What do a toddler, a boxer, and an awkward rock band have in common?
They can all stand, for one. At least, according to the anthem ad at the center of a new integrated marketing blitz for India-based multinational conglomerate Mahindra. The spot, created by StrawberryFrog New York, launched Thursday.
While Mahindra’s holdings include businesses in sectors like technology and real estate, the lion’s share of the company’s revenue comes via its position as a leading manufacturer of SUVs and tractors, according to a May report in Forbes. But the television spot, airing initially in India, eschews focus on any particular product or sector, instead featuring various characters all getting up in super slow-motion, shot on a 1,000 frame-per-second phantom camera for extra super slow-motion effect. The tagline: “There are those who accept things as they are...and those who rise to change.”
The push also includes Spark the Rise, a grant competition kicking off Aug. 17, which hopes to stimulate innovation by funding user-conceived projects. According to Indian marketing site afaqs.com, Mahindra has allocated roughly $644,000, at current exchange rates, for the grants. Media spend across channels around the six-month contest, meanwhile, clocks in at a little shy of $4 million.
The anthem ad and contest are both part of the "Rise" campaign, a $25+ million dollar, 3-year rebranding push announced in January.
