Cementing the future: How Nuvoco is leveraging AI to enhance its marketing efforts

In conversation with Adgully, Chirag Shah, SVP - Marketing, Innovation, and Sales Excellence, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd, sheds light on the fundamental values of Nuvoco, the fifth largest cement producer in India, including how its values are contributing towards the brand’s identity, the changes or developments in the vision of the brand currently, its target group, how Nuvoco is leveraging AI and digital media for its marketing efforts and brand communication. He also speaks about how Nuvoco is integrating sustainability efforts within its brand messaging and its brand positioning, as well as the current trends in the cement industry.

What are the fundamental values of Nuvoco, the 5th largest cement producer in India, and how are those values contributing to the brand’s identity?

At Nuvoco, our brand identity is deeply rooted in our core values of IECCO – Integrity, Entrepreneurship, Operational Excellence, Collaboration, and Care. These values guide every aspect of our operations and our commitment to delivering exceptional products and services across our Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete (RMX), and Modern Building Materials (MBM) businesses.

Our robust corporate governance, anchored in the principles of integrity, guides every facet of our operations and cultivates a culture of ethical conduct. Furthermore, our commitment to entrepreneurship is evident in our product offerings. We have been granted a patent for the ‘Fibre Reinforced Cement Composition’, branded in the market as ‘Duraguard Microfiber Cement’. Our Concrete Uno, a hydrophobic cement, prevents water ingress, ensuring structural integrity in diverse environments. Additionally, our flagship product, Ecodure, revolutionizes concrete manufacturing for sustainable construction practices.

Additionally, initiatives like Project BRIDGE focus on optimizing power & fuel costs, reducing raw material & transit losses, and contributing to operational excellence. These efforts, along with our emphasis on digitalization and technology, enhance collaboration within the organization. Above all, we prioritize care for our stakeholders and the environment, demonstrating our commitment to sustainable growth and community well-being.

By adhering to our core values and continuously improving our operations, we ensure we stay committed to our mission of being a leading building materials company that delivers superior performance.

What are the changes or developments in the vision of the brand recently and who is its target group?

Nuvoco has recently refined its brand vision to prioritize innovation and sustainability in the building materials sector. This refined focus drives our efforts in developing cutting-edge, eco-friendly materials and advanced construction technologies that minimize environmental impact while enhancing product performance and durability.

Nuvoco’s target audience is diverse, including construction professionals, large infrastructure developers, individual home builders, and rural communities. This inclusive approach allows Nuvoco to effectively meet diverse customer needs and drive sustainable growth. However, our primary focus remains on Individual Home Builders (IHB), including those in rural areas. Our products and offerings are specifically curated to cater to the needs of these customers.

For instance, Concreto Uno protects homes from water ingress and enhances durability, while Duraguard Microfiber is a next-generation cement variant that reduces micro-cracks. Our Modern Building Materials portfolio, under the ZERO M brand, includes construction chemicals, bonding agents, wall putty, tile adhesives, ready-mix plaster, and more, catering to IHBs’ post-construction needs.

Nuvoco also recognizes the growing aspirations for home ownership in rural India. Through our ‘Sabse Khaas Sarpanch’ campaign, we rewarded and recognized local leaders (Sarpanchs) driving positive change. This campaign raised brand awareness and underscored our commitment to rural development. Along with these, we also launched initiatives such as the Vridhi program to recognize and provide incentives to influencers as our token of appreciation, highlighting their dedication, loyalty, and positive impact in promoting Nuvoco’s brands.

How is Nuvoco leveraging digital and AI for its marketing efforts and its brand communication?

Nuvoco is leveraging digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) to significantly enhance its marketing efforts and brand communication. Central to this strategy is our consumer-facing app, Nuvo Nirmaan, which has become an indispensable tool for users with over 4.2 Lakh active users. The app offers a range of valuable resources, including floor and home plans, Vaastu scores, and material calculators, catering to the diverse construction needs of our users and making project planning more efficient and informed.

