Story Of Bajaj – A Global Brand with an Indian Soul

The phrase “Hamara Bajaj” conjures up memories, and no one in India hasn’t heard it. The Bajaj Group was founded in 1926 by Jamnalal Bajaj and has holdings in a variety of industries, including iron and steel, finance, travel, insurance, and home appliances, but Bajaj Auto is arguably the most significant and admired of the bunch, serving as a true worldwide brand.

Beginnings

Bajaj Auto began operations in 1945, importing and selling two and three wheelers in India. It went into producing the same after more than a decade and received a license from Piaggio to produce Vespa scooters. In 1960, the corporation became public. Following the introduction of motorbikes in 1986, the firm tried to transform its image into a well-known two-wheeler brand.

The legendary ‘Buland bharat ki buland tasweer’ advertising from 1989 did a great job of imprinting the company name in everyone’s mind. At the time, Bajaj had a monopoly, but he also realized that it would not endure. To make the most of the time they had, Bajaj adopted the notion of creating feelings of national pride, which kept them ahead of the competition for a few years. The “Chetak” was introduced to the market, marketed as a proudly Indian product. The product, however, failed spectacularly, and the Bajaj was just getting started on a downward spiral.

The Fall

The following decade proved to be tough for Bajaj Auto, owing to increased competition. Bajaj had to cease producing Chetak because Hero Honda introduced the Activa with its electric starting function. Kristal was created in order to respond to the competition. The two-wheeler, however, was a failure, and Bajaj Auto quit the sector in 2009.

Globalization

Following Pulsar’s breakthrough, Bajaj realized it had the potential to service overseas markets as well. The firm that began by importing two-wheelers has now begun to export them. Bajaj sold as many Pulsars in Columbia as it did in India in 2007. In Indonesia, the brand was already a market leader in the three-wheeler class. As a result, they established themselves as a well-known and high-quality brand, with unique showrooms around the island country.

Chinese bikes were also giving Bajaj bikes a run for their money in Nigeria, an African country. To counter this, Bajaj Auto released their legendary “Boxer” at a 25% higher price, but with the promise of being more fuel efficient. This method worked not only in Nigeria but also in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Columbia.

Bajaj is an iconic Indian brand that never fails to inspire national pride. This is also visible in its most recent campaigns. The world’s favorite Indian, dubbed “Hum se hai Yeh Jahan,” has always risen and navigated through difficult circumstances with tenacity and speed.