

Ads on tap: Why Jaquar still values old-school marketing in the age of AI
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Nearly four years ago, Jaquar Group launched a series of ads about an entirely new business it had entered: lights. For a company synonymous with bathroom fittings, it was a difficult campaign to pull off.
The ad campaign—a series of videos depicting people expecting bathroom fittings in unusual spaces only to be surprised by Jaquar lighting instead—went on to win several awards.But now, as Jaquar pushes ahead with its global ambitions, it is navigating a marketing landscape increasingly disputed by artificial intelligence (AI). The situation is complicated by a unique feature of Jaquar’s core industry, where sales are made not directly to customers but via an extensive dealer network.Sandeep Shukla, vice-president and head of marketing communications and global operations at Jaquar Group, told Mint how the company is navigating these changes while harnessing AI for its sales and marketing.Here are some edited excerpts from the interview:The whole understanding of the home interiors category has evolved drastically post-covid.
People like to spend more time at home and builders are now providing homes with fitted interiors, so the home interiors business has become a very high-involvement category. What fittings go into a home has now become a joint decision involving even the kids and elderly members of the family.
Also, post-covid, the health and wellness theme is strong, so people are increasingly looking to build wellness spaces at home. This is no longer a luxury.Architects, interior designers, and contractors and dealers do have an influence on what is purchased, but more directionally, interiors are becoming a consumer product.Lighting is a difficult category, but transitioning
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