Music, of any form, is the string which connects hearts. Music is a key pillar of Maruti’s Nexa philosophy, embodying the brand's belief in creating experiences that inspire. Nexa Music was created to promote and cultivate original indie music talent in India. Seasons 1 and 2 saw the emergence of 24 standout musicians mentored by global music icon, A.R. Rahman, supported by Clinton Cerejo. The third iteration, however, forayed into regional music in addition to English music, offering participating artists a unique opportunity to showcase their talent to a global audience.
Additionally, Nexa Lifestyle’s experiences through Lakme Fashion Week and IIFA reiterate its core that Nexa is established around the new age of Indian consumers who value innovative technology in their everyday lives. Nexa’s customers are informed, live an exclusive lifestyle, and are attracted to high-end fashion. From partnering with India's biggest fashion event, Lakme Fashion Week, to teaming up with premium properties like IIFA Awards, Sunburn, Supersonic, and Lollapalooza, Nexa has built strong brand associations. Such collaborations allow the brand to stay ahead of emerging trends and styles, catering to the discerning tastes of its new-age customers and striving to bring premium and unique experiences to its customers.
In an exclusive chat with Everything Experiential, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India conversed extensively about Maruti’s experiential strategy, the experiential offerings of Nexa – Nexa Music (Nexa Music Lounge and Nexa Music Lab) and Nexa Journeys, amping up the motorsports experience, upcoming trends and more.
Edited excerpts:
How is Maruti integrating experiential marketing into its strategy – through Maruti Suzuki as well as Nexa - to enhance customer engagement and brand experience?
At Maruti Suzuki, we recognise that customers are evolving every day, becoming more aware of new products, technologies, and their own requirements.
As an extension of our commitment to deliver unforgettable experiences through experiential marketing, we also introduced the ‘Rock N’ Road SUV Experiences’ in January this year. It is a unique, experiential platform for adventure enthusiasts that aims to meet and exceed the evolving aspirations of SUV enthusiasts who seek more than just the functional aspects.
In addition to this, we also hosted ‘Rock N’ Road 4X4 Masters’ – a thrilling off-roading championship designed exclusively for budding off-roading enthusiasts who are Jimny owners. This unique event was introduced as a response to the shift in the desires of today’s consumers who crave more than just speed, and with the aim of bringing together like-minded adventure enthusiasts, providing a stage for them to test their Jimny’s capabilities.
Being associated with motorsport for more than three decades, Maruti had announced being off-sponsoring motorsport events for a while. Then the brand was seen getting back into the motorsport scene in 2023 – partnering with Cougar Motorsport as the co-sponsor for RFC India in Goa in 2023. What is your strategy about building the motorsport experience for consumers?
Back in the 80s, we set out on a mission to ignite a passion for motorsport in India. Our journey began by sponsoring Indian Army teams in the legendary ‘Himalayan Rally.’ However, we wanted to bring the thrill of the race to everyday enthusiasts. So, we decided to create our own rallies, pushing the boundaries with more challenging formats designed for motoring professionals.
This vision gave rise to iconic events like Raid-de-Himalaya, Dakshin Dare, Desert Storm, and Autocross, which finally brought motorsport into the mainstream, capturing the imagination of people across the country.
As we continue to evolve, we are reinventing customer experiences, tailoring them to resonate with the aspirations of a younger, more dynamic audience.
What global trends have you noted – similarities and differences – that you wish to implement as part of the experiential marketing plans in the future, for Nexa as well as Maruti Suzuki’s other experiential offerings?
In today's digital-first world, Maruti Suzuki has embraced the Metaverse, AI, and AR/VR, leading to a limitless digital ecosystem full of possibilities.
We are not just following the trends; we are leading the way. Our exploration of the Metaverse is reshaping how customers connect with our brand, offering groundbreaking, immersive experiences. Our entire Auto Expo 2023 was showcased on the EXPOverse platform, a testament to our commitment to innovation.
Additionally, with initiatives like Nexaverse and Arenaverse, we are redefining the car-buying journey, taking it beyond the physical world and into an engaging virtual reality. The launch of the Grand Vitara in Nexaverse was a game-changer, with 55,000 pre-bookings, proving the immense power of these digital experiences.
Through Nexa Music Lounge and Nexa Music Lab, what kind of distinct experiences do you want to weave – and how do you think this would help Nexa and Maruti Suzuki make a mark on the national and global experiential marketing industry?
Nexa Music, a first-of-its-kind initiative, is a platform curated to promote aspiring Indian musicians to showcase their talent and create original international standard music.