We utilize performance marketing metrics such as reach, engagement, leads, and connections to evaluate and optimize our digital campaigns effectively. This data-driven approach enables us to refine our strategies continuously, ensuring that we connect with our audience in meaningful ways. AI plays a pivotal role in this process by analyzing market data and providing insights into consumer preferences and trends.

In addition to our digital strategies, we actively engage in influencer marketing by collaborating with industry influencers, bloggers, and experts. This approach helps us reach new audiences, build credibility, and promote our products through authentic endorsements and recommendations. Furthermore, our commitment to transparency through authentic testimonials further builds trust and credibility with our consumers.

Recognizing the shift in consumer behaviour towards online platforms for researching product benefits, applications, and pricing, we ensure that our digital content is both informative and accessible. This helps consumers make well-informed purchasing decisions.

By integrating these digital and AI-driven strategies, Nuvoco is not only enhancing brand communication, but also solidifying its position as a forward-thinking leader in the building materials sector.

How does Nuvoco integrate sustainability efforts into the brand messaging and what is its brand positioning?

Nuvoco integrates sustainability into its brand messaging by embedding eco-friendly practices and innovative approaches into all aspects of its business, aligning with its strategic vision and brand positioning as a leader in sustainable building materials.

Our brand messaging emphasizes our commitment to environmental stewardship through the Protect Our Planet (POP) program. This initiative focuses on key sustainability areas such as decarbonization, water management, the circular economy, biodiversity, and waste reduction. By pursuing these goals, we highlight our dedication to reducing the environmental impact of our operations and products.

In our Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete (RMX), and Modern Building Materials (MBM) verticals, we showcase our commitment to sustainability through products like Duraguard Microfiber Cement, which exemplifies our focus on advanced, eco-friendly materials that enhance performance and durability while minimizing environmental footprint. Another groundbreaking offering, Concreto, is a versatile and premium slag cement well-suited for all types of low, medium, and heavy-duty construction applications, providing a better finish to the exterior and interiors of buildings. Furthermore, our sustainable product Ecodure incorporates supplemental cementitious materials (SCM) and recycled aggregates, achieving up to a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions. Additionally, our operations leverage renewable energy sources, such as in-house solar plants, and waste heat recovery systems to improve energy efficiency.

This integration of sustainability into our brand messaging ensures that Nuvoco is recognized as an innovative company committed to the well-being of both the community and the planet.

How does the company evaluate the effectiveness of its sales and marketing strategies?

At Nuvoco, we evaluate the effectiveness of our sales and marketing strategies through a combination of comprehensive research, performance metrics, and advanced digital tools. We engage third-party agencies to conduct extensive feedback research, gathering insights from key customers and vendors to identify strengths and areas for improvement. This process ensures our strategies remain relevant and impactful.

We rely on performance metrics such as reach, engagement, leads, and connections to measure the success of digital campaigns, providing a robust framework for assessing marketing efforts in driving customer engagement and achieving business objectives. Our campaigns are meticulously targeted with specific calls to action and utilize an omnichannel marketing approach that integrates both physical and digital mediums. This convergence allows for better control, optimization of media outlays, and enhanced efficiency.

We gather valuable insights into customer concerns such as product cost and quality, timely delivery, post-delivery issues, and the importance of responsible and sustainable production through customer feedback, social media engagement, and targeted marketing campaigns. As a result, we have achieved a 75% customer satisfaction score in FY 24-25, brand awareness and brand track scores provide valuable insights into our performance relative to competitors and highlight areas for improvement, helping us understand brand resonance with our target audience.

This multifaceted evaluation approach allows Nuvoco to continuously refine and optimize our strategies to meet the evolving needs of our customers and the market, driving sustainable growth and brand success.

What are the trends in the cement industry currently?

The cement industry is witnessing several key trends, including premiumization and the introduction of value-added products and services. Consumers are increasingly looking for upgraded building materials that offer enhanced performance and durability. At Nuvoco, we respond to this demand with innovative products like Concreto Uno and Duraguard Microfibre. Additionally, there's a shift towards service-oriented offerings such as supervision, site delivery, and digital records to enhance customer experience. The integration of digital strategies, from online presence to influencer marketing and SEO, is also becoming pivotal in reaching and engaging with customers effectively.