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Tag: automobiles

  • Festive wheels turn faster as car platform hits record traffic

    Festive wheels turn faster as car platform hits record traffic

    MUMBAI: CarTrade Tech’s consumer platforms struck gold yesterday, recording their highest-ever single-day traffic as Indians hunt for festival bargains on wheels. The company told the Bombay stock exchange that CarWale and BikeWale saw visitor numbers rocket by 74 per cent compared with the first day of Navratri last year, and 60 per cent above August’s daily average.

    The surge points to renewed vigour in India’s car market, helped along by recent GST rate cuts that have made vehicles more affordable. For a sector that has endured sluggish demand, the spike offers a tantalising glimpse of better times ahead.

    “Yesterday was a landmark day for our platforms,” said CarTrade consumer group chief executive Banwari Lal Sharma. “The festive excitement, amplified by GST-led affordability, has fuelled unprecedented consumer activity.”

    Whether this traffic translates into actual sales—and signals a broader revival in consumer sentiment during the festival season—remains to be seen. But for India’s media and entertainment companies, which depend heavily on advertising from car manufacturers, the numbers will make for cheerful reading.

  • Madhur Bajaj, auto industry stalwart and Bajaj scion, dies at 73

    Madhur Bajaj, auto industry stalwart and Bajaj scion, dies at 73

    MUMBAI:  Madhur Bajaj, non-executive director of Bajaj Auto and a key figure in India’s automobile sector, passed away on Friday morning at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai. He was 73.

    Bajaj, who had been hospitalised due to health complications, suffered a stroke two days ago and succumbed to it around 5 am, company sources confirmed. Further details on the funeral arrangements are awaited.

    Born on 19 August 1952, Madhur Bajaj was a driving force behind Bajaj Auto’s growth and played a pivotal role in shaping the auto and finance industries in India. A graduate of Sydenham College, Mumbai, he later earned an MBA from IMD Lausanne, Switzerland.

    His career spanned across diverse sectors, from automobiles to consumer durables and financial services. He was the past president of Siam, India’s apex automobile manufacturers’ body, and also led the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA).

    Bajaj held senior positions within the Bajaj group, including non-executive vice chairman of Bajaj Auto and chairman of Maharashtra Scooters Ltd. He also served as a director on the boards of Bajaj Holdings, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Electricals, and Bajaj Finance. His contributions to Aurangabad’s industrial and social landscape, including the development of the Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital and Nath Valley School, remain a lasting legacy.

    Beyond corporate boardrooms, Bajaj was a passionate philanthropist. A trustee of the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, he was deeply involved in rural development and water conservation initiatives. He firmly believed that “the secret of living is giving,” dedicating much of his life to social causes.

    Bajaj’s passing marks the end of an era for both the auto industry and Indian business leadership. His vision, influence, and contributions will long be remembered.

  • Budget boost to ad industry: WRM’s Shrenik Gandhi foretells the future

    Budget boost to ad industry: WRM’s Shrenik Gandhi foretells the future

    MUMBAI: Like many others before him,  Shrenik Gandhi, co-founder &  CEO of White Rivers Media (WRM), has predicted a significant uptick in advertising expenditure across consumption-driven sectors following the latest Union Budget announcement. With the government providing income tax relief up to Rs 12 lakh, Gandhi anticipates a ripple effect benefiting both brands and advertisers.

    He remarked, “With more disposable income in the hands of consumers, ad spends are expected to see a positive uptick, particularly in consumption-driven sectors from the salaried class.”

    Sectoral Impact on Ad Spends

    The overall advertising market is projected to witness a 10 per cent growth, driven by increased discretionary spending. Gandhi highlighted key sectors likely to ramp up marketing investments:
    * Retail & E-commerce: Boosted by increased purchasing power, aggressive online and offline campaigns are anticipated.
    * Automobiles: Higher disposable incomes often translate into greater car and two-wheeler sales, prompting auto brands to invest more in promotions.
    * Real Estate: With improved affordability, developers are expected to push marketing efforts for mid-income housing projects.
    * Consumer Electronics & Smartphones: This segment is poised for heightened promotional activity.
    * Travel & Hospitality: Financial ease could drive a surge in both domestic and international travel advertisements.
    * Fintech & BFSI: Additional savings may lead to increased interest in investments and insurance products, encouraging BFSI companies to up their advertising budgets.