The Nexa Music Lounge showcases headline performances from top indie artists and winners of previous seasons, who contribute their original compositions to the Nexa Music platform. Similarly, the Nexa Music Lab is where the selected participants receive guidance from international music publishers alongside global music icon A.R. Rahman. This approach positions Nexa as a brand that champions creativity and originality.
This helps Nexa and Maruti Suzuki create immersive, culturally relevant experiences. It sends a clear message that we are not just marketing a product; we are cultivating a lifestyle, building a community, and establishing Nexa as a cultural ambassador.
How do you look at giving a differentiated spin to drives through Nexa Journeys – making it experiential and memorable for consumers? How are you looking at enhancing consumer engagement through on-ground involvement for Nexa Journeys?
At Maruti Suzuki, we believe that Nexa Journeys is more than just a drive; it is an opportunity to create extraordinary experiences that resonate with our customers. We aim to give a differentiated spin to these journeys by integrating immersive storytelling and exclusive experiences that highlight the unique aspects of each destination.
To enhance consumer engagement through on-ground involvement, we are committed to designing activities that allow our consumers to keep their spirits up. This includes personalised itineraries and cultural experiences that are carefully curated to ensure every moment feels special.
What role do live demonstrations and pop-up experiences play in Nexa as well as Maruti’s experiential marketing strategy?
At Maruti Suzuki India, experiential marketing, such as live product demonstrations, is an integral part of our strategy to engage with customers in meaningful and memorable ways. We understand that today's consumers seek more than just a product—they desire immersive experiences that allow them to connect with our brand on a deeper level.
Our ‘Rock N Road 4x4’ experiences, along with other events, exemplify this approach. These platforms are designed to bring the thrill of adventure directly to our customers.
Live demonstrations and pop-up experiences play a pivotal role in both our Nexa and Arena channels, allowing us to engage with customers in unique settings outside the traditional dealership environment.
Sustainability has become a hygiene component for most brands. How do you build your experiential marketing initiatives and campaigns around sustainability – and make sure that these walk the talk for Maruti as a brand in the true sense, in terms of execution as well?
The new-age buyer is not only making conscious sustainable choices but also believes in living life to the fullest. Our latest campaign on our S-CNG technology, ‘Run On What You Love’, reflects such buyers, and showcases how well our CNG products integrate into their world.
Similarly, our campaign on Strong Hybrid stems from a simple yet powerful thought: ‘the extraordinary benefits of Strong Hybrid technology’. The campaign has been conceptualised to educate consumers about Maruti Suzuki's commitment to bring technologies that not only benefit its consumers but also foster a sustainable environment.
How do you look at enhancing in-store experiences for the consumers?
While introducing our Nexa channel in July 2015, our research established that driven by rising income levels, many buyers were looking forward to a more customer-centric and personalised experience in car-buying. To offer that, we set up a content management system which has helped us personalise communication with each customer depending on the digital signals in their purchase journey.
As an extension to this thought, we launched our in-house Maruti Suzuki InMotion magazine in January this year to showcase our technologically advanced and future-ready automobiles. The InMotion magazine, available at sales touchpoints, offers readers a vibrant array of compelling articles.
Maruti Suzuki has been at the forefront of introducing tech-enabled solutions for an enhanced customer experience. Anticipating the customer journey shifting to digital, the company has pioneered many new-age innovative initiatives like AR/VR experience, hyperlocal, virtual chatbot, and avatar-based brand pages. Similarly, we have also digitised 24 out of the 26 touch points in one’s car buying journey for more ease.
We are driven to find more and more customers through greater penetration in Tier 2 and 3 cities. This resolve, thus, became the inspiration for the introduction of Nexa Studio Showroom which comes with the 3S – Sales, Service and Spares – in a compact format. Our goal is to open at least 100 of these studio showrooms across India in the current financial year.
What are the trends and innovations in the field of experiential marketing that are expected to disrupt the industry, and that you wish to include in your plans for Maruti and Nexa now and in the coming future too?
Immersive technologies such as AR and VR will be at the forefront of this transformation, offering new and dynamic ways for customers to experience vehicles, enhancing their engagement and understanding of our products.
Personalisation, enabled by AI and data analytics, will allow us to craft tailored experiences that resonate deeply with individual customer preferences, ensuring our interactions are relevant and impactful. As sustainability becomes an increasingly important concern for consumers, we will be committed to integrating eco-friendly practices into our marketing efforts. Influencer and community-led activations will also be pivotal in building authentic connections with our audience, fostering brand loyalty, and organically amplifying our message.
Post-covid, customers have started appreciating the digital way of purchasing a car, from the comfort of their own homes.
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