Background
Since August 2022, Drummond Central have been working as the lead global creative agency for one of the most iconic British brands - Triumph Motorcycles. Every year, they launch several new motorcycles across each of their global markets, and we partner with them to develop the product launch campaigns.
In 2023 Triumph launched a new range of smaller engine capacity (400cc) motorcycles in partnership with Indian motorcycle manufacturer Baja Auto. The partnership aimed to drive sales of Triumph by making the brand more accessible to a younger audience, and in global markets where larger capacity engine motorbikes are less popular and less practical, and where the Triumph brand has low awareness and even lower consideration amongst our target audience as Triumph’s premium market position historically has put them out of reach.
The product launch was the most important global launch Triumph have conducted in a number of years, and the launch required a high impact campaign to match.
Target audience
We conducted audience research with riders globally (under 40) of all genders and background who are looking for a 400cc bike, exploring four fundamental aspects:
Attitudes and motivations
Category consideration
Brand association
Rider purchase journey
We identified that our audience are driven by a desire to have fun and make the most of life without feeling like they are having to compromise. Their motorbike plays a key role in that, not simply as a mode of transport but as part of their identity. Their bike is a projection of their style, attitude and desire for fun and freedom.
Prior to the launch of the new 400cc ’T Series’ models from Triumph the mid-capacity market offered limited choice to this audience who want performance, capability, style, handling that inspires confident riding, and the best quality they can afford to buy.
Historically, the category presented the audience with a series of trade offs - budget vs quality, performance vs style, or capability vs handling. With the launch of the Triumph 400’s the audience finally have a choice that delivers without compromising.
Our campaign needed to show how the new Triumph 400 models align with the audience desire for fun and making the most of life without compromise, and position the Triumph 400’s as the category choice that enables them to do that.
Client challenge
As a premium brand, Triumph usually attract older, more-experienced riders - they had not previously actively targeted a younger audience through earned, owned and paid channels. In addition, there are several competitors brands who are well established within the category. This was new ground for Triumph as a brand.
In addition to this, as Triumph are working in partnership with Baja Auto, so we indirectly had 2 clients - Triumph as the brand owner and our direct client, and Baja Auto as the manufacturing partner and local market (India) experts.
We needed a creative solution that satisfied the aspirations and demands of both clients.
Agency solution
Our creative strategy appealed to younger riders by demonstrating that with the Triumph 400s you can ride confidently and without sacrifice, meaning more fun and enjoyment from your ride.
Our creative platform - ‘Have It All’ - appeals to the young generational attitude of ‘living your best life’, making the most of life individually and with friends, without having to compromise.
We arranged a film and photoshoot in Los Angeles featuring relatable, young riders with a mix of riding and lifestyle scenarios to demonstrate the ‘Have it all’ proposition.
This was edited into a series of video and static assets which were leveraged across owned, earned and paid channels - working with the client’s media team to develop an effective channel mix, with a bias toward YouTube, Instagram and programmatic ads.
Our phased campaign worked across 3 key phases:
Pre-Launch: build interest and excitement amongst press and influencer community
Launch: generate Global press and influencer engagement and coverage on earned channels
Ongoing: drive awareness, consideration and sales amongst core rider audience using paid and organic content
The campaign was launched at 2 Global launch events. The Global launch event was held at renowned ‘cool’ biker hangout - The Bike Shed, Shoreditch on 27th June 2023, launching to Global press and key influencers. The second event was jointly hosted by Triumph and Baja Auto, in Pune, India launching to the Indian market on 5th July 2023.
Both events generated significant press, social and influencer coverage amplifying our ‘Have It All’ campaign message.
The results
The results of the campaign were unprecedented for Triumph motorcycles and their production partner Bajaj Auto.
Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto Ltd, said: “We are excited by the overwhelming response we have received following the launch. A pre-order of 10,000 bikes within such a short span (the first 10 days of retail sales) is unprecedented and a testament to the unwavering faith that riders have placed in Bajaj Auto and Triumph Motorcycles. We are committed to our promise of manufacturing exceptional motorcycles that captivate riders with their performance, design, and technology.”
The success of our campaign was ultimately measured by sales impact, and the results for Triumph have been groundbreaking.
Against a target of 7,000 global unit sales in the first year, the campaign achieved 17,000 units sold from the Indian market alone within the first 4 weeks of the global launch.
Demand was so high, a 3-4 month waiting list for orders was created with the value of the order book being well in excess of £30m.
The launch was so successful, Triumph in partnership with Baja Auto, are due to launch 2 additional models in the 400cc family during 2025/2026 with Drummond Central scheduled to work on a fresh campaign for both the full 400cc range and the new models during 2025. Watch this space.
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