MUMBAI: Mahindra Two Wheelers is pushing its recently launched premium 300cc touring motorcycle Mojo, with an innovative campaign that highlights the joy in the journey through user generated content.

Aimed at the 20 something bike enthusiasts who love the dusty rugged roads and the experiences that come with it, the 360 degree campaign titled ‘Born for the road’ is to unravel in stages starting with the digital leg.

Launched in October 2015, Mahindra’s Mojo is positioned as long distance touring vehicle priced at a premium rate of Rs 2 lakhs (on road) approximately. So far the brand has sold 1000 units of the model. Given the fact that it is a flagship launch from Mahindra in its two wheeler segment, a bulk of the company’s marketing budget is being dedicated for its promotion, with no fixed limitations as off now.

On the need to launch a bike in this new space Mahindra Two Wheelers, Marketing and Product Planning senior GM Naveen Malhotra said, “Mahindra is known for its daredevil and adventurous nature. While our four wheelers give off that image, we are also associated with a racing tournament to further establish ourselves as a sports brand. Secondly there is an increasingly emerging batch of consumers who love the lifestyle that comes with long bike journeys and on road travel. It was a space we wanted to enter given the growing demand for good quality bikes that are comfortable to ride long distances in.”

But with several well-known brands like Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield and Bullet already crowding the segment, it was a challenge to establish a market for Mojo as the first choice for the Indian long road traveller.

“We firstly wanted to build credibility in the customer’s mind aiming our marketing initiatives at the motorcycle enthusiasts. We needed them to understand that the makers behind this two wheeler get what they want from a long distance ride. We started off with a Maker’s Trail, and took some media on a two day bike trail with us,” Malhotra added.

“From the product perspective, there are several differentiators that Mojo enjoys but more than that, what separates Mojo from the rest of the two wheelers available in this segment is the package we offer. A person going for this high range two wheeler is buying it more for the experience and that is exactly what we provide.” Which is why the two wheeler’s campaign also surrounds the experience and the lifestyle of a wanderlust who is in love with the road rather than the ‘cool’ specs the bike has.

Conceptualised by Flying Cursor and directed by Littil Swayamp Paul, the TVC released showcases a bunch of free spirited youngsters who enjoy the journey as they cruise through several Indian cities, highways and villages, with a stress on the harsh terrain routes.

Interestingly the TVC also features a well done cover of Muddy Waters’ Got My Mojo by popular blues band Blues Band Soulmate.

In fact, the brand has made a conscious effort to pick passionate riders for the film shoot instead of regular models and taken them on real joy ride while shooting the entire ad film.

“Barring two, most of the boys and girls you see in the video are hard core riders. We needed them to understand the nuances of a road trip rather than simply posing with the bike. Not to mention we needed them to ensure a long and gruelling road trip across Rajasthan for the shoot. Our whole idea was to make people experience what a road trip is like - the camaraderie that comes from riding together to the excitement finding little joys in the simplest of things, or even finding a very delicious food in an unexpected roadside dhaba. We shot across in various locations in Rajasthan, ensuring that none of them has appeared anywhere before,” explained Flying Cursor director & co-founder, Shormistha Mukherjee.

The highlight of the campaign is the clever use of user generated content the brand plans to use with the secured footages from the long bike ride the agency and the brand arranged for the film shoot.

With an aim to engage consumers on a one on one basis, and to let them experience the product, the brand has conducted several long bike rides for the enthusiasts with the last one being a four day trip across 1000 kms covering several well-known wildlife sanctuaries in South India. There are plans to conduct two more long bike rides with the Mojo Tribe, the next one being a mountain trail.

“We don't see this campaign ending with the TVC launch. We have far wider plans to engage our consumers through fun user generated content that we have acquired through the trips with Mojo Tribe. Each one will tell an interesting story to the audience through our digital and social media touch points,” Malhotra promised.