MAM
Maruti Suzuki to multiply digital spends
MUMBAI: Automaker Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is escalating its digital spends and has consolidated its digital media buying and planning account with one specialised agency.
Maruti Suzuki India CMO Shashank Srivastava said, “We have been observing our work in the digital space from the past 2-3 years. We are increasing the share of digital spends — out of the total marketing spends — from 3-4 per cent to 12-15 per cent. Also, we have brought a 360 degree internet marketing agency, Ignitee Digital Solutions, on-board. Albeit, the digital arm of Lintas Media Group will also continue to work with us.”
Until now the passenger car company worked with different digital agencies for its 13 car brands — a trend poised for change.
“We were working with different agencies for different work. For example, we worked with Pinstorm for ORM (online reputation management), Google for SEO (search engine optimisation) and another 5-6 agencies for website. Banners were looked after by different ones. Now, we have consolidated that to a single agency,” Srivastava added.
Rising fuel prices and other economic factors have turned the
automobile sector upside-down and many automobile companies are increasing their focus in the digital space.
“Today, digital media has become a big pillar for any automobile company. Large numbers of our consumers are in the range of 25-35 years. The importance of digital media will only move upwards”, Srivastava asserted.
Maruti will also amplify its focus on other digital areas such as search engine optimisation (SEO), online reputation management (ORM) and social media.
The automobile company will launch the new version of its premium hatchback brand Swift – on Facebook – on 17 August. Ignitee is working on the project. The page is liked by 128,387 people. The administrators of the page are putting regular updates to keep the consumers engaged.
“Though we were one of the first ones among car companies to enter the social media space, there are still a lot of untapped opportunities to be utilised. We will be launching Swift on Facebook and Ignitee is working on it,” Srivastava stated.
The conventional creative duties of Maruti are distributed amongst three agencies: Dentsu India, Lowe Lintas and Capital Advertising.
Capital Advertising, besides the corporate image account, also handles A-star, Swift and Grand Vitara; Dentsu India works on Estilo, WagonR, Eeco and Kizashi; and Lowe Lintas oversees DZire, Maruti800, Omni, SX4 and Alto.
With so many companies and brands in the market, hasn’t
differentiation become a major challenge?
“Differentiation can also be about the quality of products; how we target segments, BTL (below-the-line) activities, conveying or connecting with our target audience creatively and digitally. A creative agency might not be fully equipped to deal with our digital needs, hence we have got a specialist now,” Srivastava concluded.
MAM
India’s experience economy grows as live events market hits Rs 17,000 crore
EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow report finds 78 per cent Indians prefer experiences over products
MUMBAI: India’s live entertainment scene is no longer just about music, comedy or festivals. It is increasingly becoming a powerful stage for brands seeking deeper connections with consumers.
A new report titled Beyond Attention, Into Immersion by EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow suggests that India’s experience economy is entering a strong growth phase, driven by consumers who are choosing memorable moments over material purchases.
According to the study, the country’s live events ecosystem, which includes concerts, comedy tours, festivals and immersive exhibitions, is estimated to reach around Rs 17,000 crore in 2025. The growth reflects a broader cultural shift in how Indians spend their time and money.
The report finds that 78 per cent of Indian consumers now prefer spending on experiences rather than physical products. From attending concerts and festivals to participating in interactive brand installations, audiences are increasingly seeking engagement, community and shareable moments.
This change in consumer behaviour is particularly evident among younger audiences who want to participate rather than simply watch. Instead of passively consuming entertainment, many now look for experiences that allow them to interact, express themselves and connect with like minded communities.
For marketers, this shift has turned experiential marketing into a strategic priority rather than a promotional add on. Brands are moving away from interruption driven advertising and towards immersive formats that allow consumers to discover, test and emotionally connect with products.
The report suggests that experiential marketing now plays a role across the entire consumer journey. It can spark brand discovery, strengthen storytelling, encourage product trials and ultimately influence purchase decisions and loyalty.
The impact is already visible. Post event surveys conducted among 7,450 attendees at major events including Lollapalooza India and concerts by Ed Sheeran and Guns N’ Roses highlight the effectiveness of these experiences.
Around 59 per cent of attendees recalled brands they interacted with during the events, while 55 per cent said those interactions increased their likelihood of purchasing from the brand. A further 63 per cent reported that brand activations actually enhanced their event experience rather than distracting from it. Nearly 29 per cent also said the interaction improved their perception of the brand.
Brands are also changing the way they approach events. Instead of simply putting logos on stages or banners, companies are building experiences into the fabric of the event itself.
Financial services brands, for example, are offering early ticket access, exclusive lounges and curated event experiences for cardholders. Fashion and beauty companies are using festivals to showcase products through pop ups, interactive installations and social media friendly spaces that encourage visitors to share their experiences online.
The scope of experiential marketing now stretches far beyond live entertainment. Retailers are designing experiential stores where customers can explore products in lifelike environments. Entertainment platforms are extending popular intellectual properties into immersive exhibitions and fan events. Technology is also playing a growing role through augmented reality and virtual try on tools that blend digital discovery with physical interaction.
Cultural festivals remain one of the most powerful platforms for such engagement in India. Celebrations such as Navratri and Holi bring together large communities, emotional participation and heightened consumer spending. For brands, these moments offer an opportunity to become part of the celebration rather than simply advertise around it.
Despite the momentum, the report notes that some companies still hesitate to adopt experiential marketing at scale. Budget constraints, limited expertise and uncertainty around measuring return on investment remain common concerns.
However, the growing body of data around consumer engagement and brand impact is gradually addressing these challenges. More marketers are expected to allocate a larger share of their budgets to experiential formats over the coming years.
Taken together, the findings point to a clear trend. As consumers seek meaning, memories and moments worth sharing, live experiences are emerging as one of the most powerful ways for brands to stay relevant in a crowded media landscape.
