The account, estimated to be worth about US$1.15 million, had
been with HTA since 1997.
Ogilvy & Mather, Mudra Communications and Rediffusion DY&R, as well as HTA and Lowe were shortlisted to pitch for the account, which was put up for review in January 2001.
An announcement on the winning agency took more than a year because of
the tense situation in the Indian sub-continent last year, which
included the US war against terrorism in Afghanistan and the terrorist
attack on the Indian Parliament in December.
Lowe won the account on the basis of its strategy of addressing the need for more people to join the army, according to industry observers.
HTA had worked on a 'Do you have it in you (to join the Indian Army)?' campaign, using an assertive statement to invoke interest among students to enlist.
However, research conducted by a number of competing agencies during the account review revealed that the campaign failed to achieve the desired results of increasing enlistments.
