Maruti Suzuki goes beyond mileage focus; new marketing chief Partho Banerjee reveals the auto major's strategy

For years, Indian car buyers prioritised mileage, and Maruti Suzuki capitalised on that with their ‘Kitna deti hai’ campaigns. But times have changed. Today's consumers demand more. They want comfort, style, technology, and more and Maruti Suzuki, while retaining its core values, is evolving with the times. Their focus has shifted from broad campaigns to ‘marketing for one’.

The auto giant's new senior executive officer - Marketing and Sales Partho Banerjee, prioritises elevating the customer experience through data-driven, tailor-made campaigns.

In an interview with Storyboard18, Banerjee highlighted the success of Fronx and Jimny campaigns, highlighting the effectiveness of targeted marketing for new launches.

Moving forward, Banerjee emphasised a tailor-made approach for all campaigns, ensuring they reach the right customer, at the right time, through the right medium.

As the new marketing and sales head, Banerjee prioritises maintaining momentum despite muted industry growth. "We'll achieve this through a customer-centric approach, aligning all efforts, from brand building to product development, with consumer needs," he said.

He also elaborated on his learnings from three decades at Maruti Suzuki, outlining valuable insights he intends to implement in the sales and marketing team, along with his views on utilising new-age marketing tools.

Edited excerpts:

Transitioning from heading the service wing to now leading marketing and sales, what valuable lessons have you learned that you aim to leverage in your new role?

Three decades at Maruti Suzuki have yielded countless lessons, but two stand out for me. First, truly understanding customer concerns and preferences is paramount. This is something I want to deeply embed in our marketing and sales strategy. Second, leveraging our customer database, a valuable insight from my after-sales experience, is crucial. By combining strong data analytics with a customer-centric approach, we can optimise campaigns and reach customers through the right channels with the right content.


Moving on to the two big launches of the year, what are the key strategies that contributed to the successful launches of Front and Jimmy models in India, and how do you plan to build upon this success in future launches?

If we look at the two new launches, the Fronx campaign, in particular, has been a tremendous success. It's helped us achieve a significant jump in SUV market share, from 10 percent to 20 percent. The campaign's focus on design resonated well with our target audience. Fronx has become the fastest-selling car in India, reaching a sales figure of over 1 lakh units in just 10 months. This is a testament to the effectiveness of the campaign and our ability to connect with customers. The Jimny campaign was also very well received.

With four strong SUVs in our portfolio and a 20 percent market share, we're now the number two player in the segment.

The two campaign were mostly based on true stories and original content from real users, a how did that work for the brand? What other innovative approaches will Maruti employ to effectively reach and resonate with your target audience?

I want to highlight the Jimny brand, a true off-road icon with over 50 years of history. Our ‘Never Turn Back’ campaign, leveraging real owner stories, successfully established its off-roading prowess through genuine connection. On the innovation front, immersive experiences like NEXAverse proved highly successful for the brand. During the Grand Vitara launch, over 55,000 bookings were received before customers even physically saw the car. This initiative shows Maruti Suzuki's commitment to reaching customers through cutting-edge methods. AI and augmented reality will remain our focus, and we intend to harness the power of data analytics to deliver customised communication and experiences to our customers.

Are marketing and ad spends also growing with these changing trends?

In fiscal year 2023 (ending March 31, 2024), our total marketing spend amounted to approximately Rs1100 crore. To provide a breakdown, television advertising received roughly 35 percent of the budget, followed by digital marketing at 30-33 percent. Print media accounted for approximately 18 percent, with the remaining budget allocated to other channels. We are definitely anticipating an increase in marketing spend for the coming fiscal year.

Talking of trends, how does the brand plan to capitalize on emerging trends and consumer preferences to stay ahead in the dynamic automotive industry?

Capitalizing on emerging trends and evolving consumer preferences is crucial. We're achieving this through a focus on innovation, agility, and unwavering customer centricity.

We closely monitor marketing trends and technological advancements, particularly in areas like strong hybrid technology - a segment experiencing positive traction. Just recently, we launched a strong hybrid campaign highlighting the benefits of this technology.

Data analytics is key to crafting tailor-made marketing campaigns, enabling us to move towards ‘marketing for one’. This personalised approach, only achievable through digital channels, enhances the customer experience and builds trust. Offering the same message to everyone simply won't work anymore.

In your view, what are the critical factors that will shape the future success of Maruti Suzuki, and how do you intend to align your strategies to navigate through these challenges and opportunities?

Since its inception, Maruti Suzuki's mission has been to provide the joy of mobility for India, prioritizing customer needs as our core strategy. We've observed that cars are no longer just transportation, but an extension of one's personality. Our 18 products, each adding value to the Maruti Suzuki brand, cater to diverse customer demands. The fast-growing SUV segment reflects these evolving needs, and we offer four strong options. We are also committed to CNG, strong hybrid, and future exploration of biogas and EV models. The point is to keep a close watch on customer trends and keep innovating on all fronts to meet customer expectations.

So innovation is how you are transitioning from being a legacy company to a modern day brand?

This transition began nearly a decade ago when I was a core member of the NEXA brand launch. We recognised evolving customer preferences, prompting the creation of NEXA to deliver a differentiated experience. We understand the need to continuously upgrade as customer expectations change.

Maruti Suzuki has often been the first car for many in India, and we see them as part of our extended family. As their needs evolve, we understand the importance of evolving alongside them. This goes beyond just products; the sales experience, after-sales service, and the level of digitization have all undergone significant shifts from traditional practices.