After free biking, it's bike ballet for Pulsar

The new Pulsar commercial has outdone itself in biking stunts, and there were no special effects used

Biking is rising to a new level and Pulsar is the name that seems to be taking it ahead.

The latest Pulsar commercial, titled Pulsarmania, lays to rest any arguments about manoeuvrability, control, skill and stunts. “We’ve tried to upgrade the advertising to match the product, which is bigger and better each time,” says Abhijit Avasthi, executive creative director, South Asia, O&M. The commercial is stunt based and talks about all that you can do with the Pulsar range.

Seven years ago, when Bajaj Pulsar hit the Indian bike market, it aimed at being much larger than just a bike. Bajaj knew how it wanted to do this. It was by creating a certain image and attitude about the bike that would make the bike rise way above its peers.

“We’ve followed two paths to creating this. The first path was to make the owners of the Pulsar attractive to women with the ‘Definitely Male’ tagline. The other path endorsed the ‘Distinctly Ahead’ tagline,” explains Amit Nandi, head, marketing, Bajaj Auto.

Describing the ad isn’t nearly as great as watching it. It starts off with six bikers, all in black, getting onto an empty road, ready to show off their biking skills. All sorts of bike stunts are performed – one-wheel biking, swirling, riding with both feet off the bike, and a lot more. All that you see was actually performed before the camera. There are absolutely no special effects used in the film. (Submit your opinion on this ad.)

The ad features the world’s top bike riders, including world No. 2 AC Farias and Mattie Griffin, who is among the Top 5 in the world. The bikers are from all over the world, including Ireland, Brazil, Spain and South Africa. South African director Lourens Van Rensburg of Velocity Films was selected because he is both an able director and because he is an instructor for BMW bikes and understands the language and psyche of bikes.

The Pulsar brand has grown to be identified by the product. “Every youth wants to own a Pulsar or is a proud owner of one,” says Avasthi.

This commercial is mainly for the Pulsar brand. Most of the versions of the Pulsar are used in the ad. The power, aggression and grace element of biking has been captured imaginatively. Avasthi calls it more of a bike ballet, or synchronised biking, where the manoeuvrability and control that the bike offers are highlighted.

The ad was shot in Cape Town, South Africa. The bikers were given the bikes for seven days to get them accustomed to them. After that, the ad was shot in three days. The choreography was done by Alan, the bikers and the director himself. The music score was lent by Paul Norwood of Audio Militia.

The creative team from O&M Mumbai included Rajneesh Ramakrishnan and Manoj Shetty.

Road shows with stuntmen to enact the stunts will be organised now. Loads of on-ground activity will be carried out. Outdoor will be used minimally.