It?s a platform to showcase power, speed, beauty, sophisticated engineering and, most importantly, unleash some savvy marketing. Auto exhibitions have typically been the choicest place for product announcements and new launches. But this time round, the Auto Expo jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industry, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India in the Capital was more than a platform to launch a new car or bike or pose for photos with leggy models. It not only allowed visitors to sample the future of automobiles in India but offered actual customer experiences which have the potential to drive sales and increase brand image and awareness.
Studies show that it’s not just seeing but actually experiencing that makes consumers believe in the benefits offered by a brand. Over the years, automobile companies have increased their spends on consumer engagement on-ground significantly and a platform such as Auto Expo with a lakh visitors per day is a great opportunity to bond with the consumers. Despite knowing that demand may not pick up before the second quarter, auto makers left no stone unturned in putting their best foot forward at the 11th edition of Auto Expo. Unlike regular consumer engagement initiatives which are meant to achieve short term goals, the activities at Auto Expo were conceptualised to make consumers aware of core values of brands. While doing this may not yield immediate results, experts believe it has an impact on how consumers perceive the brand in the long term, especially when they take the final purchase call. So, interactive zones were created by brands which which did the job, leaving a lasting expression on the minds and hearts of the visitors.
More than 50 vehicle manufacturers including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra, Ford, Chevrolet, Tata Motors, Audi, Royal Enfield and Hero MotoCorp participated in the event. According to sources, in their capacity as exhibitors, the big brands coughed up more than R8 crore each on the week-long extravaganza .
Innovative designs and consumer engagement did help companies attract visitors and exhibitors loosened their purse strings to get the desired visibility. Expenses included rental of R9000/sqm for the space booked by each company, electricity charges, designing and fabrication cost of stalls, salaries paid to models, branding outside each hall and nearby areas, celebrity appearances, collaterals, gifts, etc. Interestingly, some companies chose to take up advertising space available outside the halls of rival companies by spending a whooping R 35 lakh.
Unlike international auto events where a lot of attention is paid to timely planning, most of the things fell in place at the last moment. According to Subir Majumdar, executive vice president and creative head, Shobiz Experiential Communications, which has been handling event management at Auto Expo since 1996, it?s the difference in working style that keeps the shows abroad in the extraordinary league. ?For instance, agencies in the US and Europe have global alignments with clients. The kits used for assembling stalls there are ready made and so all they have to do is take the same set-up from one place to the other. In India, stall fabrication is usually outsourced by the event companies,? he said.
The auto industry, however, did manage to deliver a great show. In this issue, Brandwagon showcases four auto brands and the various activities and brand promotions they initiated at the Auto Expo to leave a lasting impression on the minds of?auto enthusiasts?who trooped in to see their dream set of
wheels.
High on Life
n The Initiative: Market leader Maruti Suzuki booked an entire hall to execute this year?s theme for the brand – ?Way of life? ? which is also its tagline, at the Auto Expo. White chosen as the dominant colour was visible throughout the length and breadth of the hall. The entrance had a passage leading to the registration desk where visitors registered with their Facebook (FB) IDs and fingerprints. If epic science fiction movie Avatar had a Tree of Souls, Maruti made its own version titled ?Tree of Life? that stood in the middle of the hall with branches pointing at different sections (highlighted with the use of different colours) representing four qualities of the brand ? sporty, spirited, value and straightforwardness. All the cars showcased were placed in each section on the basis of their attributes. For instance, while SX4 and New Swift could be seen in the Sporty section, an Omni converted into an on-the go bar stood in the Spirited section. A finger-punching machine was placed next to each car which was used to get Likes on the Facebook pages of Maruti and the visitor.
n The Experience: Technology was used effectively to facilitate consumer engagement. The IT Zone was the biggest crowd puller. Here, visitors were given an opportunity to create their own cars on a 3D assembly line. This was achieved with the help of a 3D set-up that included a sensor and 3D glasses with head tracking device and stereoscopic technology. Looking at the assembly line visual through the 3D glasses, visitors gave commands (tracked by the sensor) by moving their arms and legs to move forward backward or to grab things. Kids and adults were seen having a ball while going through the processes of welding, painting, accessory fittings, etc. Videos of this activity were made and posted on the Facebook accounts of users. Apart from this, the zone had a racing car where kids could come and play games. Interestingly, many visitors were also attracted to the Feedback Wall. After providing their fingerprints, visitors typed their feedback and the same was flashed instantly on a set of LED screens placed inside the hall and on the walls of the exit passage.
Shashank Srivastava, chief general manager, marketing, Maruti Suzuki said, ?Social media became an important part of our consumer engagement initiatives at the Expo. Our Auto Expo budget has gone up by 10% this year.?
