How DTDC Express plans to tap into emerging demographics such as Gen Z, Gen Alpha

It’s time to review the most significant industry developments as the year 2023 draws to a close. Adgully is reviewing the year 2023 for M&E, Advertising, Digital, Marketing, PR, and communications, along with leading names in the industry as part of its annual Rewind series.

Recapping the year 2023, Utkarsh Narain, Head – Marketing & Strategy at DTDC Express, speaks at length about the dynamic changes seen in the Media, Marketing and Advertising ecosystem in India in 2023, industry trends this year, and much more…

Brand journey in 2023

In 2022, DTDC as an organisation embarked on a transformation journey, introducing a new brand identity system that seamlessly aligned its rich 30+-year legacy with a modern and future-ready image tailored to meet the evolving needs its consumers. The revised identity led to the creation of a communication strategy that was modern, and relevant to the evolving target audience appealing to both the emotional and rational aspects of its diverse customer base.

Bringing this strategy to life, we tapped into the two most loved avenues in the nation of Sports and Entertainment.  DTDC leveraged cricket, a medium symbolic of partnership, growth, agility, hard work, emotions, and belief by partnering with Disney+ Hotstar for the World Cup, capitalizing on free match viewing announcement during India vs Australia series.

The success momentum of the cricket campaign soared to new heights by the industry first tie-up with ‘Jawaan’ featuring Shah Rukh Khan. The tie-up was an integrated marketing play with a TVC launched across a diverse range of media platforms, including social media, television, cinema, digital news, and sports channels. This initiative was a massive success and underscored the brand's commitment to innovative marketing strategies.

DTDC, today, has a network of 15,000+ Channel Partners, serving 96% of the Indian Population. During the year, we initiated a massive exercise of rebranding the outlets through the use of an innovative DIY kit. The kit allows partners to maintain uniformity, is faster and more effective than traditional forms. The DIY Kit allows our partners to take advantage of local cost efficiencies while maintaining the uniform look of the brand.

We additionally launched several impactful social media campaigns to bolster customer engagement. For instance, the #HappinessAtYourDoorstep initiative showcased user-generated content featuring authentic stories of how DTDC has made a positive impact on people's daily lives across every corner of the country. The #CheerWithDTDC campaign celebrated the ICC World Cup, and #DTDCFestiveWin added festive flair during the holiday season, contributing to a heightened sense of celebration.

Furthermore, the #HarDilKeDarwazeTak with DTDC campaign, strategically rolled out during Rakhi and Diwali, further cements the core belief of the company that DTDC delivers not just packages but also emotions across India and internationally.

Overall, the year marked a clear industry-defining success and was reflected in the leading Brand Track scores for the organisation.

Overcoming challenges during the year

Navigating a need-based market and ensuring sustained relevance across the marketing funnel poses an ongoing challenge. Unlike traditional forms of marketing in the industry, DTDC has adopted an approach akin to FMCG or Telecom industries, allowing us to tap into growth and innovate dynamically.

Our key focus revolves around maintaining peak consideration levels, ensuring that DTDC is the first brand consumers recall when the need for logistics services arises. Our strategic focus involves tapping into the mass emotional space, embodying what DTDC stands for and believes in. This commitment to a unique marketing approach is pivotal in our ongoing efforts to remain a standout player in the logistics landscape.

Navigating through disruptions in the market

Our approach is rooted in a proactive strategy that aligns with the timing and opportunities presented by the market needs. We have conducted need assessment research to gauge the optimal timing for our marketing initiatives, ensuring that our efforts are synchronized with the peak demand in the market.

Given that a significant portion of DTDC's business stems from its 15,000+ channel partners, constituting ~70% of the business, effective marketing heavily relies on a well-balanced Media Plan, which is a critical component in our strategy.

This mix spans diverse channels, including print, TV, events, sponsorships, cinema, and out-of-home advertising, In addition to digital media.  The media mix is constantly tweaked and modified to ensure relevance to the changing needs of our consumers.

Strategic plans and expectations for 2024

DTDC expects significant growth and expansion on both domestic and international fronts. Further, the DTDC brand is strategically positioned to further enhance our marketing leadership, catering to the evolving needs of present and future consumers.

Our overarching goal will establish a brand presence that not only caters to the current needs, but also anticipates and aligns with the evolving preferences of the future consumer base tapping into consumer pools of emerging demographics such as Gen Z/Alpha.