Hero and Saatchi & Saatchi India reimagine Himalayan prayer flags as portable first-aid kits
Motorcycling through the Himalayas has become one of India’s most popular adventure pursuits, with riders tackling the demanding routes of Manali and Leh-Ladakh each year. While the experience is exhilarating, the risks are real, unpredictable weather, rugged terrain, and long stretches without immediate medical support. Yet for many riders, particularly those renting bikes locally, basic first-aid preparedness is often overlooked. To address this gap, Hero MotoCorp teamed up with Saatchi & Saatchi India to introduce Prayers for Safety.
The initiative reimagines the iconic Tibetan prayer flags—long seen as symbols of protection and well-being—as portable first-aid kits designed for bikers. Across the Himalayan region, riders traditionally tie prayer flags to their handlebars as a gesture of belief and safety. Drawing on this cultural insight, Prayers for Safety blends faith with function, transforming an age-old symbol into a practical safety solution for riders navigating remote terrain.
With the aim of making every ride safer, this initiative was rolled out across key biking hubs in Manali and Leh-Ladakh, with kits made available through bike rental points, bikers’ cafés, and custom-designed flag dispensers. By embedding safety into an existing riding ritual, Hero MotoCorp reinforced its commitment to every rider’s well-being, encouraging preparedness on journeys where access to immediate medical help is limited.
Aashish Midha, Head of Marketing, Hero MotoCorp Ltd., said: “At Hero MotoCorp, rider safety is not an afterthought – it’s a fundamental part of who we are and what we stand for. As the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, we recognize that true mobility means ensuring every rider, every family and every community returns home safely. We believe rider safety is a shared responsibility, especially in environments where basic first aid or medical help is not easily accessible. Prayers for Safety reflects our intent to go beyond business revenue by addressing real on-ground challenges through simple, culturally rooted solutions.”
Kartik Smetacek, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi India, added: “This was one of those ideas that was as useful as it was clever. Not just to identify the problem, but to solve for it in such a simple, elegant way – by transforming something symbolic into something practical. Huge credit to our wonderful clients at Hero MotoCorp for backing the idea and rolling it out at scale.”
