By

Chirag Chaudasi
Rahil Vadodariya
Brand owned by Bajaj Auto in India
Developed by
• Product engineering division of Bajaj Auto
• Japanese design house Tokyo R&D
Before the introduction of the Pulsar, Indian
motorcycle market trend was
• Fuel efficient
• Small capacity motorcycles
• 80-125 cc class

Except for Enfield Bullet bigger motorcycles with

higher capacity did not exist
Bajaj was know for Bajaj Scooters

“Hamara Bajaj”

Kawasaki Bajaj failed to make a mark

No success in the motorcycle segment where

Hero-Honda was the undisputed leader
In 1999 Hero Honda launched CBZ in 150cc

The launch & success of CBZ created a new

segment for 150cc Bikes

Bajaj took the cue from there on & launched the

Pulsar twins in India on November 24, 2001
2001
The original Pulsar came with
• 150 cc or 180 cc
• air-cooled
• single-cylinder
• 1,235 mm wheelbase
• single spark plug
• four-stroke engine
• Disc brake
2003
The second generation Pulsars featured
• DTSi technology
• Increased power
• Increased fuel economy
• New headlamp assembly
• 1,320 mm wheelbase
• Standard twin-tone horn
• Trip meter
2005
Bajaj launched another upgrade of the Pulsar
• DTSi technology
• 17 inch alloy wheels
• Stance lowered by 12 mm
• Gas-filled Nitrox absorbers
• 1,320 mm wheelbase
• Power output increased
• 15 litres fuel tank
2006
Bajaj introduced another version of Pulsar
• Pilot lamps
• Flush LCD screen
• Twin-stripe LED tail-light assembly
• Backlit switches
• Non-contact speed sensor
• Increased torque
• Improved gear box
2007
Bajaj began selling
• Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi
• Pulsar 200 DTS-I
Featuring
• Fuel injection
• Oil cooled engines
• Digital dash
• Modern styling
Indian Bike Market (Before Pulsar)

Premium Segment

Executive Economic
Segment Segment
• In 1999 Hero Honda created a new segment of 150 cc
performance segment with its CBZ

• But Pulsar came and gave a new life into the

Performance segment

• Although not a pioneer, Pulsar made the performance

segment one of the fastest growing segment in the
two wheeler market
• It was not only the bike's performance that
triggered the brand becoming an icon - [USP]

• A major part of the success was due to the

classic advertising campaign by O&M - [UCP]
 The birth of the "Definitely Male " campaign

• The new product from Bajaj was distinctly different

• Bajaj’s first bike without Kawasaki label.

• R&D and design marvel

• O&M stuck upon the Big Idea of India's He-Bike

• Although lot of bike take the persona of Macho bikes it

was more oriented towards being "sexy"

• The Big Idea was to position the bike as World's first bike
endowed with a Sex ( Gender)
The campaign together with the design and
performance catapulted the brand into
stratospheric sales level
• Bajaj targeted the 18-24 with Pulsar but later
found that the brand appealed to a much older
audience

• This helped Bajaj to change its target audience

to 21-35 years
• Unlike its old ways of doing things, Bajaj did not
rest with the laurels

• It knew that Pulsar is the golden key to control

the entire bike market

• Hence Pulsar got undivided attention from the

company
 Milestones

• 2001 : 150cc & 180cc Pulsar

• 2003 : DTSi

• 2004 & 2005 : Cosmetic changes

• 2007 : 200cc & 220cc DTS-Fi

 Bajaj reassigns its media duties to two brands
O&M and Leo Burnett, every six months

When DTSI was launched, the creative duty was

assigned to Leo Burnett which change the brand
positioning of "Definitely Male" to "Digital Biking"
Although the ads were successful in conveying the
technological superiority of DTSI and making that
acronym popular, it deleted the most successful
tagline from the brand's elements
The new Pulsar boasts of spruced up engine, new
digital console and new style

Pulsar is definitely getting better

Pulsar 200 is being launched with a new campaign
revolving round the concept of Free Biking

Free Biking ( as defined by the brand Pulsar) is all

about tackling obstacles

According to company officials, its about how you

ride rather than where you ride
The Recent ads made by O&M is filmed at Hawana
Cuba (expensive) & set to pulsating Arabian music

The ad shows how two Pulsar riders discover new

route when their main way is blocked by traffic
jam
 Bajaj is no longer using its blockbuster tagline
"Definitely Male" but instead is using the corporate
brand tagline " Distinctly Ahead“

Bajaj earlier had another corporate tagline

"Inspiring Confidence" when it completely
redesigned its corporate logo and brand
“Definitely Male” tagline and positioning has lot of
fire with it and except for the initial two
campaigns, Pulsar was not able to build on its
iconic image

We still strongly believe that not using "Definitely

Male" is a gross injustice to the brand itself
 Bajaj Auto Hero Honda

2006-07
31.7% 48.1%
End
2007-08
28.7% 54.5%
End
2008-09
26% 57.2%
(April-June)
 Suggestions

• The hurdles are Recession and Consumer

financing in such times
• To increase the customer Base of Pulsar
company should
• Cover more segments
• Cut cost & make it more affordable
• Launch Pulsar 125cc with the blockbuster
positioning of “Definitely male”