35 years ago, the Maruti 800 was launched in India after the then PM of India, Indira Gandhi handed over the keys of the very first 800 to Harpal Singh who had paid a handsome sum of Rs 47,500 for the hatchback. This has proven to be one of the most iconic moments in Indian automotive history.
To celebrate the achievement, Mumbai Maruti Suzuki dealer Fort Point Automotive had also organized a Classic Maruti Day on Friday, December 16, 2018. Today, we are discussing the strategies that helped Maruti 800 to become one of the most iconic brands in India.
Pre-launch ads
The pre-launch ads actually ran almost a year ahead of the Maruti 800. This campaign of 2 ads gave the promise of new standards in technology, fuel efficiency, safety, reliability, service and most important- affordable price. The ads showed 4-seater, 4-door cars almost half the weight of today’s cars. These were obviously huge promises 35 years ago.
Near-launch ads
As the launch date got closer, Maruti released a new series of ads urging customers to upgrade India from an era of two-wheelers to four-wheels. The ads did not have a Maruti logo, instead, there is a key ring with the Maruti logo which became a symbol of great social status in the coming days.
Connecting with the audience emotionally
India is a country where emotions matter a lot in advertising campaigns. Maruti marketers knew this and chose to launch a very special version of the car for those with some physical handicaps. Such campaigns make the people connect with the brand with a strong bond.
Introducing plans ahead of its times
Maruti never waited for the competitors do something new, the company always tried to remain ahead of the times. Back in the old days when people had a simple lifestyle, Maruti 800 was shown as a cool car in the commercials. Using Motor shows to promote a car brand certainly helped Maruti immensely.
Not shying away from expanding global
Usually, we see global brands capturing the Indian market but Maruti decided the other route and went on to sell the Maruti 800 cars in other countries also. Maruti was not just exported to near neighbors in Nepal or Bhutan but to France, Cyprus and Malta.
