Okinawa Autotech Campaign (Launching the Electric Vehicle)

Chaiwala Pictures

Feb 29, 20244 min read

(Credit : Writer, Director, Producer)

The Brief

And who still believes that clients lack creativity? They are super creative. This particular client is. The phrase 'Yeh E-Sahi Hai,' which laid the foundation for this campaign, is theirs, not mine. That was the entire essence of the creative brief, at least initially.

It was only later that they began unveiling the real challenges they were facing, such as 'people don't perceive us the same way they perceive ICE scooters' or the biggest fear people have is 'what will happen if the battery drains out in the middle of their journey, especially when there isn't even a charging infrastructure in India yet.'

The environment for launching EVs when Okinawa introduced them was hostile. People regarded battery-operated scooters as if they were toys, not the real deal.

Communication Strategy

The first instinct that crossed my 'advertising mind' was to figure out a way to compare the two scooters - the EV and the ICE - in such a manner that people would perceive the EV as the hero. I even jotted down a few ideas, but none of them resonated with me.

Primarily because I didn't believe in it.

I've been riding Hero bikes all my life. The sturdiness, the sound of their engines, and the mileage had already carved a place in my heart. Some new EVs in the market weren't about to replace that feeling magically. Just because Okinawa was my potential client didn't mean I automatically believed what they were saying – just like any client who claims, 'Our Scooter is the best.'

I wasn't even planning to verify the truth. I stumbled upon a newly inaugurated showroom in Kandivali (Mumbai) during one of my morning bicycle rides.

'Boss, kuch fark hi nahi hai actually. It's the same scooter. Bas engine ke jagah battery hai.' - said the store manager. And that line stuck.

It stuck to the point of developing a communication strategy for the master film - the campaign Kickstarter - where the idea was to move away from direct comparisons.

Creative Strategy

Conveying to the audience, 'It's the same scooter you've been riding, just without the fuel costs,' initially addressed the 'what' question. However, the real challenge lay in addressing the 'how' question, and this is where every brand distinguishes itself. Often, the opening statement by many brands, especially in closely related categories, is similar, but it's in how they initiate the conversation that determines if they will capture their own audience.

One of the campaign's significant strengths was that it was conceived entirely in Hindi, without worrying about the southern part of India. The creators of Okinawa, despite borrowing the brand name from Japan, were distinctly Indian at heart. It seemed like they aimed to conquer their own territory first – the entire north belt, along with a bit of the east and west.

As a result, the scripts emerged organically, with a natural tone derived from everyday examples. This approach gave Okinawa a strong presence in the hearts and minds of the common man – an ordinary Indian citizen who, even after having tea with breakfast at home before leaving for the office, still pauses at the 'Chai ka thela' right next to his workplace or shop.

Okinawa Scooters, being an EV, could potentially become the favorite among delivery personnel. With no fuel costs, individuals working as courier or milk delivery fellas are likely to view this vehicle as a sound investment. Given the robust build of these scooters, it became imperative to dispel the 'toy' image ingrained in the minds of Indian consumers.

Ideally, a different scooter, such as the 'Okinawa Dual,' chosen by doodh-wallas & courier guys, should have been featured in the film to emphasize this point. The notion of using different scooters in each film was discussed, but it posed a threat to the campaign's storyline.

The strategic decision was to establish a singular image in the minds of the audience for easy recall, akin to how the tomato-red color became associated with Hero Splendor. The key takeaway is that the client demonstrated wisdom in recognizing this insight and had the courage to play one ball at a time.

While appealing to the hearts and minds of the 'middle class' Indian was effective, capturing the attention of college-goers, the holy grail of the Indian automobile market, presented another valuable opportunity. College students may not be the payers, but they wield significant influence in the decision-making process, similar to how wives often play a crucial role in selecting consumer appliances.

This scenario allowed for a shift in the tone of the campaign. While maintaining a comedic touch, injecting a bit of sentiment could add depth to the narrative. Introducing a modern-day father-daughter relationship seemed like the perfect device for this purpose, reflecting the contemporary reality where fathers raise their daughters as independent individuals, built on a foundation of mutual trust. Leveraging this 'trust' angle, the campaign aimed to address the 'range anxiety' challenge that the brand was facing, which again is basically a trust issue.

I've rarely come across a guy who consistently takes his motorcycle to the garage for servicing. Why bother servicing it until it stops working, right? Or at least until it gives us some serious warning signals. Our attitude toward our two-wheelers mirrors our approach to matters of the cardiac health.

Why not leverage this insight to playfully mock the typical ICE user? Especially when these new EVs are so intelligent that they can sync with your smartphones. An app on your smartphone can send you alerts for everything, from battery health to service reminders.

This is something that future generations might excel at – taking care of their beloved two-wheelers right on time. No need to turn the front porch into a makeshift garage with spare parts scattered all over.

The Result

The campaign not only established Okinawa with a strong presence in the northern belt but also successfully penetrated southern India. This achievement can be attributed to the translation of the campaign into Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada – a step that clients often hesitate to invest in unless the campaign proves to be exceptionally successful.

Okinawa - All Commercials - Tamil