AD Agencies
Leo Burnett partners with Bajaj Auto to create ‘V’
MUMBAI: It was a leap of faith of sorts when Bajaj Auto took to Leo Burnett’s idea of carving a bike out INS Vikrant’s metal scraps, and from a mere prototype gave shape to Bajaj V, whose launch has set social media ablaze .
Amidst tweets, photos, Facebook status updates and insta-shares, the latest commuter segment bike offering from Bajaj Auto titled ‘V’ launched with much pomp and show in Delhi today.
The bike was already making headlines since a video with a preview of it went viral online almost a week ago. Conceptualised by Leo Burnett India, the video shows documented footage of the aircraft carrier in all its glory and its subsequent dismantling in 2012 which is sure to set pangs across several patriots in the country who grew up with the name Vikrant.
And the subsequent shot of the new bike born from the ashes of the war ship’s scrap sends across a sense of awe.
While it is of common knowledge that Leo Burnett India are behind the creative campaign for the new bike, very few are aware that the original idea for the bike actually came from the agency as well.
The idea for Bajaj V, came from a prototype that Leo Burnett had conceptualised for their long term client.
“We had to come up with a way to deliver on the idea if ‘Hamara Bajaj’. We didn’t want to go with the old song and dance formula and deliver something more participative. It was around the time Vikrant was going through its decommissioning and was being scrapped. Seeing the unanimous dismay over the scrapping, the team felt what if there was an iconic bike that carried the symbol of vikrant and every Indian could own it ? What better way to communicate hamara Bajaj?” asks Leo Burnett CEO Saurabh Verma.
“Even in its nascent stage we only had a limited edition launch in mind and built the entire prototype on the back of that. It elaborated on how people will connect to it and engagement and campaign ideas for it.” Verma adds. Little did he know that automobile brand will take the idea to the next level. Bajaj Auto bought away the Vikrant metal; enough to process it to be a part of gas tanks of a lac of V motorcycles.
This is not the first time the agency had lend their creative mettle in experimenting with new ways to engage with brands they cater to. Their consumer engagement activity they built around OLX Mad ads was well loved and appreciated by the industry. What does it say about the changing role of agencies and their significance to the clients?
“Bajaj V is not just a campaign mandate for us, it’s much much more. Bajaj team and Leo Burnett team are partners increating this iconic bike, therefore there is more accountability involved. With this unique partners we handle campaigns for Bajaj, we handle activation and shopper marketing for them as well. Not to mention their internal communication and Pr as well,. From conceptualising an from its very production to rolling it across every medium – there is definitely a lot more involvement and ownership that leads to accountability for the brand,” responds Verma, adding that they have several other projects in the pipeline where they have experimented with brands on different levels.
Expanding on the concept of building a bike’s gas tank from the scraps of a warship, the brains behind the idea Leo Burnett CCO Raj Deepak Das adds, “ Growing up, the biggest warship that comes to our mind is INS Vikrant. Therefore when they decided to scrap it, it didn’t sit well with many, me included. So when someone from the team suggested if we could use those scraps, we decided what better way than a bike through which we can own a bit of history?”
It’s been over a decade since India’s popular locomotor brand Bajaj has churned out a motorbike. Their last, Bajaj Pulsar was a huge hit, and now is almost a household name.
“The Bajaj V shall usher a new era in commuter motorcycling. We believe the Indian customer buying a commuter motorcycle deserves something that is substantial, solid, and which moves with a sense of purpose,”said Bajaj Auto president–motorcycle Business,Eric Vas
Expected to be priced between Rs 60000 to Rs 70,000, the bike will hit the roads by this March.
“We will start with a capacity of 20,000 units month and should demand exceed that, there is no problem in enhancing the capacity further,” adds a confident Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj while signing off.
AD Agencies
WPP appoints Hephzibah Pathak CEO of WPP Creative India
Ogilvy India chair takes charge of unified creative model in key market
NEW DELHI: WPP has appointed Hephzibah Pathak as chief executive officer of WPP Creative India, putting a local leader at the helm of its newly created creative operating model in one of its most important growth markets.
The move brings clarity to how WPP’s global restructuring will play out in India, weeks after the group unveiled WPP Creative as part of its Elevate28 strategy. The unit sits alongside WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, and is designed to simplify what the company previously described as an overly complex structure.
Pathak, who continues as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, will represent all agencies under the WPP Creative umbrella in India. Her role centres on driving integration across brands, expanding capabilities and ensuring clients can tap into the network’s full talent pool without friction.
WPP said Pathak will work closely with agency brand CEOs to “enhance integration, expand capabilities, and ensure seamless client access”, while maintaining the distinct identities of its agencies.
The portfolio under WPP Creative includes leading networks such as VML, Landor, AKQA and Grey, along with Burson and its affiliated firms. Leaders across these agencies will now report into Pathak, even as each brand continues to operate independently within a unified system.
The appointment also formalises a dual-track strategy in India, preserving agency identities while accelerating collaboration. Pathak is expected to work closely with media leadership to align creative and media capabilities, reflecting growing client demand for integrated, multi-market solutions.
WPP Creative global CEO Jon Cook has described the unit as “not an agency” but an operating system that helps creative, design and PR brands work together more effectively. The group has been clear that it is not merging or phasing out legacy agency brands, instead aiming to reduce complexity on the client side.
Pathak brings nearly three decades of experience within the network, having joined in 1997 and held roles ranging from Mumbai office head to chief client officer. She made history in 2024 as the first woman to lead Ogilvy India in its 95-year presence in the country.
Her expanded mandate positions India at the centre of WPP’s Asia-Pacific strategy, with a focus on strengthening brand presence, deepening client relationships and unlocking growth in a fast-evolving market.
The appointment signals WPP’s intent to move beyond the traditional holding company model towards a more integrated, AI-enabled structure. With Pathak now steering WPP Creative India, the group appears set to test whether simpler structures can indeed deliver sharper creative outcomes.
