Exclusive | Dentsu Comm, racing ahead with ETIOS MOTOR RACING

Dentsu, the world’s largest single-brand agency for almost 40 years, provides a comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services based on their unique “Integrated Communication Design” approach. While continuing to pursue innovation in the digital arena, they are active in the marketing of sports and entertainment content on a global scale. All aspects of marketing communications such as advertising, promotions, direct marketing, public relations and digital, work together as a unified force to maximize not only the brand’s messaging but also the cost effectiveness. Dentsu strongly believes that quality of work is the main focus, and in doing so offers a one-stop-shop for all its clients’ needs. Their performance system has been tweaked to give it a big thrust. 

One good example of the integrated approach is the ‘ETIOS MOTOR RACING’ property for Toyota, a long-standing and important Dentsu client.

Dentsu has been part of the EMR project from its concept stage. This was an activity tailored to highlight the performance attribute of Etios – make the car look sporty, fast and young in order to attract younger buyers. EMR was introduced to reiterate Toyota’s global concept of  ‘Waku-Doki’, that means fun and excitement and in doing so, also create a pool of racing talent in the country based on their global motorsport initiatives.

Adgully spoke to   Arijt Ray, CEO, Dentsu Communications  along with different business heads of the project including Ashwin Parthiban, ECD South, Dentsu Communications and Suresh Mohankumar, National Planning Head, Dentsu Communications to learn more about their latest initiative, association with Toyota , their advertising strategies for the  campaigns and more . Following are their inputs from  the interview:

Dentsu’s Integrated Marketing Communications helps clients to avail a seamless approach to brand communication. When asked how this is achieved Arijit Ray said, “Clients simply want the best and right solution for their marketing and communication problems. They realize that an unbundled offering, where different agencies within the same network offering different services, is making things difficult.”

Hence Dentsu Integrated Communications makes the road map for clients simple. Through a 360 degree brand stewardship, it seeks to build and develop skill sets and capabilities that help them recommend and execute a holistic through-the-line mandate. With the specialist offerings integrated within the 360 degree brand team to deliver at various points in the communication chain. This approach helps the agency operate and build the strategic perspective from both a macro and micro point of view with the key stakeholders in the 360 degree brands teams, collaborating and jointly designing the communication road-map. Advertising, Digital, activation, PR teams work together seamlessly as one team to deliver on the brands integrated requirements.

Ray further elaborated how this integrated approach by Dentsu has been a part of Etios Motor Racing property for Toyota since the initial stages of its concept. He said, “Etios Motor Racing is a great example of how Dentsu Communications worked with the Toyota team in conceiving, planning and executing the EMR Programme and also an example of how the agency built the event and activation capability/ skill set to deliver on a very important brand mandate for Etios.”

He further went on to inform how Dentsu planned the entire Etios Motor Racing strategy, rolled out the property for Toyota, and is executing all the marketing communications and events. Ray also explained in detail the activities that Dentsu has done over the year for Toyota’s EMR project which includes event management, advertising, media planning/ buying and PR.

They are as follows: - EMR overall strategy which  conceptualized everything related to EMR Event Management a) Delhi Auto Expo launch, b) Activations across the country in 24 Toyota Dealerships and c) Exhibition Races 1 & 2 (the former at the Chennai race track was unprecedented and well appreciated, the latter was a custom made track in Gurgaon and was the first time the ‘race of champions’ was attempted in the country, and they were successful at that. Dentsu did the entire event right from designing the tracks to organizing the various races, to branding, creating   buzz around it, celebrity involvement, PR, etc. They have also done Sponsorships - Advertising & Media tie-ups – National and local print, and TVC’s with Virat Kohli.
 
Designing of car livery , On ground promotions, Talent Hunt, driver selections from across the country, Public Relations, positive and extensive coverage in all important auto media , Opinion leader management, expert involvement, Digital inputs based on overall EMR communication, EMR driver management and constant communication and mentoring are some of the other activities that Dentsu has been deeply involved with.

With regard to Dentsu’s contribution towards EMR’s Exhibition races at Chennai and Gurgaon Ray spoke about Exhibition Races 1 & 2 . He said “The former at the Chennai race track was  unprecedented and well appreciated, the latter was a custom made track in Gurgaon and was the first time the ‘race of champions’ was successfully attempted in the country – Dentsu did the entire event right from designing the tracks to organizing the various races, to branding, creating buzz around it  through advertising and PR, celebrity involvement, etc.”

Dentsu Media tied-up with Neo Sports for the two race weekends and the event was viewed across the country thereby increasing the reach of the brand. International racing stars were roped in for the Chennai event and Indian motorsport legends were invited for a unique ‘race of champions’ to the Gurgaon event that helped create the connect and help increase footfall.

Speaking about their advertising campaigns in connection with EMR, Ashwin Parthiban, ECD South, Dentsu Communications said,  “Etios Motor Racing is a Toyota initiative that spots and develops young motor racing talent in India. To build excitement and support for this path breaking effort and to make motor racing accessible to the common man, Toyota decided to leverage the popularity of India's national game – cricket. Toyota signed on Virat Kohli, one of India's youngest and most successful cricketers and Dentsu created this high-adrenaline spot where Virat spars with an Etios race car as a training partner. Shot in Mumbai, India and post-produced in Krakow, Poland, this is a spot that will make your heart go waku-doki!”

As far as On Ground promotions that were carried out by Dentsu for EMR are concerned soon after the launch of the EMR concept at the Auto Expo in Delhi, Dentsu planned and executed an extensive on ground promotional campaign where EMR was taken to 24 Toyota dealerships in 14 cities across India. Again, right from activation and event management to advertising to public relations with press conferences at the big centres, it was completely handled by Dentsu.

Sharing Dentsu’s future plans for EMR, Suresh Mohankumar, National Planning Head, Dentsu Communications had this to say: “In 2013 EMR will be taken to more cities. Our emphasis would be to use EMR to draw in not just performance enthusiasts but also people who are considering a car purchase. The event itself would be restructured to involve activities that would make EMR a lot more inclusive.

Dentsu Communications USP has always been their quality of work. How has this helped to attract clients for the company? In reply to this Ray emphatically stated, “Our single-minded focus will be to provide top quality integrated communication solutions and ideas to our clients. In order to do this, this agenda is being driven right from the top from our Executive Chairman, Rohit Ohri. When there is organizational intent to make this agenda successful, it helps the different agency offices deliver seamlessly and stay committed to the task.”

Their capabilities are also being strategically shaped and developed to deliver on this mandate. Digital and events/activation will be one of the key pillars to realize their objective and this leads the way for Dentsu Communications.