MPG bags media planning and buying mandate for 25 crore Hyundai Mobile account

After talks with three media agencies lasting over a space of a few weeks, Hyundai India Telecom has decided to allot its planning and buying mandate to MPG. Meanwhile, the creative kitty worth Rs 25 crore has been given to Contract Advertising, after a credentials round that featured four agencies.

Vijay R Singh, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director confirmed the development and stated, “We are a Chennai based company, and our main objective was to pick an agency which has a strong presence in the region, in addition to a well equipped office and a dedicated team. As far as our creative is concerned, we invited around four agencies for a brief credentials round, after which we allotted the task to Contract. Over the past few weeks, we were also in talks with three media agencies and MPG seemed like the right choice since it matched up to our requirements. We needed an agency (both for media and creative) which would understand the strategic requirements of Hyundai Mobile and provide the right launch pad. In addition to the Chennai presence of course.”

Singh, however, is tight-lipped about other agencies that were being considered for the job.

Hyundai India Telecom is bringing on an array of GSM and CDMA mobile phones to the customers and intends to focus, on the PDA and Smart mobile phones. It also plans to introduce the latest range of other synergistic 3G Mobiles products from the Hyundai Korea stable. The approximate time period set for the launch, is around 90 days.

Hyundai Telecom would be pumping in extensive marketing and brand building efforts for the new ad campaign. It plans advertising, outdoor, below the line, select events and promotions to provide impetus to the overall marketing efforts. The new ad campaign featuring Suniel Shetty (who is also the Chief Mentor & Director, Hyundai India Telecom) will break across all media vehicles by February 2005. Besides Shetty who is the obvious choice, the company would be roping in other brand ambassadors as well.

The company is setting up an extensive distribution cum service network which would spin across 100 distributors and 70 service centres across 30 cities.