Maruti's Baleno moves to O&M

Mayank Pareek, Maruti's general manager - marketing, clarified that WagonR continues to be with Contract

O&M Delhi has become a club agency of Maruti Suzuki with Baleno, the sedan from India's top automaker, moving from Lowe to O&M.

Mayank Pareek, general manager - marketing, Maruti, has confirmed the development.

Sources in the know say that even though O&M had to concede Maruti's hatchback Swift to Capital Advertising during the car's pitch a few months back, the Maruti management was apparently very impressed by O&M's creative ideas. It looks like O&M's efforts have eventually paid off.

Though the news is certainly not a pleasant one for Lowe – the agency continues to handle Alto, Esteem, Omni and Versa – the movement, according to Maruti, is only a routine exercise to encourage innovative thinking among the roster agencies.

When asked whether WagonR too was moving to O&M, as suggested by some media reports, Pareek clarified that WagonR continues to be with Contract and there was no change in status.

As a result of Baleno’s movement, the current configuration of brands at Maruti stands in this order: Lowe has Alto, Esteem, Omni and Versa; Hakuhodo Percept handles Maruti 800 and Zen, Contract services WagonR and Grand Vitara; Capital has Swift and Maruti's corporate account, while O&M is now the proud owner of Baleno.

Auto experts have always counted Baleno as a good car. Hopefully, with O&M at the wheels, the brand will now get the attention it rightfully deserves.

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