Inside Automotive Marketing: How India’s mobility ecosystem is resetting for 2026

India’s automobile industry is set to enter 2026 on a relatively firm footing after a record-breaking 2025, with industry sales expected to grow in the 6–8 per cent range. 

The outlook is supported by a confluence of policy measures—GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions and income tax relief—which are expected to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across segments.

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At the same time, automakers are preparing for a structurally more complex future. Tighter emission norms, higher safety mandates and rising compliance costs are making cost efficiency, brand trust and sharper go-to-market strategies non-negotiable.

Marketing, therefore, has emerged as a critical growth engine rather than a support function. As one of India’s top three advertising categories, the auto sector continues to invest aggressively, driven by new launches, EV ecosystem building and heightened competition. Marketers are increasingly focused on balancing national scale with local relevance—using television and print to drive mass awareness in Tier 2, Tier 3 towns and rural markets, where brand familiarity and dealership presence still influence purchase decisions—while layering digital and AI-led tools to sharpen targeting and improve conversion.

2024 saw leap in auto advertising 

What has decisively changed in 2025 is the approach to ad spends and accountability. AI is no longer experimental but integral to media mix modelling, reach optimisation and ROI measurement, enabling marketers to extract greater value from every rupee invested, industry experts told e4m. Digital channels—especially mobile-led platforms—have become central to engaging younger, tech-savvy consumers, yet leaders stress that content quality and creative relevance remain as critical as channel selection.

As the industry looks ahead, auto marketing in 2026 is expected to be sharper, more disciplined and deeply customer-centric, say industry leaders. 

Making Marketing Sharper, More Accountable and AI-led: Partho Banerjee, Maruti Suzuki

For Maruti Suzuki India, which dominates the Indian passenger vehicle market holding about 45 per cent market share, this year marked a decisive pivot towards future-ready mobility and trust-led marketing. As Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, puts it, “2025 has been a transformative year for the automotive industry, and for Maruti Suzuki, it marked a decisive step toward future mobility.”

Read e4m interview: Partho Banerjee’s take on EV advertising

A key milestone was the rollout of its pan-India EV ecosystem ahead of the launch of the all-new e VITARA, aimed at addressing consumer concerns around range, charging and after-sales to build confidence in EV adoption. Banerjee notes that market buoyancy returned with the revival of small car demand following GST rationalisation, alongside strong momentum in SUVs. “This evolution is not just about technology—it’s about building trust,” he says, highlighting how campaigns focused on seamless ownership experiences and safety-led messaging.

Initiatives such as the ARENA and NEXA Safety Shield campaigns and the ‘Driven by Tech’ platform for the Grand Vitara helped strengthen emotional and functional connections, especially among younger and family buyers. “We believe that communication must go beyond numbers; it must resonate with people at a human level,” Banerjee adds.

Looking to 2026, Maruti Suzuki expects marketing to become sharper, more accountable and increasingly AI-led. “With greater AI integration, we are fundamentally changing how we approach marketing,” Banerjee says, noting that AI is already being deployed across the media marketing mix for reach and spend optimisation, delivering tangible improvements in return on ad spend. While digital platforms continue to gain prominence, traditional media remains relevant for call-to-action-led campaigns. “It is not just about where we reach our customers, but how we engage them,” he emphasises.

Leveraging OTT, Emotion and Performance at Scale: Virat Khullar, Hyundai Motor India

Virat Khullar, AVP & Vertical Head – Marketing, Hyundai Motor India Limited, describes 2025 as a “mixed bag.” “While H1 witnessed more demand generation activities and ROI-driven campaigns, we also launched our first mass electric SUV—Hyundai CRETA Electric—in January 2025. H2 gave a much-needed boost to the industry with the GST 2.0 announcement and renewed consumer optimism, which we capitalised on with the launch of the Hyundai VENUE,” he told e4m.

