Brands
TV to command Rs 25 cr of Droom’s 100 cr marketing budget
MUMBAI: India’s online automobile transactional marketplace Droom is launching a mega promotional campaign with a budget of Rs 100 cr. The new campaign is being launched for television, YouTube, print, digital and social media and will also be seen outdoors on billboards and external installations. The entire campaign is designed to drive traffic and increase consumer awareness and to enhance the sense of pride amongst Indian consumers when it comes to buying a pre-owned vehicle.
Droom, which has reported more than 700% year-on-year revenue, plans to adopt an aggressive performance-linked marketing approach which will see country-wide spread of the advertisements. Automobiles, being a big-ticket item, have a significant gestation period which may last from a minimum one month to a year.
Commenting on the king-size marketing budget, Droom CEO and founder Sandeep Aggarwal said, “Buying a used vehicle is still shrouded in great doubt for many Indian consumers. This year, through our marketing efforts, we hope to instil a sense of pride in the buyers when they purchase a pre-owned automobile. Our focus completely lies in implementing high Return-On-investment promotion options. Furthermore, the 360-degree marketing initiatives will also help us achieve our goal of reaching an annualized GMV of INR 3000 crore by the end of 2016 and INR 5-7,000 crore by the end of 2017 by enhancing consumer tendency to look at the benefits of purchasing their dream vehicles through us.”
Keeping this trend in mind along with the upcoming festive season when the propensity to purchase vehicles is the highest, Droom will be rolling out the marketing initiatives well in advance. Of the total 100cr budget, INR 25 crore has been allocated to TV, outdoor, print and radio advertising and other ATL activities. Considering the huge market available digitally, a further INR 25 crore has been assigned to digital promotional activities such as Search Engine optimization, online ads etc. With the festive season in the offing, deals and discounts would also feature significantly in the marketing budget allocation.
Droom’s marketing campaign would be a round-the-year process with periods of heightened activity. Catering to seven different cities including Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, Droom envisions INR 100 crore budget as the minimum threshold, rather than the maximum value allocation, and plans to raise the industry standards of marketing expenditure through its upcoming brand building activities.
Brands
Ather Energy doubles service network to 500 centres nationwide
EV maker scales support alongside growth to keep riders on the road
MUMBAI: Ather Energy is quietly building more than just scooters. It is building the backbone to keep them running.
The electric two-wheeler maker has expanded its service network to 500 authorised centres across India, nearly doubling its footprint in a year from 277. The move mirrors its growing retail presence and signals a clear focus on one often overlooked part of EV ownership, what happens after the purchase.
From the outset, Ather has prioritised service support in every city it enters, aiming to make ownership as smooth as the ride itself. Its Gold Service Centres bring in upgraded customer lounges, modern equipment and processes designed to make servicing more transparent and reliable.
Speed, too, is part of the pitch. Through its ExpressCare initiative, riders can get periodic maintenance done in about an hour, now available across 82 centres, turning what used to be a chore into a quick pit stop.
Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela said, “Crossing 500 service centres is an important milestone as we scale across the country. Reliable after-sales support is central to the ownership experience, and our focus remains on consistent service quality and accessibility.”
The expansion comes as demand grows for models like the Ather 450 and the Rizta, which have helped the company reach a broader set of riders across metros and emerging cities alike.
Alongside servicing, Ather continues to power up infrastructure through the Ather Grid, now one of the largest fast-charging networks for two-wheelers, with over 4,300 charging points.
With plans to scale further and deepen its presence, Ather’s approach is clear. Selling the scooter may start the journey, but keeping it running smoothly is what sustains it.
