MAM
Ogilvy unveils new campaign ‘Pulsar unleashing its Mania’ for Bajaj Pulsar
Mumbai: Bajaj Pulsar has launched its latest motorcycle, the Pulsar N160, with the most sedate advertisement on television.
The ad is an extremely clever way of getting a nod of approval from audiences, who often sat up and took note of “Pulsar unleashing its Mania” on national television.
In all its glory, and absolutely unlike the Pulsar advertising of two decades ago, this video showcased a stationary motorcycle. The intrigue comes from one clear instruction: scan the QR code on screen to watch the most thrilling Pulsar video ever!
The QR takes the viewer to YouTube, where the real advertisement will be played for the true enthusiast. The rider is seen on the all-new Pulsar N160, displaying breath-taking riding control while performing jaw-dropping stunts set in a city maze, all happening to the beats of an addictive music track.
Furthermore, this QR code has been seen all over many Indian cities and towns—in public spaces, public transport, youth-centric spaces, from college notice boards to cafes and so on. Essentially, branding the most mundane and boring pieces of our day as opportunities to become the most thrilling moments of the day.
Speaking on the campaign and how they were convinced that this is “the” way, Bajaj Auto head of marketing Narayan Sundararaman said, “Brand Pulsar is all about action and thrill. For its new avatar as the Pulsar N160, we had to deliver a communication package that would talk about the category-first feature of Dual Channel ABS. In this cluttered media environment, we thought our best chance would be to involve the viewer and nudge them towards a thrilling film… Do they want to watch an ‘uncensored’ ad of eye-popping motorcycle action? It’s great to see that the answer is a resounding yes!”
Speaking on the collaboration with Bajaj, Ogilvy chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak said, “Pulsar is the most thrilling motorcycle on the road, so we took its communication a notch higher on thrill. How? We got their attention twice! We made an ad in an ad. First, we made a censored Pulsar ad for TV and released it with a QR code. The film invites die-hard Pulsar fans to scan and watch the most exciting ‘Uncensored Pulsar ad’ of all time. The ‘Uncensored Pulsar QR code’ will make not just the TV ad but every ad thrilling – newspaper, outdoor, and even posters. Let the thrill take over.”
MAM
Brands push beyond compliance as trust takes centre stage
ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026 spotlights shift from legal checks to credibility.
MUMBAI: In a world where a disclaimer can be legally sound yet socially suspect, brands are learning that compliance may tick boxes but trust wins markets. At the inaugural ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026, a panel on “Beyond Compliance: The New Currency of Trust” unpacked a growing industry reality: the gap between what the law permits and what consumers accept is widening and fast.
Moderated by Meenakshi Ramkumar of National Law School of India University, the discussion brought together leaders across law, marketing and academia to examine how brands must evolve in a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by scrutiny, scepticism and speed.
Ramkumar set the tone by highlighting a critical shift, advertising today operates in the same digital space that fuels misinformation, scams and fake news, making credibility harder to establish. “The challenge is not just about what brands do, but the broader context of low institutional trust,” she noted, adding that when violations go unchecked, trust erodes not just in brands but in the regulatory system itself.
This vacuum, she said, has given rise to consumer activism from boycotts to social media backlash as a parallel accountability mechanism.
For Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer at Marico, the distinction was clear, legal compliance is non negotiable, but insufficient. “Compliance is the minimum threshold. The real challenge is staying aligned with changing consumer expectations,” he said.
He pointed to how advertising narratives have evolved from traditional depictions of gender roles to more shared responsibilities reflecting a broader societal shift. “Earlier, it was fine to show one person doing the household work. Today, that may not land well. Consumers expect brands to reflect reality,” Bhasin observed.
He also highlighted internal debates where campaigns that may be legally permissible are still rejected for being culturally insensitive, noting that responsible advertising often requires asking uncomfortable questions before the public does.
If compliance is the baseline, reputation is the battlefield.
Bhasin noted that reputational risk has become a far greater concern than legal exposure, particularly in an era where campaigns can be dissected within hours online. “Earlier, a controversial ad might invite a newspaper editorial. Today, within hours, you’re at the centre of a storm,” he said.
Brands, he added, now evaluate campaigns through a dual lens legal viability and reputational vulnerability with the latter often proving more decisive.
From a healthcare perspective, Satish Sahoo of Cipla Health underscored the complexity of operating within fragmented yet stringent regulatory frameworks, spanning drugs, food, cosmetics and Ayush. “Anything under a drug licence is the most tightly regulated,” he said, adding that this necessitates proactive, not reactive, compliance.
He shared an example from the oral rehydration salts (ORS) category, where Cipla resisted the temptation to position products aggressively despite competitive pressure. “Our product is WHO compliant, and our communication reflects that. We chose not to blur the lines, even if others did,” he noted.
The long term payoff, he suggested, lies in credibility built over consistency, not quick wins.
Yet, as Harsha N of National Law School of India University pointed out, even perfect compliance does not guarantee trust. Drawing from historical and modern examples from exaggerated product claims in the 1800s to contemporary environmental and health advertising, he argued that legal frameworks often lag behind consumer expectations. “A brand can be fully compliant and still be perceived as misleading,” he said, citing instances where fine print disclosures fail to reach or convince the average consumer. He added that larger companies carry a disproportionate responsibility to set ethical benchmarks, even in areas where the law remains silent.
The conversation also turned to digital advertising, where the challenge extends beyond content to how ads are experienced. From algorithmic targeting to personalised messaging, brands now operate in an environment where regulation struggles to keep pace with technology.
Sahoo noted that social media has amplified awareness, with influencers and consumers increasingly scrutinising product claims and calling out inconsistencies. “Awareness has gone up dramatically. People are questioning what goes into products and what brands are saying,” he said.
The role of self regulatory bodies such as Advertising Standards Council of India also came under the spotlight.
Harsha acknowledged that while SROs play a crucial role, they are not immune to criticism, particularly around perceived conflicts of interest and enforcement gaps. “SROs have a higher threshold of responsibility not just to interpret the law, but to anticipate societal expectations,” he said.
He added that failures in self regulation often push the burden back onto government intervention, underscoring the need for stronger, more proactive oversight.
One of the more nuanced debates centred on whether building trust comes at a cost. While Sahoo acknowledged that quality and compliance can increase costs, he argued that companies must absorb them as part of their long term strategy.
Bhasin, however, framed the challenge differently not as cost, but as competitiveness in a market where not all players play by the same rules. “The real tension is when others cut corners and you choose not to,” he said.
The panel concluded with a call to embed trust into business metrics.
Sahoo suggested that organisations must go beyond revenue targets to include consumer equity and trust based KPIs, ensuring that ethical considerations are not sidelined in the pursuit of growth. “Trust sounds abstract, but it can translate into measurable consumer equity,” he said.
As the discussion wrapped up, one message stood out: the rules of advertising are being rewritten not just by regulators, but by consumers themselves. In an ecosystem where attention is fleeting and scepticism is high, brands that merely comply may survive, but those that build trust are the ones that endure.