The rise of OTT consumption also influenced Hyundai’s approach, leading to its partnership with actor Pankaj Tripathi, whose appeal across metros and Tier 2–3 markets aligns with the brand’s regional expansion strategy. In a mobile-first environment, Hyundai has focused on being present across social platforms, immersive formats and culturally relevant conversations. Campaigns such as ‘Test Driven By 100’ combined real-world EV validation with creator-led narratives to build credibility and engagement.

At Hyundai, which commands nearly 14 per cent market share, the focus remains on emotion-led storytelling while maintaining rigour in demand generation. “Marketing is no longer about one-way communication—it’s about creating ecosystems of ROI-driven engagement,” Khullar says. Looking ahead to 2026, maintaining the balance between brand-building and performance-led investments will be critical, with consistent communication beyond festive periods seen as key to building long-term equity.

Hyundai has also announced a global partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC) as a Premier Partner for marquee tournaments from 2026 to 2027, backed by a 360-degree communication strategy across PR, digital, experiential platforms and dealerships.

Turning Brand Storytelling into a Growth Lever: Ashish Gupta, Škoda Auto India

For Škoda Auto India, 2025 was the year when clarity of strategy met scale of execution. “We were not just communicating more but communicating with purpose,” says Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India. The launch of the Kylaq, alongside renewed momentum for the Kodiaq and Octavia RS, gave the brand strong narratives, positioning marketing as a growth lever rather than a support function.

Campaigns such as ‘Fans, not Owners’ succeeded because they were rooted in real customer emotion rather than advertising constructs, Gupta notes. Strong festive visibility helped convert awareness into consideration and demand, resulting in the company’s strongest-ever sales momentum.

Looking ahead, Gupta expects advertising in 2026 to become far more accountable and integrated, with ROI expectations clearly defined across the funnel. Digital will continue to grow, but not at the cost of impact. “High-quality content, contextual placements and genuine engagement will matter more than volume,” he says, adding that performance metrics will increasingly be evaluated alongside sentiment, advocacy and long-term brand equity.

Building Deeper, Experience-led Brand Love: Aashish Midha, Hero MotoCorp

For Hero MotoCorp, which dominates India’s two wheeler market with one third share, 2025 marked a shift from legacy-driven communication to deeper, experience-led brand building. As Aashish Midha, Head of Marketing, Hero MotoCorp, puts it, “2025 has been the year of ‘Elevated Brand Love through Meaningful Customer Experience.’”

The focus was on translating long-standing trust into a more aspirational and emotionally resonant connection with customers through a seamless integration of physical and digital touchpoints. Looking ahead, Midha sees 2026 ushering in a more connected media approach. “The market is shifting decisively towards a ‘High-Intent Omnichannel’ approach,” he says, underscoring the importance of meeting consumers meaningfully across formats.

Hero MotoCorp is also moving away from siloed thinking. “A trusted brand is the strongest driver of performance—it lowers acquisition cost and deepens loyalty,” Midha notes. Relevance will anchor the company’s 2026 strategy, combining cultural platforms such as sports with data-led personalisation to sustain brand leadership.

AI became infrastructure rather than a headline: Udyan Ghai, Apollo Tyres

For Apollo Tyres, which partnered with BCCI to become Team India’s lead sponsor, 2025 was a reset year. “Less about chasing the newest channel and more about proving real value,” says Udyan Ghai, Group Head – Marketing, Apollo Tyres Ltd. AI, he notes, became infrastructure rather than a headline—used to move faster and smarter, not to signal innovation.

Brand and performance reunited, with short-term results balanced against long-term brand building. As attention became scarcer, relevance beat reach. Clear points of view and strong creative outperformed high-volume content, while trust emerged as a growth lever amid rising AI-led misinformation. 

“Focus beats fragmentation,” Ghai adds. Fewer channels, deeper bets and stronger communities delivered better outcomes, with marketers increasingly acting as business operators rather than campaign managers. “2025 wasn’t about novelty, it was about discipline,” he says, summing up the industry’s broader reset.