Honda hunts for agency for new bike range

The pitch is still in its initial stages.

Japanese auto giant Honda is scouting for a creative partner in India for its bikes business. The pitch process, underway in Delhi, is still in its nascent stages.

Senior-level sources in the automobile industry have confirmed the development to afaqs! on grounds of anonymity.

The pitch call comes in the wake of the recent split between the Hero Group and Honda Motors. Recall the afaqs! report published in April 2011, which announced that Hero's corporate account had been awarded to Law & Kenneth. The development was the result of a rigorously fought multi-agency pitch at the time. Post the split, it is now Honda's turn to seek an agency for its brand new series of bikes. Sources claim that though three to four prominent ad agencies are already in the fray, creative presentations have not yet begun. The brief given to these agencies is to present ideas on the positioning of the new product range in the Indian market.

The creative agency that has worked on the Honda account (both cars and bikes) most recently, is Dentsu Marcom.

Broadly speaking, the Japan-headquartered Honda Motor Company has three business divisions - two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and power products. In India, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) manufactures two-wheelers, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) manufactures four-wheelers, and Honda Siel Power Products (HSPP) manufactures the company's range of power products.

Some of the popular bikes on Honda's portfolio include Honda Dio, Honda Aviator, Honda Activa, Honda Shine, Honda Eterno and the Unicorn Dazzler.