Our annual marketing spend remains above Rs 100 crore: Ravi Chawla, Gulf Oil

As Gulf Oil Lubricants India looks to accelerate growth across both consumer and industrial segments, the company is continuing to invest heavily in marketing while expanding investments in mobility solutions, digital transformation and business-to-business engagement.

The lubricant maker, which spends over 3% of revenue annually on marketing, is preparing to launch a dedicated B2B campaign titled 'Dream Beyond, Do Beyond' as industrial, infrastructure and OEM businesses account for nearly 45-50% of its overall business. 

Speaking to exchange4media, Ravi Chawla, MD & CEO, Gulf Oil Lubricants India, said the move reflects the changing composition of the company's business and the need for more targeted communication with decision-makers across industrial sectors.

"Most of our brand-building over the years has been around the consumer-facing business. But our B2B business, including industrial lubricants, infrastructure customers and OEMs, has grown significantly and accounts for nearly 45-50% of the company's business. We felt the need to have dedicated communication for these segments," Chawla said.

Marketing spend remains above Rs 100 crore

While Gulf has reduced marketing expenditure as a percentage of revenue over the years, the absolute amount invested in brand-building has continued to rise alongside the company's growth.

According to Chawla, the company, which has grown into a nearly Rs 4,000-crore business, currently spends about 3-3.5% of revenue on marketing. A decade-and-a-half ago, that figure stood at roughly 5-6%.

"We have invested consistently in building the brand over the last 15 years. Earlier, we used to spend about 5-6% of revenue, while today we spend around 3-3.5%," he said.

With the company now generating nearly Rs 4,000 crore in revenue, annual marketing investments exceed Rs 100 crore. 

Gulf's media investments are split roughly 50:50 between above-the-line and below-the-line activities, alongside sports sponsorships and brand ambassador partnerships. 

Why Gulf is launching a dedicated B2B campaign

Historically, Gulf's marketing efforts have been largely consumer-focused, centred around motorcycle lubricants, retail channels and mass-market brand awareness initiatives.

However, Chawla said the company increasingly sees opportunities in industrial and infrastructure sectors where purchase decisions are driven less by mass advertising and more by technical expertise, service capabilities and long-term partnerships.

The campaign is built around Gulf's positioning as a solutions partner rather than merely a lubricant supplier.

According to Chawla, the inspiration for the campaign emerged from conversations with customers across manufacturing, infrastructure and automotive sectors who are pursuing increasingly ambitious projects and expect suppliers to play a more strategic role.

"What we found through our interactions is that customers see Gulf as a company that goes beyond supplying lubricants. They see us as a partner that helps solve problems and supports their growth ambitions. That became the foundation of the 'Dream Beyond, Do Beyond' campaign," he explained.

Unlike traditional consumer campaigns, the B2B initiative will primarily be distributed through LinkedIn, social media, sector-specific digital channels and direct industry outreach programmes.

Sports, celebrities and influencers remain central to brand-building

While B2B communication is becoming increasingly important, Gulf continues to rely heavily on sports-led marketing to drive consumer awareness.

The brand has longstanding associations with motorsports globally and has historically partnered with Formula One teams including Williams Racing, McLaren and Aston Martin. In India, Gulf expanded beyond motorsports and entered cricket sponsorships during the early years of the IPL.

Today, the company is associated with Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya and Smriti Mandhana.

Chawla said the partnerships work because the values of sport closely mirror those associated with lubricant performance.

"Performance, endurance, consistency and trust are values that matter both in sports and in lubricants. That's why sports has remained such an important platform for us," he said.

MS Dhoni's personal affinity for motorcycles has further strengthened the brand fit, particularly for Gulf's two-wheeler lubricant portfolio.

Community building and influencer marketing

Alongside celebrity endorsements, Gulf has been expanding its influencer and community-led initiatives, particularly around its premium motorcycle lubricant brand, Gulf Syntrac.

The company partners with properties such as India Bike Week and engages riding communities through local events, endurance rides and digital content initiatives.

The company also runs a platform called Ride with Gulf, where enthusiasts discuss riding experiences, products and motorcycling culture.

According to Chawla, creators and influencers help build credibility in a category where consumers may not always have direct interactions with the product itself.

By leveraging experienced riders, biking communities and user testimonials, Gulf aims to make technical product attributes more relatable and accessible to consumers.

Segmentation strategy drives growth

Chawla attributed Gulf's growth to a long-term segmentation strategy focused on specific high-potential categories rather than pursuing the market broadly. Since the late 2000s, the company has built dedicated teams for OEMs, industrial customers and infrastructure businesses, with around 40-50 employees focused exclusively on these segments.

The approach has helped Gulf expand from working with a single OEM nearly two decades ago to partnering with more than 50 OEMs today. According to Chawla, the company has consistently grown 2-3 times faster than the overall lubricant market, with some B2B segments delivering double-digit growth.

Premiumisation creating new opportunities

The lubricant industry is growing at roughly 3-4%, according to Chawla and Gulf expects premiumisation to drive significantly higher value growth.

The transition from mineral-based lubricants to semi-synthetic and synthetic products is creating opportunities across both automotive and industrial categories.

"As customers increasingly demand higher-performance products, premium lubricants are seeing stronger adoption. We believe value growth in the category can be around 6-7%, even if volume growth remains lower," Chawla said.

The company expects premium products to remain an important growth driver in the coming years.

Betting on digital transformation and AI

Digital transformation forms a major component of Gulf's Unlock 2.0 strategy.

The company is currently investing in data infrastructure, dashboards, customer connectivity platforms and digital engagement tools across both B2B and B2C operations.

Gulf is currently laying the groundwork for broader AI adoption through its digitisation efforts. The company is exploring applications ranging from customer service and product discovery to data analysis and sales enablement.

"We are building the digital foundation first. As the data ecosystem matures, AI will increasingly help us improve customer engagement, decision-making and service delivery," Chawla said.

The company is evaluating the potential use of generative AI, agentic AI and large language models across customer-facing and internal processes.

Beyond lubricants: Gulf's mobility ambitions

Alongside its core lubricant business, Gulf is expanding its presence in the broader mobility ecosystem.

The company has invested approximately Rs 185 crore across EV-related ventures, including charger manufacturer Tyrex and software platform ElectreeFi.

Gulf currently owns 65% of Tyrex and is increasing manufacturing capacity to meet future demand.

According to Chawla, the company expects the charger business to evolve into a Rs 400-500 crore opportunity over the next six to seven years.

The strategy is designed to leverage Gulf's existing relationships with OEMs, fleet operators, infrastructure companies and retail touchpoints.

"We see strong synergies between our lubricant business and emerging mobility solutions. As customer requirements evolve, we want to remain relevant across the broader mobility ecosystem," he said.

Looking ahead

Under Unlock 2.0, Gulf plans to continue expanding distribution, accelerate growth in premium categories, strengthen its B2B business and deepen investments in digital capabilities.

The company is also exploring potential mergers and acquisitions to support long-term growth.

"We are a cash-rich company, generate healthy cash flows and are actively evaluating opportunities that can complement our existing business and future growth ambitions," Chawla said.

The company's next phase of growth will focus on premium lubricants, B2B expansion, digital transformation and mobility solutions, according to Chawla. Alongside strengthening its core lubricants business, Gulf is investing in EV charging infrastructure, digital capabilities and potential new growth avenues through acquisitions.