Bajaj Platina ComforTec 110 ferry's 1500 aged pilgrims to Kumbh

In the commuter motorcycle segment where the focus is mostly on ‘mileage’, Bajaj Platina has differentiated itself by building a strong position as the most comfortable bike for the commuter who spends long hours on bumpy roads. This is embodied through its proposition of ‘Jhatka Mana Hai’.

Taking this benefit proposition ahead, Ogilvy and Bajaj saw an opportunity where the Platina ComforTec 110 could make a difference and bring smiles to thousands of people in need of help. People who are elderly, disabled, needing to cover long distances with heavy loads on foot. Bajaj Platina would give free ride services to these pilgrims in the 2019 Kumbh Mela which is the largest congregation in the world with over 20 crore people expected to attend in its 2019 edition. Held on the banks of the mighty Ganges, it proves to be a crowded nightmare for most people to navigate. Bajaj Platina is the perfect vehicle for this application. At its core, the activity was designed to increase brand love.

Both Ogilvy and Bajaj planned that the all new Platina ComforTec 110 will be the free service to pilgrims in need and would ride them in supreme comfort and safety within the Kumbh city. All Bajaj Platinas were retrofitted with custom designed backrests that support the pillion on the back as well as the side for added feeling of safety. Engineering of this backrest was done keeping the one-sided seating especially suited for saree-clad women. The name therefore came in very simple - it is called the ‘Platina ComforTec 110 Aaram Rath’.

Along the route allotted (Phaphamau Bus Stand to Naagvasuki Temple, Prayagraj) from where the Platina rider who is fondly called the ‘Aaram Rath Saarthi’ would ferry the old pilgrims and ride them safely to the Sangam Nose (confluence of the 3 sacred rivers) or the bathing ghats for a dip and also ride them back to the spot from where they were picked-up i.e bus stop on the outskirts of Kumbh which connects the whole of Prayagraj to the Kumbh City.

The authorities at Kumbh gave a green signal to this activity and were all praise offering their complete support and co-operation.

The Platina ComforTec 110 Aaram Rath activity has got a phenomenal response wherein the Platinas ferry over # pilgrims (should assume 40 bikes into 15-20 rides, or whatever the number we achieve daily) every day. Visiting Kumbh is that much more comfortable thanks to Bajaj Platina – Aaram Rath Seva.

"With the new Bajaj Platina Comfortec 110, our focus has been to deliver the most comfortable ride experience in the category. No doubt that the motorcycle has much better power, acceleration, pick-up and braking. But a Platina stands for comfort. When we encountered this opportunity, we were clear that this activity will bring relief to people in need of help to reach the ghats, and that Platina is the right vehicle of choice for it. From there on, we worked on retro-fitting a secure two-sided back rest specially made for the audience. We are thrilled that this activity has been so well received. I can only imagine the countless blessings we have gathered along the way." - Narayan Sundararaman, Vice President, Bajaj Auto.

"It is not often that we get an opportunity of this scale and this nature. Kumbh Mela attracts people of myriad backgrounds and geographies. The locales and crowds make it very difficult for devotees to access different parts of the Kumbh city and the ghats. This is the challenge that excites us the most. Amongst all our brands, we picked Bajaj Platina as the perfect fit for the application. In our concrete jungles, Bajaj's Platina transports millions daily. All done in supreme comfort. In our latest film 'Jhatka Mana Hai' we made Platina the protagonist that is positioned to increase brand love for Bajaj. At Kumbh, Platina is the only two-wheeler that is saving the effort of navigating distances and crowds for thousands of needy. This is a perfect fit that will pave the way for many more such applications." – VR Rajesh, Office Leader, Ogilvy India (West).

CREDITS

Client Team:

Narayan Sundararaman, VP Marketing

Soumya Das, Category Head

Pratik Ghate, Brand Manager

Account Management:

VR Rajesh, Office Leader, Ogilvy West

Roopesh Shah, Senior Vice President

Nikhil Mohan, Vice President

Abheek Chatterji, Client Services Director

Krishnakant Mishra, Creative Controller

Piyush Jha, Account Director

Narendra Tiwari, Group Account Manager

Account Planning:

Ganapathy Balagopalan, Head Of Strategic Planning, Ogilvy West

Aakash Singh, Planning Director

Creative:

Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy West

Hemal Jhaveri, Group Creative Director

Sundar Sharma, Creative Director

Shankar Haldankar, Creative Director

Prasanna Bhave, Senior Copywriter

Prasad Gurav, Art Director