    Digital advertising, already experiencing robust growth, is expected to accelerate further as brands seek to capture positive consumer sentiment. Gandhi concluded that the budget’s impact on the advertising landscape signals a promising year ahead for the industry.

  • Tata Motors taps Martin Uhlarik as new global design head

    Tata Motors taps Martin Uhlarik as new global design head

    NEW DELHI: Indian automaker Tata Motors has tapped Martin Uhlarik as its new global design head. The announcement comes in the wake of his predecessor Pratap Bose’s decision to step down.

    At present, it is unclear where Bose, who has been with the company for 14 long years, is headed to. He was instrumental in transforming the design language for all of Tata Motors Vehicles, some of which have gone on to win design awards over their lifetimes.

    Previously, Uhlarik was working as the head of design for Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC). A 27-year career veteran, he had joined Tata Motors back in 2016 as the head of design in the UK. He is also credited with the development of the Impact 3 generation of vehicles.

    Uhlarik will continue to operate from TMETC in the UK, where he will lead teams in the three Tata Motors design centres in Coventry (UK), Turin (Italy) and Pune (India). He will report into Tata Motors president – passenger vehicle business unit Shailesh Chandra.

    Tata Motors CEO & managing director Guenter Butschek said, “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Martin Uhlarik as the new global design head of Tata Motors. Martin is an experienced automobile designer with deep domain knowledge of design, keen understanding of international trends and extensive operational experience with leading automobile companies in several geographies. His rich experience and expertise will inspire our teams to further enhance our vehicle design philosophy and language. I take this opportunity to also thank Pratap for his services and wish him the best for the future.”

    Uhlarik has a degree in industrial design from the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto, Canada and a degree in Transportation Design from Art Center College of Design in Vevey, Switzerland.

  • M&M to revamp e-commerce platform

    M&M to revamp e-commerce platform

    MUMBAI: Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), India’s largest utility vehicle maker, has decided to revamp it’s digital platform by engaging with experts BCG, Microsoft and Dassualt to engage with prospective buyers right through their purchasing cycle according to a Brand Equity report.

    Being the first to sell vehicles through e-commerce platform, the company today gets 6 per cent of its sales lead from online platform, by revamping the digital platform, M&M’s intent is to bring the showroom home of the buyers through a mix of physical and virtual experience to keep its prospective buyers hooked to its brand at a time when the buyers are spoilt with choice, the report said.

    The company expects about 15 per cent of its retail sales to be generated through online platform in FY-19 from the current 7-8 per cent.

    The company has started the concept of “taking showroom at home” on a pilot basis at one of its dealership in Mumbai and the company claims it is doing well and very soon it will roll it out to the other parts of the country

    The company has worked with Microsoft Consulting to envisage the pre-sales strategy. M&M created SyouV Platform along with Microsoft, Dassault Systemes & Hard n Soft Technologies. For the post purchase platform Mahindra With You Hamesha, the company had engaged with Extentia Technologies and BCG helped the company “Bring The Showroom Home” initiative for which application has been developed by Artificial Reality.

    The new digital strategy takes into account the experience a prospective buyer may have pre-purchase during purchase and post purchase and the idea is to offer transparency, convenience and personalisation option.

  • Eulogy! India gears ahead with remarkable aspirations in their 5th year of existence

    Eulogy! India gears ahead with remarkable aspirations in their 5th year of existence

    MUMBAI: Eulogy Media, a London based, independent and multi-award winning PR agency, recently completed 4 successful years of being in the Indian market.

     

    Headquartered in the silicon valley of our country, the India operations functions from 5 offices across; Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata besides Bangalore. As one of the most versatile of PR agencies, the team expertise and the client portfolio ranges from national as well as international clients cutting sectors ranging from Education, Power, Fashion/Lifestyle, F&B, Automobiles, Information Technology, Media Buying and Advertising, Data & Media Analytics, Realty, Bio-sciences to Alco-Bev.

