MakeMyTrip's Raj Rishi Singh on creating brand recall through a 360-degree marketing approach
Over the years, travel platform MakeMyTrip has shifted its business model, but its core approach to marketing has stayed the same. Raj Rishi Singh of MakeMyTrip takes us through the brand’s overall marketing strategy and gives insights on how the brand is creating want and consideration, two large objectives behind its marketing, through its communication.
Back in the early 2010s, MakeMyTrip (MMT) was launched as a flight booking platform that focused on offering airfares and flights exclusively. This business model was visible throughout its marketing strategy. It was a time when the travel industry was highly dominated by the unorganized sector.
MMT’s ads, back in the day, tried to stand out of the clutter and focused on brand building.
Around 2012, the brand forayed into hospitality, and its campaigns started seeing a shift. In 2012, MMT rolled out a humorous TVC where a man with clear signs of amnesia is only able to recall his trip to Thailand that he took with MakeMyTrip. Although the brand shifted its business ethos, the communication still focused on making itself the first choice for travelers.
Raj Rishi Singh, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Business Officer – Corporate, MakeMyTrip said, “The big idea for MMT’s campaigns is always to deliver consideration and brand recall for the brand.”
Today, more than a decade after this shift, in the Indian hotel booking and travel segment, MakeMyTrip holds a 53.8% market share in the country.
Last year, the brand rolled out its TVC starring its brand ambassadors Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh urged audiences to book hotels with MMT to save on their next trip.
Banking on peak months
The travel industry essentially sees a rise in consumer spending twice a year. Once right after the first quarter – summers, and the next being after the festive season – winter break. An industry-wide phenomenon, MMT witnesses a similar pattern as well.
Singh said, “MMT sees a larger uptick in numbers right after the Jan-Feb-Mar quarter. Similar to the summer months, the uptick in numbers is seen right after Diwali. During this time, MMT’s traffic starts growing double digits.”
Witnessing this trend, for the past couple of years, to leverage both of these peak seasons the brand has rolled out timely campaigns.
Last year, the summer campaign talked about an untimely change in travel plans and how MMT can save the day for struggling travellers.
The next quarter saw ‘The parachute’ and ‘The hotel’ ads, helping customers with hotel bookings.
Similarly, last year the brand rolled out its two big campaigns in the same time durations – once post Jan-Feb-Mar and once post Diwali. This pattern was observed in the year that preceded this one as well.
In-app experience
The brand is effectively trying to sell ‘customer experience’ through its campaigns and products as well. And apart from its ad campaigns, the brand’s app plays an important role in bringing in and retaining loyal customers.
Singh mentioned that they have seen a dynamic shift in the way Indians are travelling. He said, “We see a strong consideration and willingness for people to travel as disposable incomes are improving. The overall travel economy in India looks to be robust in the future as well.”
Last year the brand expanded its offerings and rolled out a bunch of products. To enhance its in app experience, the brand dipped its toes into the corporate travel sector with a dedicated business travel portal in the app and a team of travel experts who can help with everything from booking flights and hotels to arranging visas and meetings.
The brand also expanded its reach to new destinations. It added Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Caribbean. They also focused on promoting destinations in India, such as Ladakh, Munnar, and Coorg.
Singh said, “Last year we realised that people are willing to and want to travel to new places. The desire to discover new destinations has increased and hence alternate accommodation is becoming a great opportunity for us and we are dialing that up in our platform as well.”
After the pandemic, travellers started homestays over hotels and became a dominant choice for Indian travellers and homeowners alike. Homestay occupancies surged by 50% compared to the pre-pandemic levels. MMT has effectively banked on this consumer want and homestay has become a regular point of communication for the brand for the past two years.
To build a strong hold over the market, the brand has adapted to an omnichannel marketing approach. The brand is present of TV, digital and print, where TV takes the biggest cut.
Talking about the mediums, said, “We use all kinds of formats to reach out to the consumer in the most relevant manner. Our approach is omni channel. If we’re trying to reach affluent audiences for a particular campaign, then we would tend to choose connected TV as a channel at the same time, if you're running a mass channel, then we would also use linear TV and social media.”
Last year, the brand rolled out a ‘tested by Fans’ print ad during the World Cup to highlight its homestays and villa services.
Along with the print ad, the brand rolled out a TVC as well.
In the past, the brand used to collaborate with movies that had travel and destination themes in them. Movies like My Name is Khan and Dostana joined hands with the brand to accelerate communications.
Last year, the brand banked on its brand ambassador’s movie Rocky and Rani to further their reach among the audience. Taking themes from the movie and leveraging the on screen couple’s travel plans, the brand curated special Rocky & Rani holiday packages.
The brand has a presence on Instagram and Twitter as well. Both of these platforms are used as a point of relevant conversations, often participating in audience banter, moment marketing and influencer reach.
Moving ahead with building the consideration mantra, the brand is aiming to actively push this into its communication channels. Singh said, “We want to ensure that we are seen as ‘the choice’ of platform for Indian travellers. To do so, we aim to present consumers with unique opportunities through our services and communication.”
Singh listed down the brand’s upcoming plans.
Committed to building consideration for hotels: The brand wishes to keep on investing to ensure consumers keep using MMT for booking hotels by providing offers and deals on hotels
Education on international trips: The brand aims to build a strong want for international trips through its communication channels in the coming year. MMT wants to educate consumers on the advantages of using the platform for booking international travel as well.
Buzzing opportunities: The brand plans on continuing its efforts at communicating about homestays. Singh thinks it is a very buzzing opportunity, and banking on it makes most sense.
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