‘‘Our focus on premium segment and premium customers has increased’’ RS Kalsi,
As one of India’s biggest passenger car-maker Maruti Suzuki turns its focus on the premium segment, RS Kalsi, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Limited, speaks about the recent high octane campaigns for the S-Cross, Baleno and Celerio, the exclusive Nexa sales network and the strategy behind registering 17-18% growth in the festive season.

As one of India’s biggest passenger car-maker Maruti Suzuki turns its focus on the premium segment, RS Kalsi, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Limited, speaks about the recent high octane campaigns for the S-Cross, Baleno and Celerio, the exclusive Nexa sales network and the strategy behind registering 17-18% growth in the festive season.
You are one of the leaders in the domestic passenger vehicle (PV) market, but how do you fare in the premium segment?
We are gradually evolving. We started with DZire sedan, a version of A-3 minus segment where the market was limited to a few thousand in numbers. Today, we are able to create and develop a segment in the market wherein at entry level, we are selling close to 24,000 vehicles per month. We entered the A-3 plus premium segment through Ciaz, and today we are selling 5,000 plus cars per month. We are creating segments, and as the market evolves, we move upwards in terms of our products.
What is Maruti Suzuki’s current market-share, overall and in the premium market?
Our overall market-share is close to 47% and we have market leadership in A-3 segment. DZire is doing very well there, aided by Ciaz.
In an earlier interview, you said that 50% of the market is out of Maruti Suzuki’s purview. Five months after Nexa’s launch, has the situation changed?
Yes, our focus on premium segment and premium customers has increased and as a result, we have been able to get 35,000 bookings of Baleno and clocked an average sale of 3,000 cars per month for S-Cross so far. So, a customer who looks forward to premium treatment at the showroom, embraces technology, loves digital interaction, pampering and looks forward to a relationship manager handling all car-related requirements through a single window - this is the class of customers who appreciate Nexa and it is certainly helping us expand our market.
Tell us about your new brand campaign ‘Aaj ke zamaney ki leap’ for your popular hatchback Celerio and the insight behind it?
We undertook an in-depth research on the lives of customers who were buying our cars, and found that those who bought Celerio had a more progressive outlook. They were open to new technology, believed in experimenting and loved gizmos, a taste reflected in their lifestyle as well. Based on these insights, we wanted to design a more consumer-oriented campaign that spoke about the evolved progressive mindset of any Celerio buyer. Our car has the best style, mileage, revolutionary auto-gear shift, good cabin space and is packed with gizmos. Since its launch, our campaigns have been focused around the product, its features and gizmos. Our campaign, ‘Aaj ke zamaney ki leap’ also exemplifies all of it.
What is the marketing mix for the campaign and what medium would be the focus of your ad spends?
For Celerio, we are going in for an integrated media mix and a 360-degree campaign that includes Radio, Digital, OOH, BTL activities and three brand new TVCs. In the first ad, a woman is seen teaching her husband to drive and showing him how to use automatic gear shift technology. The second ad reflects the changing mindset of the people where a girl child defeats her twin brother in a cricket match, and the father encourages and supports her. The third one shows an elderly couple partying till late night while their daughter-in-law and son are waiting in the car to take them home. It is in sync with the changing lifestyle of people, especially of those from the South, who we noticed are early adopters of technology despite a strong bond with conservative values. The campaign is an interesting reflection of the lifestyle of customers of Celerio.
S-Cross and Baleno are two cars that are available only in Nexa showrooms. Has the strategy to make them exclusive worked for Maruti Suzuki?
Initially, it was a big challenge with more and more apprehensions about the success of Nexa channels. We started with 80 showrooms in addition to our existing 1,700 showrooms. Our arrangement was such that if there is no Nexa showroom in the vicinity, the existing showroom can capture the inquiries and take them to the Nexa showroom for a premium experience for the customer. It is not a handicap anymore. S-Cross numbers are in line with our optimistic estimates as Maruti Suzuki has for the first time introduced a real crossover in its portfolio. It is a wonderful vehicle with all the comforts, sophistication of a sedan, ruggedness and high power of an SUV. Moving forward, we expect this product will take off and we will certainly touch higher numbers.
Is the marketing strategy for Nexa pan-India or is it only targeted at the metros?
It is a pan-India strategy and we have 80 Nexa showrooms operating in 60-odd cities. We intend to cross the 100 mark by the end of this fiscal year. We are already in Tier II cities and based on the demand, we will further expand our network.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp