Mumbai: DDB MudraMax has bagged the media duties of US eye health product giant Bausch and Lomb following a multi-agency pitch.
DDB MudraMax would be partnering with Bausch & Lomb for their ATL media planning and strategy requirements. The agency will also utilize its expert approach, analysis, understanding of consumer and value proposition to further strengthen the position of the brand in the Indian market.
Established in 1853 by an optician, John Jacob Bausch, and Henry Lomb, Bausch & Lomb is part of Valeant Pharmaceuticals and is one of the largest producers of contact lenses. With approximately 22,000 employees worldwide, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. is a multinational specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and markets prescription and non-prescription pharmaceutical products that make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.
Bausch & Lomb, India’s activities expand to contact lenses, lens care, surgical ophthalmology and aesthetics. Its brands like iconnect, PureVision, Lacelle, BioTrue, SL59 and Renu are widely used by Indian consumers.
Indranil Chakravarty, Commercial Director, Business Unit Head, Vision Care at Bausch & Lomb, said, “The contact lens user base is low in India due to various myths and perceptions which are far from reality. It is perceived as difficult to wear, uncomfortable and, above all, costly. Bausch & Lomb is trying to grow the category by targeting the bottom of pyramid by introducing iConnect which at Rs 200 p.m. is the most affordable lens in its category. This will redefine the entry level prices for contact lens user in India. Bausch and Lomb is the category leader in India and through mass communication we are trying to expand the category and create awareness. We are happy to partner with DDB MudraMax and are banking heavily on their expertise to spread our communication far and deep amongst our target segments and geographies.”
Sanjay Bhutani, Managing Director – India & SAARC, Bausch & Lomb, commented, “The contact lens industry in India is at a very nascent stage with penetration rate of around 6 per cent of the population requiring vision correction. As a market leader it becomes our responsibility to grow the category through increasing penetration and reach with more market appropriate products.”
Commenting on the win, Tarun Nigam, EVP, DDB MudraMax-Media, said, “Bausch & Lomb was looking at a very specific set of interventions for their brand. This assumed greater importance as the brand has been absent from mass media for the last few years. The win is a result of an amalgam between strategy and creative media application, to ensure best possible message targeting.”
