1) The document discusses integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies used by Bajaj for its Pulsar motorcycle brand. IMC involves coordinating different promotional elements like advertising, public relations, sales promotions etc. to deliver consistent branding. 2) Bajaj has used IMC successfully for Pulsar through ads, press releases, dealer promotions and R&D innovations that have kept the 10-year-old brand competitive. Pulsar is a market leader in India with various engine options. 3) Key aspects of Bajaj's IMC for Pulsar discussed are its manufacturing units, focus on R&D, global expansion plans through partnerships, and view of Pulsar

1. INDIA CASE STUDY ON BAJAJ
Introduction
In most of the companies the promotional function was dominated by mass media,
advertising for many years. Companies relied primarily on their advertising agencies for
guidance in nearly all the areas of marketing communication. Most marketers did use
additional promotional and marketing communication tools but sales promotion and direct
marketing agencies as well as package design firms were generally viewed as auxiliaries’
services and often used on a per project basis. Public relations agency was used to manage
the organisations publicity, image and affairs with the relevant publics on an ongoing basis
but they were not viewed as integral participants in the marketing communication process.
Many marketers built strong barriers around the various marketing and promotional
functions and planned and managed them as separate practices with the different budgets,
a different view of the market with different goals and objectives. But these companies
failed to recognise that the wide range of marketing and promotional tools must be
coordinated to communicate effectively and present a consistent image to target market.
During the 1980’s, many companies began taking a broader perspective of marketing
communication in seeing the need for the more strategic integration of their promotional
tools. The decade was characterized by rapid development in the areas of sales promotion,
direct marketing an public relation which began challenging the advertising role as the
dominant form of marketing communication{IMC}, which involves coordinating the various
promotional elements and other marketing activities that communicate with the firm’s
customers
Defination
Integrated marketing communication is a strategic business process used to plan, develop,
exec cute and evaluate coordinate, measurable persuasive brand communications programs
over time with customer’s consumers, prospectus, employees, associates and other
targeted relevant external and internal audiences. The goal’s to generate both short term
financial returns and build long-term brand and shareholder value.
AN OVERVIEW OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION
Advertising has much strength like reaching mass audiences, creating awareness, building
preference, etc, but it also has major weaknesses like targeting individual consumers,
making them believe a message and pushing them to action. Thus, it has to be combined
with that of other communication elements such as direct marketing, sales promotions, and
public relation. The various promotional tools involved in product promotion comprise the
promotional mix of an organization. They include advertising, personal selling, sales
promotion, public relations, and direct marketing. Integrated Marketing Communication
(IMC) is the judicious and efficient use of the promotional tools so that a universal, clear,
and effective promotional message is communicated amongst the target audience. The
concept includes online and offline marketing channels. Online marketing channels include
any e-marketing campaigns or programs, from search engine optimisation SEO, pay-per
click, affiliate, and email, banner to latest web related channels for webzine, blog, micro-
blogging, RSS, pod cast, and Internet TV. Offline marketing channels are traditional print
(newspaper, magazine), mail order, public relations, industry relations, billboard, radio and
television.
The role of IMC in Branding:

