Maruti Suzuki's media mix is evolving to mirror shifting consumer habits: Partho Banerjee

In an era where customer journeys are becoming increasingly digital and preferences are shaped by purpose-driven choices, Maruti Suzuki is recalibrating its marketing strategies to stay ahead of the curve. From innovative campaigns to investments in new-age platforms, the carmaker has been evolving its outreach to connect with the discerning Indian buyer.

In this exclusive conversation, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, delves into the company’s key marketing priorities for 2025. He discusses how the brand has been aligning with the rise of sustainability, leveraging digital and AI-driven platforms, exploring the potential of the metaverse, and making bold strides in electric mobility. Banerjee also sheds light on Maruti Suzuki’s sports marketing strategy and how initiatives like IPL and short-video campaigns are helping build deeper consumer engagement in a dynamic marketplace.

What are the key marketing priorities for Maruti Suzuki in 2025, and how do they align with evolving customer behaviour?

In cognisance of evolving customer behaviour, our marketing efforts are going to be centred around elevating strategic content development and precise media placement. We have focused on creating personalised and impactful interactions rather than broad and generic outreach. This includes developing engaging content that aligns with the values and aspirations of our discerning customer segments, ensuring it is both relevant and meaningful.

With the rise of sustainability and digital-first approaches, how has Maruti Suzuki’s target audience evolved over the years, and how is Maruti Suzuki recalibrating its marketing strategies for the future?

In India, functionality, such as mileage and value for money, continue to be key drivers in purchase decisions. However, for the new-age buyers, including Gen Z and millennials, safety and purpose are just as important. Therefore, to engage this audience, we are not only emphasizing the functional benefits of our vehicles but also effectively communicating the larger purpose behind our initiatives, whether in sustainability, innovation, or customer experience. We launched the “Run On What You Love” campaign because we understand that today’s buyers don’t just see CNG cars as an alternative to the existing fuel options, but as a more sustainable mode of transportation. Building on the vision of sustainability, the “It’s Unbelievable. It’s Strong Hybrid,” brand campaign furthers our commitment to pave the way for a greener future.

Can you give us an overview of Maruti Suzuki’s marketing budget distribution? Which mediums are seeing an increase in investment?

Our marketing investments are thoughtfully aligned with evolving market dynamics and overarching business objectives. We at Maruti Suzuki are committed to leveraging a diverse media mix, spanning traditional channels and digital channels. Our digital marketing spends are tailored to mirror shifts in customers’ media consumption. This holistic approach enables us to deliver a consistent and immersive brand experience across multiple customer touchpoints, ensuring both reach and relevance in today’s evolving media landscape.

Maruti Suzuki has been actively involved in sports marketing, including the IPL. How significant is IPL as a platform for your brand, and how much are you investing in this season?

IPL presents a unique and compelling advertising opportunity for automotive brands. Research from BARC indicates that cricket, particularly the IPL, has the highest reach among our target demographic (premium NCCS A category). This alignment makes the IPL an attractive platform for creating significant brand impact and connecting with potential car buyers.

This IPL season, we will be having an integrated marketing mix that will focus on showcasing key brands, including the Grand Vitara, FRONX, Swift, and True Value - India’s most trusted pre-owned car platform. Each of the brands will be strategically positioned to appeal to the discerning and aspirational audience that the IPL attracts. Our goal is to move beyond mere visibility and create compelling narratives that foster targeted conversations and promote high-intent product consideration.

How are emerging platforms like short-video apps, influencers, and AI-driven marketing impacting your advertising strategies?

AI is fundamentally changing how we approach marketing. We are now using AI for our marketing campaigns for both spend and reach optimisation. Previously, we relied on a 'spray and pray' strategy—deploying broad media and hoping to reach the right audience. Today, AI allows us to deliver a truly ‘omnichannel experience’, leveraging insights into consumer driving patterns and purchasing behaviours. This shift has led to significant improvements in return on ad spend and enhanced our ability to predict inquiry-to-sale conversions. As AI continues to evolve, we remain committed to integrating it further to refine and enhance our marketing strategy.

As EV adoption grows, how is Maruti Suzuki positioning itself in this evolving landscape?

At Maruti Suzuki, we always put the customer first. It is with this philosophy that we aim to provide EV owners access to fast charging points every 5 to 10 kilometres around their vicinity in the top 100 cities in India; as nearly 97% of the EV sales happen across these locations. Our goal is also to make EVs accessible, convenient, and appealing to a broader set of customers. We have set out to achieve this with our ‘e for me’ vision for the e Vitara. ‘e for me’ is about creating an entire ecosystem that makes the transition to electric mobility natural and seamless for every Indian.

This philosophy has been integrated into the 'e for me’ logo as well. If you carefully examine the ‘e’ in the logo, it represents a thoughtful fusion of symbolism and functionality. The logo incorporates two e's - a smaller one representing e VITARA and the Maruti Suzuki infra and ecosystem, while the larger ‘e’ symbolises Mother Nature, reflecting our commitment to sustainability and reduced carbon footprints.

Are virtual experiences and metaverse-driven engagements truly influencing purchase decisions, or are they still in an experimental phase?

Our Metaverse platforms are designed to offer customers a highly interactive and immersive retail experience. In the future, customers will be able to engage digitally with sales representatives and personalise their vehicles to suit their preferences seamlessly. To enhance the customer experience, we have launched ARENAVerse and NEXAVerse enabling users to explore their desired Maruti Suzuki vehicles from the comfort of their homes. These platforms are finding increasing adoption amongst the younger generation of customers. Having said that, when it comes to automobiles, the entire spectrum of research to purchase will be one that will be ‘phygital’ in nature. So, while many processes on the grounds of vehicle research, finance, etc. can be digitalised; aspects such as test drives, physically touching and feeling the car, and taking delivery will remain physical in nature.