     

    Amongst the few fastest growing independent public relations agencies in India today, Eulogy is not only extending geographically but is making the Indian team one to reckon with a very strong and dynamic group of young professionals.

     

    Talking about the journey of E! India, Cyrus Jogina, Managing Director, India, stated, “It has been a great journey and specially last year has been very exciting in terms of overall growth and structuring; client wins, office expansions, geographical spread amidst positive client testimonials for bringing to the table innovative, out-of-the-box ideas and designing successful campaigns time and again. We have an unremitting aspirant vision of broadening our reach across sectors and markets in India.”

     

    Pleased by the success of Eulogy’s presence in India, Adrian Brady, CEO, Eulogy, said “The India office was our first expansion of the Eulogy brand into a foreign market – 4 years hence I am pleased and proud of the journey we have been on. From a single office to 5 offices and mixed bag sectorial expertise being built slowly but steadily, we have extended our mission of ‘igniting profitable conversations’ through the communication campaigns in India as well. We have confidence in our personnel in the India office lead by Cyrus, of taking the consultancy to the next level within a short time.”

     

    Eulogy! in India has also successfully forayed into Digital PR and is currently organically growing this division. “Agencies claim to offer Digital PR but in true sense its more of Social Media engagement. We at Eulogy would be changing the dynamics of Digital PR which no agency in the APAC is offering and that is because no one still understands what Digital PR truly is.” Cyrus further added.

     

    The London based award-winning agency was established in 1996 and has steadfastly been racing to be amidst the top 20 independent public relations consultancies around the world today; known for attention grabbing award campaigns such as Royal Mail Gold Medal Integrated Campaigns (2014.)

  • TO THE NEW partners with Sokrati to enhance and expand digital advertising services

    TO THE NEW partners with Sokrati to enhance and expand digital advertising services

    MUMBAI: TO THE NEW, Asia’s leading integrated digital services network, today announced a strategic partnership with Sokrati, a popular ad technology and analytics company. The strategic partnership will allow TO THE NEW to expand its service capabilities in the digital advertising space and enhance offerings in social media marketing and mobile advertising.

     

    Using the Sokrati platform, TO THE NEW will be able to integrate best in class ad solutions across search, social, display & real-time bidding into service delivery for clients. The partnership will also enable Sokrati to leverage TO THE NEW’s network in India, Middle East & South East Asian markets.

     

    According to the IAMAI and IMRB Report 2013, in FY 2012-13, out of the total online ad spend which contributes to 2,260 crore, majority of the ad spends went to search (38%) followed by display (29%) and social media (17%). The report further states that the Indian online advertising market is projected to reach INR 2,938 crore by March 2014.

     

    Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Puneet Johar, Managing Director, TO THE NEW said, “As brands increasingly rely on online media to acquire social and mobile first consumers, our association with Sokrati will broaden our multi-channel performance marketing capabilities. This along with our own analytics, content and technology platforms will enable us to deliver an integrated digital solution to clients.”

     

    TO THE NEW will leverage Sokrati’s expertise in the field of performance driven marketing which plays a crucial role in the sustenance of any organization. With its proprietary technology and solutions, Sokrati will help expand the network’s footprint on paid search, provide contextual and audience targeting on display advertising, drive loyal app-installs with mobile marketing and also help increase conversions and branding with personalized remarketing.

     

    “We are extremely excited to partner with TO THE NEW and their pan-Asia network. Every day, more advertisers across Asia are embracing digital as an integral part of their marketing strategy. We are confident that Sokrati’s customer-centric marketing solutions will help these advertisers expand their brand reach across all digital channels while keeping profitability and end users squarely in focus,” said Mr Ashish Mehta; Co-Founder & CEO, Sokrati.

     

    Through its business units – Ignitee Digital, IntelliGrape Software, Tangerine Digital, Techsailor and ThoughtBuzz, TO THE NEW offers expertise in digital marketing, content, technology, analytics and social media analytics. TO THE NEW collectively manages the mandate for more than 120 clients across Asia, in diverse sectors like BFSI, Automobiles, E-commerce, FMCG, Retail, Sports, Hospitality and Media & Entertainment.