Mean Machines
n The Initiative: With the help of its creative agency Wieden+Kennedy and event management biggie Wizcraft International Entertainment, Eicher Motors, which manufactures and markets the iconic Royal Enfield motorcycles, decided to keep things simple at its stall. ?Auto Expo is a crucial platform for our brand and the main challenge this year was to ensure a credible display of our brand. We thought of doing things smartly without spending a lot,? said Venki Padmanabhan, CEO, Royal Enfield.
Wooden flooring all over the stall provided the right contrast with the showcased bikes which included Thunderbird 500, Classic Desser Storm and Caf? Racer. Interestingly, unlike the stalls of car manufacturers, there were no models to lure the crowds and the bikes were more than enough to keep everyone hooked.
n The Experience Visitors were welcomed by Royal Enfield?s timeline wall which conveyed the brand?s evolution story with gripping pictures. Not to mention, people did not miss out the opportunity of posing in front of all the wall for pictures. A timeline touch screen was placed close to the wall where people could come and watch the ad campaigns of the brand. The company did regular Twitter and Facebook updates throughout the duration of the exhibition. ?We got some great response in the last edition of Auto Expo and it was even better this year,? said Padmanabhan.
Design shop
n The Initiative : In this year?s edition of the Auto Expo, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) had the third largest stall (2632 sq m) showcasing almost the entire range of its commercial and personal vehicles. The stall was conceptualised and executed by Shobiz Experiential Communications. A design studio was set up with the objective of acquainting the visitors with the design processes followed at Mahindra right from ideation, sketches, and final renderings to virtual models. The creatives placed here explained how the company pays special attention to the lifestyles of its target group (TG) while designing vehicles. Besides, contests were organised for kids to come and design their dream car. Visitors at the commercial utility vehicles stall were asked to use an iPad application which compared a Mahindra Navistar truck to a regular truck and showed how the former gives better return on investment over a period of time. Additionally, special gaming zones were created for Scorpio and Thar. According to Subir Majumdar, EVP and creative head, Shobiz, the challenge was to project all the brands as part of Mahindra without losing on the individuality of each offering. ?All this was achieved in a short span of time,? he added.
n The Experience : M&M realised that the only way to hold visitors? attention was through a series of consumer engagement initiatives. Digital media company Hungama conceptualised an augmented reality campaign to coincide with the display of Mahindra?s first global SUV, XUV 500 at the Auto Expo. The launch of the campaign saw Anand Mahindra, managing director, M&M, petting a virtual cheetah perched on the sleek vehicle created through augmented reality. Visitors got a chance to experience the augmented reality technology first hand; they could interact with a virtual cheetah, standing on the area marked out on the floor. A big screen over the XUV showed a cheetah walking in and standing next to the visitor. When the image was captured, it showed the visitor, the car, and the cheetah, with a watermark on the image – Me with the cheetah! – XUV500. As part of the campaign, Hungama also created a website and WAP site for Mahindra, which gives users a virtual tour of Mahindra?s stall at the Auto Expo.
Shock and awe
n The Initiative : Executed by UK-based Imagination, the Ford India stall was presented as an information centre on the car-maker’s manufacturing process and technological prowess. Said Sriram Padmanabhan, general manager ? consumer marketing, Ford India, ? We tried to communicate the Ford story at the Auto Expo which is based on the four pillars of ?quality?, ?green?, ?safe? and ?smart?. So one could see a reflection of all these in our consumer engagement activities too.?
Most of the cars were placed on raised platforms to catch the visitors? attention. In fact, to break the monotony of regular displaying styles used in exhibitions, some cars were hanging from the ceiling. Three-D screens were placed on which visitors could see how Ford vehicles are tested in a 3-D environment before they are manufactured. Besides, Ford also displayed its 1-litre Eco Boost engine which will be used in Eco Sports.
n The Experience : An interactive display was created to make people aware of Ford?s global quality standards. For instance, one display explained the fool-proof paint process used by the company. Also, there was information on laser-guided robots which ensure precision build quality. Simulators were kept for visitors to take Ford Safety Driving Challenge where drivers had to maintain speed limits of 30-50km/hr.
As part of another eye-catching activity, a dummy was strapped to a car seat with a seat belt. The moment visitors pressed a button close to the display, an air bag attached to the belt would inflate, making a loud noise.
The shocked expression of the visitors was captured with a camera and the same was posted on Ford?s Facebook page. While this inflatable seat belt is a part of the company?s vehicles in other markets, it will be introduced in India as and when the demand comes.