What happens when innovation meets influence? In a groundbreaking synergy, Indian automobile companies have been joining forces with social media influencers to revolutionize the landscape of automobile marketing. This advertising approach has proven to be an effective way to tap into vast audiences online and amplify brand awareness by partnering with prominent digital personalities.
By leveraging the reach and credibility of influencers on social media platforms, they’re crafting immersive experiences that resonate with today’s tech-savvy consumers. This is in turn driving sales to unprecedented heights. From dynamic car reviews to behind-the-scenes glimpses of production processes, these collaborations are not just about showcasing products but fostering authentic connections with audiences.
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Car Brands x Influencers
The Indian auto industry saw a historic 27% growth in FY23 with sales of 3.90 million vehicles and has grown since the pandemic by engaging numerous social media influencers. The content created by these influencers is consumed by prospective buyers across the country – resulting in an unprecedented market expansion beyond the top-tier cities/towns.
Most automakers have been able to sell cars to an increasingly informed set of buyers who seemed to know pretty much everything about a vehicle before even stepping into a showroom. Industry sources say there has been a 10X increase in budgets for digital content post Covid. This includes Instagram reels/posts and YouTube videos. At the same time, the number of influencers has also increased 15X in the last couple of years.
Popular auto influencer and YouTuber boasting 1.6 million subscribers, Gagan Chowdhary of GaadiFy said “The post-Covid growth in influencer marketing is fuelled by a focus by several brands on regional content creation. Influencers give more engagement and there is a strong element of trust by the audience once they themselves experience the things about a vehicle that are being spoken about in a video or reel.”
In this article, we take you through some of the automobile brands and their collaborations with creators:
Maruti Suzuki
The country’s largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki, has been using influencers in a big way for the last couple of years, to create awareness among target consumers and enter newer markets. They recently did a massive collaboration with influencers to promote their new Jimny model. Maruti Suzuki took automobile influencers on a Rock n Road expedition to Spiti.
“Driving in a convoy of 14 Jimny cars alongside amazing fellow creators not only provided valuable content but also offered diverse perspectives,” said travel influencer Isa Khan. Eight content creators drove from Chandigarh to Kaza in a beautiful Convoy of Jimny’s and they documented their entire journey. Sharanya Iyer (@trulynomadly), Prakriti (itisinthename), Ankit Sharma (@man_made_machines), Isa Khan, Eksha Kerung, Ankit Bhatia were among the creators part of the campaign.
Talking about collaborating with influencers, Mr Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said: “Car buying is a very engaging process and consumers do a lot of research before they decide. Influencers can play a very big role for auto companies in this decision-making process as they are looked upon as people with authenticity and as unbiased.”
MG Motor India
Influencers’ storytelling is more slice-of-life. It is the genuineness and authenticity that shapes perceptions, preferences, and purchase decisions, with current and potential customers, said Gaurav Gupta, Deputy Managing Director, MG Motor India. “With the launch of the Comet EV, we co-created a lot of organic, authentic, and relatable conversations with influencers from all walks of life.” Morris Garages India has also carried out solid campaigns to promote their MG Hector.
Other Brands
TATA Motors has also collaborated with leading celebrities and influencers to promote its products, such as the TATA Nexon EV, TATA Tiago EV, and more. Mahindra too roped in popular creators to advertise their cars such as the Mahindra Thar, Scorpio, XUV300, and XUV400 among others. Hyundai India collaborates with various social media personalities boasting a strong following to promote its automobile fleet like Santro, i10, i20, Grand i10 Nios, Venue, Creta, Verna, and Tucson.
With the power of influencer marketing at their fingertips, Indian automobile companies are steering towards a future where social media influence leads them to the digital highway of success.
