Maruti’s Pursuit Of Communal Experiences & Purpose-driven Engagement

Experiential marketing is picking up an unprecedented pace, and sectors such as auto are contributing to this significantly. Within the sector, Maruti continues to drive consumer engagement as one of the leading experiential marketing spenders. While 2023 marked some marquee initiatives such as Maruti’s Rock N Road SUV experiences along with other experiential endeavours, the year 2024 looks even busier for the brand.

Driving Business Outcomes

Maruti’s recently introduced Rock N Road SUV Experiences include a range of experiential and competitive drive events, designed to enhance the Maruti Suzuki SUV ownership experience. It will entail two different formats. The first format will involve multiple short and long expeditions for Maruti Suzuki SUV owners. The second format comprises an Offroad Championship called ‘Rock N’ Road 4X4 Masters’ which aims at recognising off-roading talent in the country.

“In the constantly evolving marketing landscape, especially for lifestyle products such as SUVs, we strongly believe that experiential marketing is the key to establishing meaningful brand-consumer relationships,” stated Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India.

As an extension of its commitment to delivering 'unforgettable experiences', the Rock N Road SUV experience will offer multiple opportunities for customers to connect with their vehicles beyond the ordinary and fuel them with the spirit of adventure. 

“Through these events, we want to establish deeper and personal connections with our customers by providing experiences which resonate with them,” remarked Srivastava, adding, “Furthermore, our data-driven methodology enables us to continuously improve our initiatives. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to learn and optimise, ensuring that our experiential marketing efforts are not only effective but also efficient."

The Right Narrative

Maruti continues to invest a “substantial amount of its robust advertising budget in experiential marketing initiatives”. The senior marketing leader explained that Maruti invests in experiential marketing, intending to create memories, emotional connections and a narrative in which consumers can actively participate. The brand’s experiential campaigns are designed to turn onlookers into storytellers, transforming each interaction into a personal endorsement.

“We don't just create campaigns, we curate experiences that resonate with the desire for tangible connection in a digital-first world. By merging sensory experiences with digital amplification, we ensure that our message spreads across multiple channels, creating a uniform and immersive brand universe,” said Srivastava.

Experiential Continues To Be Big In Maruti’s Marketing Plan

Experiential marketing is crucial in today's business landscape as it enables brands to go beyond business transactions and forge emotional connections with their audience by offering immersive and interactive experiences.

Explaining why the brand sees experiential marketing as the way forward, Srivastava emphasised, “Our optimism is based on a strategic understanding of the modern consumer psyche, which includes the pursuit of authenticity, communal experiences, and purpose-driven engagement. These values are not just buzzwords, but fundamental principles that define the new-age audience.”

Modern brand strategies are anchored by experiential marketing, which provides a dynamic and captivating method that goes beyond traditional advertising. Its significance stems from its capacity to cultivate authentic relationships and affective resonance with customers. Experiential marketing offers a concrete and tangible interaction contrasting an information-rich environment, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

While Maruti has created several such experiences, the brand is now visibly upping its investment in taking consumer engagement a notch up and creating a clear differentiation in its experiential marketing endeavours. This spells good news not only for the sector but for experiential marketers per se, as 2024 takes off on a positive note.