Maruti Suzuki India has called for a media pitch. Shashank Srivastava, senior executive director – marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India, has confirmed the news to Storyboard18. The company will pick its media agency partner next week, says Srivastava without revealing more details. Currently, Dentsu handles Maruti Suzuki India’s media duties. The brand signs a two-year contract and calls for a review or a pitch by the end of the period.
The auto major has called for a pitch to explore options and evaluate new strategies and technology-powered solutions media agencies can bring to the brand’s next phase of growth and journey. Sources close to the development tell Storyboard18 that GroupM and Dentsu are in the final round.
In June 2022, Maruti Suzuki India added Lintas C:EX, a Mullen Lowe Lintas Group agency to its creative roster. The auto major is now working with Hakuhodo India, Dentsu Impact, and Lintas C:EX for developing creative solutions and advertising campaigns.
Maruti Suzuki India is expected to raise its marketing spend by about 25 percent next financial year, which will take its spends to nearly Rs 1,000 crore in FY24.
At the time, Srivastava told Storyboard18 that the company made this move not only to add creative freshness to the brand but also to focus on advertising other aspects of the company’s business. “We have realised that two agencies may not be sufficient to manage the current vastness of our business,” he had said.
The company has around 15 product brands in its portfolio with new launches in the pipeline. That apart Maruti Suzuki also has a number of other brands related to end-to-end mobility such as S-CNG, Suzuki Connect, Maruti Suzuki True Value, and Maruti Suzuki Accessories, Nexa, Arena, Maruti Suzuki Subscription, and Maruti Suzuki Smart Finance, among others. Srivastava says, consumers today are looking for a complete experience from auto brands. It’s no longer about showcasing the best-looking car models through advertising, he believes. In order to push the upcoming volume of marketing activities, the company needed a larger pool of creative talent.