From ‘spray and pray' to AI-powered omnichannel experience: Partho Banerjee on Maruti Suzuki’s marketing strategy

Before digitalisation reshaped the car-buying journey in India, purchasing a vehicle was a far more traditional and time-consuming process. If a family was looking to buy their first car, they would begin by asking friends and relatives, visiting car dealerships, and negotiating face-to-face for the best deal. 

The entire process, from shortlisting a model to finalising the purchase, could take weeks or even months, with buyers relying on showroom interactions as their primary source of information.  

Fast forward to today, the car-buying experience has undergone a transformation, driven by technology, changing consumer expectations and AI-powered innovations.

Today, the car purchasing journey begins online, long before customers visit a showroom. This insight has driven Maruti Suzuki’s digital transformation strategy, which is focused on creating personalised, frictionless experiences for consumers. 

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, in an interview with Social Samosa, notes that 25 of the 26 steps in the car purchase journey are digitised, with only the final vehicle delivery remaining a physical touchpoint. 

This shift has called for enhanced virtual experiences for consumers. The brand has introduced ArenaVerse and NexaVerse, which allow customers to experience vehicles from home. Additionally, Maruti Suzuki has harnessed AI to enhance these customer experiences. By integrating AI-driven insights, the company has transitioned from broad media strategies to delivering truly omnichannel experiences. 

According to Banerjee, this shift has led to significant improvements in return on ad spend and enhanced the brand’s ability to predict inquiry-to-sale conversions. Additionally, AI-powered chatbots handle 97% of customer inquiries for the brand, delivering instant, personalised responses while continuously improving through machine learning. 

Recognising the growing significance of younger, tech-savvy consumers, Maruti Suzuki has also tailored its marketing strategies to resonate with Gen Z. To engage this audience, Banerjee comments that the brand prioritises immersive digital experiences and community connections over traditional marketing. This shift has led to more authentic digital ecosystems, fostering meaningful interactions with consumers.  

This is important given that younger customers prefer purpose alongside functionality. This insight helps the brand communicate what its vehicles do and why they exist, and the values they embody. This balanced evolution has allowed the brand to appeal to premium-focused younger buyers.

Banerjee also discusses Maruti Suzuki’s evolving marketing strategy, highlighting its focus on customer-centricity, how the brand balances traditional and digital channels, integrates regional sentiments, and adapts to changing consumer preferences in both rural and urban markets. 

Edited Excerpts:

What are the core brand values that Maruti Suzuki communicates consistently across all its advertising and marketing campaigns? Could you walk me through the brand's overall marketing strategy?

At Maruti Suzuki, we focus on the core brand values of customer-centricity, innovation, reliability and trust, which have been the foundation of our communication for decades. Trust and reliability stem from over four decades of experience in India, where we have built a reputation for creating vehicles that stand the test of time. Innovation remains a key priority as we work towards democratising technology that enhances the driving experience for all. 

While customer-centricity is perhaps the most crucial aspect of our approach — every decision we make begins with an understanding of the evolving needs and aspirations of Indian families.

Our marketing strategy operates on three fundamental principles. First, we maintain a deep connection with our customers through regular and continuous engagement, which helps us understand what they want today and what they will need tomorrow. Second, we employ a multi-channel approach that balances traditional and digital platforms. Third, we emphasise product experiences. 

We understand that today's consumers, especially the next generation, crave deeper, more meaningful brand interactions. We are addressing this with our various marketing campaigns.

What distinguishes our strategy is our evolution from being a small car manufacturer to a full-spectrum automotive brand offering everything from entry-level hatchbacks to premium SUVs. Throughout this journey, we have maintained consistency in our value communication while adapting the message to suit different product segments and consumer aspirations.

How does the brand integrate cultural and regional sentiments into its campaigns while maintaining a national brand identity?

We have regional offices in 18 locations across the country, which allows us to tailor our campaigns to meet the specific needs of each local market. Whether it is sales promotions or other marketing activities, everything is customised based on the regional requirements. The language and approach vary, especially when targeting micro markets. So, while the overall campaign DNA remains consistent, the core messaging adapts to resonate better with the local audience.

It’s very important because if you are not able to connect with the local people and the audience, no matter how good your brand campaign is, it’s not going to be successful. 

We are also engaging more influencers today, bringing them on board so that through them, we can connect with the regional people and convey the communication effectively, in tone and manner that connects with them. 

What does the current consumer outlook like in the rural and urban markets when it comes to automobile purchases? With rural markets playing a major role in sales growth, what unique marketing approaches have you implemented to connect with rural consumers?

Rural markets have emerged as a significant growth driver for the automotive industry. At Maruti Suzuki India, we have witnessed this trend directly in our Q3FY25 performance, where our rural retail growth reached 15% as compared to a 2.5% growth in urban markets.

What is particularly noteworthy is the evolution in rural consumer preferences. Today's rural customers are also becoming increasingly aware and aspirational, seeking vehicles with advanced features and premium experiences previously associated primarily with urban markets. 

Recognising this shift, we have strategically expanded our premium retail channel with the introduction of NEXA Studios this financial year — a format that delivers the premium experience of NEXA to rural markets.

Maruti Suzuki has been synonymous with affordability and reliability. With a shifting consumer base, how has the brand evolved its marketing to appeal to younger, premium-focused buyers while maintaining its core positioning?

