Lowe bags Tatacard a/c

The Tata group has awarded Lowe creative duties for its credit card, Tatacard, which will hit the market by the end of the current financial year. The Tatas have partnered with State Bank of India (SBI) and GE Caps for the launch of the card.

Lowe bagged the Rs 8-crore account after some close competition from J Walter Thompson and FCB Ulka.

"The launch will take place in two phases. The first phase should take place by the end of this month, and the campaign should kick-start in March," said company sources close to the development.

A largely print media-driven advertising campaign of the group will focus on the Tata brand and position the new product as "India's largest credit-cum-loyalty card".

According to the sources, the campaign, which is currently under development, will mark the conglomerate's first launch in the financial services market.

Tatacard, which will be only for the use of the Tata group stakeholders "" employees, shareholders, dealers and customers, and business associates, will "dramatically change the dynamics of the 14-million credit card market," said the sources.

Tata Sons will be paid a fee for lending its brand name to the card, which will be jointly marketed by the group and SBI. At a later stage, the Tatas may look at buying the entire card base, revealed the sources.

The direct marketing of the product will be handled by RMG Connect. Apart from this venture in retail, the group has retail presence in gold, watches, automobiles and lifestyle shopping, under the brands "" Tanishq, Titan, Tata Motors, Fastrack and Westside, respectively, among others.