Can Honda ride on 'Hero'?
Conceptualised by Dentsu Marcom, the ad bets on individual identity with 'Apni Film ka Superstar'. The brand has taken the rural route to appease masses for the first time

There’s a ‘Kanjoos Lala’, there’s ‘Badnaam Traffic’ and there’s ‘Zaalim Raaste’ – Wait! It’s not the remake of Ramesh Sippy’s ‘Sholay’, but the new ad campaign of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) titled ‘Superstar’ for its Dream Series mass motorcycle – the 110cc Dream Neo.
Conceptualised by Dentsu Marcom, this is the first time that HMSI has taken the rural route to appease the masses.
Dream Neo from Honda caters to the needs of the Indians who aspire for an expression of individual identity with ‘Apni Film ka Superstar’ concept. The masses desire for a bike to deliver best in class mileage with star features in a limited budget. HMSI had announced its plans to aggressively expand its presence through India-specific brand identity ‘Sach Kardenge Sapne’ and various new launches at the largest automobile event Auto Expo 2012.
To establish a stronger foothold in the entry level two-wheeler market, Honda’s new 100cc mass segment offering – ‘Dream Neo’ will be an extension to its product portfolio.
Rather than aspiring to be someone else, the campaign celebrates the protagonist as not just a star but a superstar in his own life, in his own right.
The film begins with protagonist saying, “Ye meri phillum hai aur iss phillum ka main Superstar hoon”. He wears sun glasses and a jacket that says, ‘Horn Ok Please’. He is shown riding the bike through Chambal like rocky terrains and we see the villains in his life – Kanjoos Lala, Badnaam Traffic and Zaalim Raaste. He then goes on to say that when he gets on his Dream Neo, the features of the bike help him feel on top of things so much so that all the villains in his life disappear. He rides past all the villains and meets the ‘Mrs Superstar’ and asks her “Phillum chale?” She replies saying, “Apni phillum itni achchi toh auron ki kyon dekhe?” The film ends with the tagline ‘Dream Neo, Bano apne phillum ka superstar’.
On the campaign, YS Guleria, Vice President – Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “Creating a new paradigm in mass mobility, Dream Neo is Honda’s most affordable and most fuel efficient two-wheeler ever in India. While Dream Neo is loaded with attractive and best-in-class features such as top mileage of 74 kmpl, it is being delivered at a truly aggressive pricing to delight Indian customers. I am confident that the new TVC of Dream Neo will create top-of-the-mind recall with its out-of-the-box and local customer-centric theme.”
“The idea was simple – what would happen if the struggling man out on the street thought that his life was a movie, and that he was the protagonist of his own movie. Honda’s latest offering, Dream Neo helps him take this leap in his mind. The 110 cc motorcycle has stellar features that help him conquer the daily grind and be on top of things. We thought this was apt story because we are talking to an audience who are heavily influenced by the visual 75mm screen. They look up to superstars. We thought what if we make them think that they could be the superstars of their own lives, that they, if they wish to, could live the lives of the icons they look up to,” said Titus Upputuru, NCD, Dentsu Marcom.
The campaign will be supported through print and digital.
Will the individual identity help?
Expert take
Satbir Singh, Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India said, “I found it funny that Honda’s former collaborator in India says there’s a hero in you and Honda says there’s a superstar in you! Be that as it may, they could’ve tried something catchier with the same positioning; something that stays with you a little longer.”
Our take
‘A dabangg hero with brutal villains in a rural setting’ – this defines the new ad of Honda Dream Neo. After analysing the life of a rural consumer, the brand has successfully found a man who stands out for his confidence and assurance in himself. Hence, the insight of bringing alive this dimension of celebrating the individual identity with ‘Apni Film ka Superstar’ concept has hit the bull’s eye. The whole idea of celebrating the protagonist not just as a star but a Superstar in his own life is very good.
The ad has been executed in an entertaining way and clearly helps in understanding the insight behind the campaign. The use of phrases like ‘Kanjoos Lala’, ‘Badnaam Traffic’ and ‘Zaalim Raaste’ adds to the local flavour. The choice of the characters are very good, especially the protagonist with the right attitude.
It is interesting to see the way they have portrayed the various loop holes while driving on rural roads. Unlike other motorcycles ads, this one intelligently describes the product features without being too obvious. However, the rustic settings and dabangg attitude looks similar to Salman Khan’s ‘Chulbul’ style of Suzuki Hayate – Yun Hi Nahi Chalate.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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