2. One of the major reasons for the growing importance of the IMC over the past decade is
that it plays a major role in the process of developing and sustaining brand identity and
equity. Building and properly managing brand equity has become a priority for companies of
all the sizes, in all types of industries, and in all types of markets. With more and more
products and services competing for consideration by customers who have less and less
time to make choices, well-known brands have a major competitive advantage in today’s
market place. Building and maintaining brand identity and and equity requires the creation
of well –known brands that have favourable, strong and unique association in the minds of
the consumer.
There are five basic tools of integrated marketing communication:
Advertising:
This tool can get your messages to large audiences efficiently through such avenues as
radio, TV, Magazines, Newspapers (ROP), Internet, Billboards and other mobile
technological communication devices. This method can efficiently reach a large number of
consumers, although the costs may be somewhat expensive.
Sales Promotion:
This tool is used through coupons, contests, samples, premiums, demonstrations, displays
or incentives. It is used to accelerate short-term sales, by building brand awareness and
encouraging repeat buying.
Public Relations:
This integrated marketing communications tool is initiated through public appearances,
news/press releases or event sponsorships, to build trust and goodwill by presenting the
product, company or person in a positive light.
Direct Marketing:
This tool will utilized email, mail, catalogs, encourage direct responses to radio and TV, in
order to reach targeted audiences to increase sales and test new products and alternate
marketing tactics.
Personal Selling:
Setting sales appointments and meetings, home parties, making presentations and any type
of one-to-one communication, to reach your customers and strengthen your relationship
with your clients, initiate this IMC tool.
Integrated Marketing Examples
Nike is a great example of a company that has fully embraced the concept of integrated
marketing. Their integrated approach includes traditional advertising (billboard, magazine,
and television); sponsoring sporting events and players such as the Super bowl and Tiger
Woods; and engaging in online marketing initiatives by allowing consumers to customize
their Nike shoes. They also spend a great deal of money in search marketing. Nike's
approach allows them to communicate their message consistently across all media outlets;
and at the same time share that message at every customer touch point; that is, use Nike
products and you will increase your performance regardless of what sport you are involved
in.
Another example is HP's "The Computer is Personal Again" campaign. They utilized many
forms of media with great consistency, and capitalized on each of the media's individual
strengths.
Benefits Of IMC
Although Integrated Marketing Communications requires a lot of effort it delivers many
benefits.

3. 1. Carefully linked messages also help buyers by giving timely reminders, updated
information and special offers which, when presented in a planned sequence, help
them move comfortably through the stages of their buying process
Barriers to IMC
Sadly, some organisational structures isolate communications, data, and even
managers from each other. For example the PR department often doesn’t report to
marketing. The sales force rarely meets the advertising or sales promotion people and so
on. Imagine what can happen when sales reps are not told about a new promotional offer
IMC can restrict creativity. No more wild and wacky sales promotions unless they fit
into the overall marketing communications strategy.
GOLDEN RULES:
Despite the many benefits of Integrated Marketing Communications (or IMC); there are also
many barriers. Here’s how you can ensure you become integrated and stay integrated – 10
Golden Rules of Integration.
10 Be prepared to change it all. Learn from experience. Constantly search for the optimum
communications mix.

4. Importance of objectives :
Advertising and promotional objectives are needed for several reasons, including the
functions they serve in communication, planning and decision-making and measurement
and evaluation.
Communications: Many people are involved in the planning and development of an
integrated marketing communications programmed on the client side as well as in various
promotional agencies. The advertising and promotional programme must be co-coordinated
within the company, inside the ad agency, and between the two. Any other parties involved
in the promotional campaign, such as the public relations or the sales promotion firms,
research specialist or media buying services must also know what company hopes to
accomplish through its marketing communication programme.
Planning and Decision Making: when the promotional objectives are specific they guide
the development of the integrated marketing communications plan. All the phases of the
firm’s promotional strategy should be based on the established objectives, including
budgeting, creative and media decisions as well supported programmes such as direct
marketing, public relations, sales promotion or reseller support. Decision making becomes
easier if the objects are meaningful.
Measurement and evaluation of Results:one of the important reasons for setting
specific objectives is that they provide a benchmark against which the success or failure of
the promotional campaign can be measured. Without specific objectives, it is extremely
difficult to determine what the firm’s advertising and promotional efforts accomplished. The
promotional planners provide measures that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of
the marketing communication programme. Comparing actual performance against the
measurable objectives is the best way to determine if the return justifies the expense.
Promotional Objectives:

5. To increase brand awareness by 25%, Build Awareness about the product. Tell the market
who they are and what they have to offer. Create Interest – Moving a customer from
awareness of a product to making a purchase can present a significant challenge. Provide
Information, Stimulate Demand, once a purchase is made, a marketer can use promotion to
help build a strong relationship that can lead to the purchaser becoming a loyal customer.
For instance, many retail stores now ask for a customer’s email address so that follow-up
emails containing additional product information or even an incentive to purchase other
products from the retailer can be sent in order to strengthen the customer-marketer
relationship.
Communications Objectives:
Some common marketing communication objectives include:
1. Create a brand awareness for your company
2. Defining a need the product or service can fulfil
3. Encouraging action from the target
Sales Objectives:
Many managers believe that monies spent on advertising and other forms of promotion
should produce measurable results, such as increasing sales volume by a certain percentage
or increasing the brand’s market share.
Advertising Strategies
Information, Dissemination/Persuasion:comparative ads attempt to get consumers to
believe that the sponsoring product is better. Although these are frequently disliked by
Americans, they intend to be among the most effective ads in the U.S.comparative
advertising is illegal in some countries and is considered very inappropriate culturally in
some societies, especially in Asia.
Fear appeals: try to motivate consumers by telling them the consequences of not using a
product. Mouthwash ads, for example, talk about gingivitis and tooth loss can result from
poor oral hygiene. It is important, however, that a specific way to avoid the feared stimulus
be suggested directly in the ad. thus, simply by using the mouthwash advertised, these
terrible things can be avoided.
Classical conditioning: a more favourable brand image can often be created among the
consumer when an association to a liked object or idea is created. For e.g., an automobile
can be paired with a beautiful woman or a product can be shown in a very upscale setting.
Humour Appeal: the use of humour in advertisements is quite common. this method tends
not to be particularly useful in persuading the consumer.however,more and more
advertisers find themselves using humour in order to compete for the consumer’s
attention.often,the humour actually draws attention away from the product-people will
remember what was funny in the ad but not the product that was advertised. Thus, for ads
to be effective, the product advertised should be an integral part of what is funny.
Repetition: whatever specific objective is sought, repetition is critical. This is especially the
case when the objective is to communicate specific information to the customer. Advertising
messages, even simple ones are often understood by consumers who have little motive to

6. give much attention to advertisements to which they are exposed. Therefore, very little
processing of messages is likely to be done at any one time of exposure.
Celebrity Endorsements: celebrities are likely to increase the amount of attention given
to an advertisement. However; these celebrities may not be consistently persuasive. The
elaboration likelihood model discussed below identifies conditions when celebrity
endorsements are more likely to be effective.
DAGMAR:
It means Defining Advertising Goals for Measuring Advertising Effectiveness. It was put
forward by Russell H.Colley.Dagmar tells that advertising has to perform a particular
communication task and the task has to be accomplished among a well defined audience
within a specified period of time. Following are the steps,
Awareness: an individual starts at some point by being unaware of a brand’s presence in
the market. The initial communication task of the brand is to increase consumer awareness
of the brand.
Brand Comprehension: Knowledge about the product or the organization is necessary.
This can be achieved by providing specific information about key brand attributes. In
attempting to persuade people to try a different brand of water, it may be necessary to
compare the product with other mineral waterproducts and provide an additional usage
benefit, such as environmental claims. The ad of Ganga mineral water, featuring Govinda,
which banked on the purity aspect. They related the purity of the water with that of river
Ganga.
Conviction: By creating interest and preference, buyers are moved to a position where
they are convinced that a particular product in the class should be tried at the next
opportunity. To do this, audience’s beliefs about the product have to be moulded and this is
often done through messages that demonstrate the product’s superiority over a rival or by
talking about the rewards as a result of using the product. For e.g., many ads like Thumbs
Up featured the reward of social acceptance as ‘grown up’. It almost hinted that those who
preferred other drinks were kids.
Action:involves some move on the part of the buyer, such as trying a brand for the first
time, visiting showroom or requesting information. For eg, Tupperware, Aqua Guard, are
famous in Indian cities as a result of its personal selling efforts.
Concept of DAGMAR:
A Communication Task :
A specific Task:
Measurable Task : To indicate exactly what appeal or image is to be communicated and to
specify the measurement procedure
Benchmark : it’s a standard or a point of reference which can be used to determine the
success or failure of an ad campaign. President Lincoln has been quoted as saying, “If we
could first know where we are & whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do
and how to do it.” Benchmarks can suggest how a certain goal can best be reached.

