling of ‘flying’. Akshay’s voice over at the end says, “Zameen se jab hum paanv uthate hain, pankh apne aap lag jaate hain” (When we take our feet off ground, we get our wings).

The song ‘Dekho dekhe ye zamaana, panchi uda jaaye re’ depicts how Honda Wings enable everyone to experience the flight every day, through the wings of trust it gives in the form of two wheelers.

Expert Speak:

According to Chraneeta Mann, National Creative Director—Regional, Rediffusion Y&R, “The ad is nicely shot, and the soundtrack is memorable. But, in terms of messaging I would say the film doesn’t really get a clear message across. If the idea is to say that Honda is the partner of the masses in realizing their dreams then that is expressed at best through the jingle. How would the consumer identify with trained skydivers flying through the air in formation? How is that the pursuit of anyone’s dream? I think what clearly gets established is the Honda Wings logo, but the difference that it makes in people’s lives, the relevance that it holds...that loop is not so clearly closed.”

Watch the ad here: