Driving the future: Maruti Suzuki’s marketing evolution in a digital-first era
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, has long been synonymous with reliability, affordability and trust. But as consumer preferences shift—especially among Gen Z and millennials—the brand is redefining its marketing playbook.
In an interview, Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, delves into the company’s strategic shift towards digital, its focus on personalization, and how it’s tackling challenges in the EV and SUV segments. Edited excerpts: Functionality remains crucial in India—factors like mileage and value for money still matter. But for the younger generation, purpose is equally important.
This is why we have two distinct retail channels: NEXA and Arena. NEXA is premium, sophisticated and exclusive, while Arena is youthful and dynamic. Even our communication is differentiated—NEXA ads use monochrome palettes, while Arena adopts vibrant colours.
Another key aspect for Gen Z and millennials is digitization. Also read | Kingfisher’s big beer bet: flavoured brews The covid-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, but we were already moving towards a more digital approach. Today, 25 out of 26 steps in the car-buying journey are digitized—the only offline step left is car delivery.
Younger customers engage differently, and we’re adapting our marketing to match their expectations. Social media is at the core of our digital marketing strategy. Younger consumers spend significant time on their phones, and we’ve adjusted our spending accordingly.
That said, we are not eliminating traditional media. For call-to-action campaigns, traditional formats still perform well. The key is finding the right balance and ensuring each channel serves a
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