Martech for Bharat: Ashish Tiwari on glocal adaptation for global engagement

Martech is rapidly reshaping the marketing landscape in India, empowering brands to create hyper-personalized experiences while navigating evolving digital trends. As part of Adgully’s special interview series on Martech, we explore the innovations, challenges, and future of marketing technology through insights from industry leaders.

In conversation with Adgully, Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India, shares insights on how the brand is leveraging Martech to bridge the gap between national reach and regional relevance. From AI-driven chatbots and voice search optimization to hyperlocal campaigns tailored around festivals and shopping behaviors, Home Credit India is pioneering a ‘glocal’ (global + local) marketing approach that ensures every customer engagement feels personal and authentic.

With India’s digital economy projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030 and country already nearing the 900-million internet users mark (IAMAI-Kantar), there lies immense scope to tap into Bharat, where a vast majority prefers content in their native language. This evolving language preferences presents itself not only as a strategic opportunity but a competitive necessity for brands as they need to ensure that their messaging resonates authentically with audiences in Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural markets.

As brands strive to connect with diverse regional audiences, integrating advanced martech solutions with a deep understanding of local languages and cultural nuances is crucial. However, this strategic opportunity is not just about translation, rather it’s a driving force that blends contextual relevance, emotional connect, and cultural context to build trust.

Rising Regional Engagement

Today, AI-driven chatbots and voice search optimisation are transforming access to financial services, allowing consumers to engage in their native languages while fostering trust and engagement.

Recent reports suggest that many Bharat consumers, who are first-time digital users, prefer voice-based interactions over typing. Currently, more than 90% of Google searches in India are conducted in regional languages, with voice searches growing 270% YoY. Features like multi-language chatbots, WhatsApp-based customer support, and IVR solutions have significantly accelerated adoption in semi-urban and rural areas, where ease of access is a key driver of digital financial inclusion.

If we look at Bharat’s financial consumers, they are spread across over 650,000 villages and Tier 2-3 towns [Source: Ministry of Rural Development]. Kantar’s TGI 2023 report too highlights that Tier 2 and 3 cities alone house approximately 139 million consumers aged 15 to 55, nearly equalling the population of Tier 1 cities [Source: Kantar TGI Report 2023].

A metro-centric marketing approach may not succeed in converting users who require location-specific and trust-driven messaging. Beyond language translation, effective regional marketing requires cultural adaptation and hyper-local messaging.

Brands must leverage AI-powered tools to analyse consumer behaviour and deliver personalised content that aligns with linguistic and financial needs. Platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and programmatic advertising enable precise audience targeting based on language, location, and culture; while multi-language chatbots enhance real-time support, fostering trust. Partnering with local influencers too drives engagement and brand recall. Geo-fenced ads and digital billboards, that switch languages based on foot traffic patterns, also help brands create deeper connections with Bharat’s diverse audience.

Glocal Connect

At Home Credit India, we understand that India is a country with diverse cultures, languages, and regional preferences, which is why our marketing strategies are carefully tailored to engage customers and retail partners across the country. We believe in building and strengthening relationship with our stakeholders (incl. customers, retail partners and media) by speaking their language – both literally and culturally.

To ensure we connect with our audience on a deeper level, we use a multi-faceted approach that incorporates regional language-specific content and localised communication. As part of our outreach strategy, we develop region-specific marketing collaterals – including POS materials, product information, promotional content, and media communiqués – that resonate with local audiences. Whether in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, or any other language, our content is not just translated but culturally tailored to each region’s unique preferences. In addition to region-specific linguistic collaterals,

Hindi plays a crucial role in engaging audiences, particularly in North India, where it is widely spoken and understood. By incorporating Hindi in our advertisements, customer communications, and select marketing materials, we ensure accessibility for a broader demographic while maintaining our commitment to localised engagement. This approach helps us strike a balance between regional personalisation and wider reach, strengthening our connection with diverse customer segments.

Campaigns, too, are strategically crafted to align with local festivals, shopping behaviours, and cultural nuances. For instance, during Diwali – one of India’s biggest festivals – we run region-specific campaigns in the North, while simultaneously leveraging Durga Puja in the East and Ganesh Chaturthi in the West.

Our consumer studies – ‘How India Borrows’ and ‘Great Indian Wallet’ – are also conducted in local languages to ensure deeper insights and more authentic consumer engagement. Additionally, we have created detailed training materials in regional languages, empowering our retail partners to explain the benefits of Home Credit India’s offerings to potential customers more effectively.

We have been also going hyperlocal by creating content that speaks directly to local communities, celebrating and highlighting cultural nuances to ensure our messages resonate deeply. Whether through regional media channels or by using local influencers, we ensure our messaging resonates with customers in a way that feels both relevant and personal. We also actively encourage user-generated content in regional languages, fostering authenticity and community engagement. To improve discoverability among non-English-speaking users, we invest in vernacular SEO for long-form content and videos, using regional keywords to optimise for local searches.

Financial literacy is another focus area, as we are committed to breaking language barriers by providing educational content in regional languages, empowering underserved communities, and ensuring inclusivity in financial knowledge. Our social media approach is also tailored to regional preferences, that is, on Facebook, we prioritise Hindi content to connect with our Tier 2 and Tier 3 audience (ages 24-34), while on Instagram, we use “Hinglish” along with Reels and Stories featuring regional music and trends to engage younger, urban users.

The Future

The next phase of India’s financial growth will be powered by regional audiences, regional language content, and digital-first engagement. The future lies in a seamless blend of technology, culture, and language, ensuring that every customer – regardless of their linguistic background – feels valued and understood.

To brands, martech should no longer be just an efficiency tool – it is a strategic enabler to connect with Bharat’s diverse consumers at scale and with authenticity. By integrating regional languages into martech strategies, brands can move beyond reach to real engagement, fostering deeper connections in India’s diverse digital landscape. That holds true specifically for financial brands but the winners in this space may be those who can speak Bharat’s language – not just in words, but in intent, trust, and innovation.

Also Read: How brands can be ‘Purple Cow’ in a crowded market: Virat Khullar’s Martech mantras