7. Target Audience: it’s important to define the target audience.e.g. When a new brand of
fashion garments are introduced, a common consumer will respond much differently as
compared to a consumer who maintains a certain lifestyle.
Time Period : in setting advertising objectives time period should be specified within which
the objectives must be achieved. The time period can range from a few days to a year or
more. Most of the ad campaigns specify time periods for a few months to a year depending
upon the situation and type of response expected.
Written Goals : Finally, goals should be committed to paper.
Limitations of DAGMAR :
Sales Oriented Performance : DAGMAR approach is considered to be successful if the
sales increase and it is considered as a failure if increase in sales is not achieved.
Partial Assessment : the DAGMAR approach assesses the impact of ad campaign in a
quantitative term, it does not explain how to improve qualitative representation.
Unsuitable to Small Advertising: only large advertisers with financial stability can
allocate funds to collect the information. Small firms cannot afford to do it.
Non-Comprehensive Study : it is not necessary that a consumer will go through the pre-
defined steps in the response hierarchy model before deciding to buy, he may have
impulsive purchaser.DAGMAR does not explain impulsive purchaser.
PRACTICAL ANALYSIS.
On Bajaj Pulsar
Bajaj Pulsar is a motorcycle brand owned by Bajaj Auto in India. The two wheeler was
developed by the product engineering division of Bajaj Auto in association with motorcycle
designer Glynn Kerr Tokyo.
For our practical analysis we met Mr.Atul who is the Supervisor of Repairs and Service at
the Pulsar showroom in Vasai west.
Currently there are four variants available -with engine capacities of 135 cc, 150 cc, 180 cc
and 220 cc. previously it was also offered with 200 cc DTS-i oil cooled engine, which now
has been discontinued. Pulsar is the leader in the 150 cc segment in India with a market
share of 43%. Before the introduction of the Pulsar, the Indian motorcycle market trend was
towards fuel efficient, small capacity motorcycles (that formed the 80-125 cc class). Bigger
motorcycles with higher capacity virtually did not exist (except for Enfield Bullet)
In past ten years pulsar has grown tremendously from spoke rings to alloy wheels
From kick starter to self electric starter
From carburettor to fuel injection according to the demand of market and customer
Pulsar 220 is highest selling sports bike in India
The upgraded version of pulsar to 250 300 and 350 cc to be launched in collaboration with
European bike company KTM
Bajaj is already exporting pulsar to Middle East Asia, Sri Lanka Nepal and with collaborative
name of Kawasaki it distributes in Thailand and Malaysia
And targets the customer of china and Brazil in global market.

8. Places of Manufacturing.
Bajaj has its main manufacturing unit in Pune in Maharastra. it has manufacturing units in
other parts of India also
Bajaj has its authorized showrooms and factory shops with proper service center E.g.
Suryoday Bajaj Vasai. Sai service borivili
Marketing Strategies
Personal Selling: Personal selling is main source of marketing in showrooms by the
employees.
Advertisements: Bajaj advertise on television media and press media regularly and is
known for its advertisement in the industry.
Press Release: Press release is regular about pulsar as and when any new news or new
launch in pulsar variants occurs.
Main Focus : Bajaj has its main focus on its R&D Department because of which every now
and than the product gets better with quality.
Bajaj has proper R&D department because of which a brand like pulsar which is 10 years old
is still strong competitor in market for other bikes
Competitors :Pulsar is known as its own competitor because it has bike from low 135 cc to
high 220 cc engines so customer has wide choice to suit his/her requirement. Pulsar is the
best known Brand and Quality Product in the Automobile Industry when it comes to Bikes.