Following a multi-agency global pitch, Contract India has won the creative mandate for Bata Brands globally.
The new mandate will see Contract India become the global hub for strategic and creative duties for the European footwear major’s key geographies in LATAM, Europe, Asia and Africa with the support of its group companies within Wunderman Thompson, part of the WPP network that it belongs to. This significant global win comes on the back of the ‘Surprisingly Bata campaign’ that has brought in rich dividends for the brand in India and the Czech Republic. This hugely successful campaign, with Kriti Sanon & Sushant Singh Rajput as brand ambassadors, has been effective in helping Bata communicate its transformation into a fashion forward and contemporary brand from earlier being associated with school shoes and formal wear in India. This move into a fashion & lifestyle space has ensured higher traction with the younger demographic, increased footfalls and consequently, improved profitability.
Speaking on their decision to award the global mandate to Contract, Isabelle Sakai, Bata Group Chief Marketing Officer, said ‘Contract India is a key strategic and creative partner for the Bata India operating company. The ‘Surprisingly Bata’ campaign has helped shift consumers perception about the brand, driving footfall to our stores and increasing sales. We are glad to award Contract India the Global mandate to roll out the ‘Surprisingly Bata’ campaign across the Bata world, smartly adapting the campaign idea to capture the local nuances of consumers insights. We are looking forward to a great partnership beyond the boundaries of India.’
Raji Ramaswamy, Chief Executive Officer at Contract India said, “We are delighted to be chosen by an iconic brand like Bata to partner with them in supporting their strategy and shaping their communications narrative across markets. Having done some great work for Bata in India, it is truly rewarding to now become the global creative and strategic hub for them which is a significant win for us and probably an industry first. Our team’s experience and capabilities in offering a multi-discipline integrated offering makes us well poised to drive the desired impact and achieve business outcomes for the brand across markets.”
Tarun Rai, Chairman and Group CEO, Wunderman Thompson South Asia commented, “Contract has partnered with the Bata India team extremely well to deliver fantastic business results. It is this partnership that gave Contract the opportunity to pitch for Bata’s global mandate. I am truly delighted that we could demonstrate the strength of our network around the world to help win this very prestigious account. I also feel a sense of pride that a campaign created in India is going global and will be executed in so many countries across the world. My congratulations to Raji, Rohit, Sagar and the entire team at Contract.”
Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar, Chief Creative Officer, Contract India, said, “Winning this pitch strengthens our belief that clients are recognizing and appreciating our new approach towards creative thinking. We have managed to provide novel local insights and nuances which helped to create campaigns for each market. I am sure this approach will make a difference to the Bata business and bring consistency across the globe. And I am really looking forward to working on this exciting and challenging assignment.”
Commenting on the win, Rohit Srivastava, Chief Strategy Officer at Contract said, “The challenge of transforming a solid but traditional brand to an exciting & desirable one has been an exciting one; and the effect that it has had on the business is what makes it especially rewarding & fulfilling. It reaffirms our belief & commitment that transformative strategies and expressions must drive not just perceptual shifts but critically, measurable business results as well. We’re excited about partnering them in taking this success across all key geographies, globally.”