In today's time, ‘functionality’ still remains fundamental as mileage and value for money continue to be critical purchase factors. 

However, we have recognised that for younger customers, ‘purpose’ has become equally important alongside functionality. This insight shapes our strategy to communicate not just what our vehicles do, but why they exist and the values they embody. 

To meet evolving consumer needs, we established two distinct retail channels: NEXA and ARENA. NEXA offers exclusivity, sophistication, and premium experiences for those seeking refinement and advanced features, while ARENA represents inclusivity, dynamism, and youth-oriented energy. 

Digitisation plays a crucial role in engaging Gen Z and millennials. While the pandemic accelerated this shift, the transition was already in motion. 

Today, 25 of the 26 steps in the car purchase journey are digitised, with only the final vehicle delivery remaining a physical touchpoint.

We have reshaped our communication strategy to align with how younger generations engage with brands, prioritising immersive digital experiences and community connections over traditional marketing. This shift has led us to create authentic digital ecosystems, fostering meaningful interactions beyond conventional advertising. This balanced evolution has allowed us to appeal to premium-focused younger buyers while maintaining the core values that have defined Maruti Suzuki for decades.

You have previously spoken about the transition from traditional advertising to community-driven marketing. How does the brand ensure its campaigns go beyond engagement to actually co-create value with consumers?

The evolution from traditional advertising to community-driven marketing represents a fundamental shift in how we build relationships with our customers. We have moved beyond viewing consumers as message recipients to seeing them as active participants in our brand journey.

A testament to this approach is the Rock N Road SUV Experiences, launched last year to engage younger audiences through authentic, shared experiences. This comprised 4X4 Masters, Expeditions, and Weekender events and has driven significant engagement, attracting 11 million website views, 2.2 million new users (Jan–Mar 2024), and 15.6 million social media views. 

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These results highlight the power of immersive experiences in building deeper, more collaborative relationships with our customers.

Given the increasing preference for seamless digital experiences, how is Maruti Suzuki leveraging technology to personalise customer journeys?

We recognise that the car purchasing journey now begins online, long before customers visit a showroom. This insight has driven our digital transformation strategy, focused on creating personalised, frictionless experiences. 

To enhance virtual exploration, we introduced ArenaVerse and NexaVerse, allowing customers to experience our vehicles from home. 

Furthermore, the Maruti Suzuki Smart Finance portal represents another significant digital advancement. Launched five years ago, it has served over two million customers, and 50% of vehicle financing is now processed through it. Thus, it simplifies one of the most complex aspects of car buying. 

Additionally, our AI-powered chatbots handle 97% of customer inquiries, delivering instant, personalised responses while continuously improving through machine learning. 

Throughout these campaigns, our guiding principle remains customer-centricity. Every digital innovation is designed not just for efficiency but to create seamless, responsive experiences that put the customer at the heart of our business.

Reports note that the brand increased its advertising expenditures in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025. Could you share how these spends are allocated and which medium takes the larger share? Do you foresee the mix changing as digital consumption continues to rise? Additionally, could you share your expected ad spends in 2025 and what will drive these spends?

Our marketing investments are strategically adjusted based on market dynamics and business goals. While exact figures remain confidential, our digital marketing spend has consistently increased, mirroring shifts in customer media consumption. We employ a tailored budget allocation, acknowledging the distinct marketing needs of different segments. For example, our NEXA premium range necessitates a different investment mix compared to our ARENA channel. Similarly, urban and rural markets require varied approaches, with rural areas often benefiting from increased below-the-line activities. Therefore, we will continue to adapt our media mix to best reach our target cohort. 

Data and AI are shaping the next phase of marketing. How is Maruti Suzuki leveraging AI-driven insights to refine targeting, optimise campaigns, and personalise customer experiences?

Absolutely, AI is fundamentally changing how we approach marketing. We are now using AI for our marketing campaigns for both spend and reach optimisation. 

Previously, we relied on a 'spray and pray' strategy — deploying broad media and hoping to reach the right audience. Today, AI allows us to deliver a truly ‘omnichannel experience’, leveraging insights into consumer driving patterns and purchasing behaviours. 

This shift has led to significant improvements in return on ad spend and enhanced our ability to predict inquiry-to-sale conversions. As AI continues to evolve, we remain committed to integrating it further to refine and enhance our marketing strategy. 

As the automotive industry shifts towards a multi-fuel future, how do you see Maruti Suzuki’s messaging evolving to align with diverse customer needs?

As the market leader, our philosophy is very clear: we are technologically agnostic, committed to offering diverse powertrain options to meet varying customer needs. Rather than pushing a single technology, we empower customers to choose what suits them best — hybrid, electric, CNG, or flex-fuel. Our success in CNG exemplifies this approach — every third vehicle we sell is a CNG model, with 34% penetration, nearly double the industry average of 18-19%. This reinforces our belief that one-size-fits-all doesn’t work — customers should have the freedom to decide what works best for them.

Could you share the brand's upcoming marketing plans and how you plan to position it this year?

Our upcoming marketing plans focus on enhancing the customer experience through strategic content creation and targeted media deployment. We prioritise impactful, high-quality content to stand out in a cluttered market, balancing speed with effectiveness in communications. 

We are focusing on precise media planning, ensuring that we reach customers through their preferred channels by understanding their habits and tailoring our approach, delivering meaningful engagement rather than spreading efforts too thin.