MAM
Maruti Suzuki spotlights hybrid technology in a new campaign
Mumbai: Maruti Suzuki India, the automobile manufacturer, announced the launch of its latest brand campaign – ‘IT’S UNBELIEVABLE. IT’S STRONG HYBRID.’ Featuring the advanced Grand Vitara and the extraordinary Invicto, the campaign stems from a simple yet powerful thought: ‘the extraordinary benefits of Strong Hybrid technology’. The campaign has been conceptualised to educate consumers about Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to bring technologies that not only benefit its consumers but also foster a sustainable environment. The campaign demonstrates how Maruti Suzuki Strong Hybrid technology, harmoniously blends electric mobility with an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), harnessing the power of both under various driving conditions.
With the ability to be 60 per cent on EV mode under city driving conditions, the technology delivers an eco-friendly and remarkably silent drive experience. Strong Hybrid technology also offers unmatched fuel efficiency providing a range of more than 1200 km in a full tank and significantly lower carbon emissions.
Commenting on the launch of the new campaign, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s senior executive officer, of marketing and sales Shashank Srivastava said, “Strong hybrid vehicles are pivotal in propelling sustainable mobility forward, and our latest campaign is crafted to educate our audiences on the unbelievable benefits this sophisticated technology offers. The surge in demand for strong hybrid technology vehicles, nearly doubling from last year, underscores a growing eco-consciousness among consumers. The increasing demand for sustainable transportation among consumers also translates into Strong Hybrid sales almost matching those of electric vehicles for this financial year. Through this initiative, we endeavour to arm consumers with comprehensive insights into the beneficial attributes of Strong Hybrid vehicles.”
What sets Strong Hybrid cars apart is the incorporation of regenerative braking technology, a game-changer that converts braking energy into electricity. In suitable conditions, Strong Hybrid technology lets the vehicle seamlessly operate in electric mode, significantly reducing emissions and promoting a cleaner, eco-friendly driving experience, allowing consumers to contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. Not only does the Strong Hybrid technology reduce fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, but it also instils confidence in long-distance travel, providing peace of mind and convenience.
The brand campaign kicks off with the unveiling of a captivating TV commercial that encapsulates the essence of driving a Maruti Suzuki Strong Hybrid car. The TVC, broadcasted across various platforms, aims to bring forth the benefits of Strong Hybrid technology, emphasising Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to a sustainable, greener, and more efficient future.
AD Agencies
Abhay Duggal joins JioStar as director of Hindi GEC ad sales
The streaming giant brings in a seasoned revenue hand as the battle for Hindi television advertising heats up
MUMBAI: Abhay Duggal has a new desk, and JioStar has a new weapon. The media and entertainment veteran has joined JioStar as director of entertainment ad sales for Hindi general entertainment channels, adding 17 years of hard-won revenue experience to one of India’s most powerful broadcasting operations.
Duggal is no stranger to big portfolios or bruising markets. Before joining JioStar, he spent a brief stint at Republic World as deputy general manager and north regional head for ad sales. Before that, he put in three years at Enterr10 Television, where he ran the north region for Dangal TV and Dangal 2, two of India’s leading free-to-air Hindi channels. The north alone accounted for more than 50 per cent of total channel revenue on his watch, a number that tends to get attention in any sales meeting.
His longest stint was at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, where he spent over six years rising to associate director of sales. There he commanded the Hindi movies cluster across seven channels, owned more than half of north India’s revenue across flagship properties including Zee TV and &TV, and closed marquee sponsorships across the Indian Premier League, Zee Rishtey Awards and Dance India Dance. He also handled monetisation for the English movies and entertainment cluster and the global news channel WION, a portfolio that would stretch most sales teams twice his size.
Earlier in his career Duggal closed what was then a Rs 3 crore single deal at Reliance Broadcast Network, one of the largest in Indian radio at the time, before that he helped launch and monetise JAINHITS, India’s first HITS-based cable and satellite platform.
His edge, by his own account, lies in marrying data and instinct: translating audience trends, inventory signals and client demands into long-term partnerships built on cost-per-rating-point discipline rather than short-term deal chasing. In a media landscape being reshaped by streaming, fragmented attention and AI-driven advertising, that kind of rigour is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
JioStar, which blends the scale of Reliance’s Jio platform with the content firepower of Star, is doubling down on its advertising business at precisely the moment the Hindi GEC market is getting more competitive. Bringing in someone who has spent nearly two decades doing exactly this, across some of India’s most watched channels, is a pointed statement of intent. Duggal has spent his career turning audiences into revenue. JioStar is clearly betting he can do it again, and bigger.
