Partho Banerjee on how Maruti Suzuki’s regional push has spurred 15% rural retail growth

Martech is rapidly transforming the marketing landscape in India, enabling brands to deliver hyper-personalized experiences while navigating evolving digital trends. As part of Adgully’s new segment, we are exploring the innovations, challenges, and future of Martech through a special interview series with industry leaders.

In conversation with Adgully, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, shares how the company is leveraging Martech to drive deeper regional engagement. With a growing emphasis on ‘Martech for Bharat’ and the power of vernacular content, Maruti Suzuki has developed a structured regional strategy that blends technology, localization, and influencer partnerships to connect meaningfully with India’s diverse audiences.

From expanding their martech infrastructure to integrating regional insights into their marketing framework, Maruti Suzuki is setting new benchmarks in local consumer engagement. Banerjee highlights how this approach is not just a supplement but a key pillar of their business growth – reflected in the company’s impressive rural retail growth outpacing urban markets.

He shared, “At Maruti Suzuki India, we recognize that regional marketing is not merely a supplementary approach but fundamental to our growth strategy in India. Our regional engagement framework has become a cornerstone of our marketing effectiveness and business expansion.”

Adding further, Banerjee said, “Our conviction in the power of regional marketing stems from a simple truth: without meaningful local connections, even the most sophisticated brand campaigns fail to deliver results. As we have witnessed firsthand, when communications lack regional relevance, they do not resonate, regardless of their strategic merit or creative excellence.”

He highlighted that Maruti Suzuki has structured its regional growth strategy around four interconnected elements:

“Our network of 18 regional offices forms the foundation of our localised approach. This infrastructure enables us to develop a deep market understanding and execute campaigns that address specific regional consumer behaviours and preferences. These offices serve as intelligence hubs that continuously inform our broader marketing strategy with ground-level insights.”

Moreover, the auto major maintains consistency in its brand positioning while allowing flexibility in execution. “While our campaign DNA remains intact across regions, we systematically adapt our core messaging to align with local cultural contexts. This calibrated balance between brand consistency and regional relevance has proven critical to our market performance,” he added.

Banerjee further said, “Our increasing collaboration with regional influencers has transformed how we establish authentic connections. These partnerships allow us to communicate in voices that genuinely resonate with local audiences, building credibility and trust in newer ways.”

On the technology front, Maruti Suzuki’s martech investments now specifically address regional engagement capabilities. The company has expanded its data architecture to incorporate regional indicators and have developed systems that support vernacular content delivery across the customer journey.

“The business impact of this regional focus has been substantial,” said Banerjee, adding, “We have witnessed this trend directly in our Q3FY25 performance, where our rural retail growth reached 15% as compared to a 2.5% growth in urban markets.”

“Looking ahead, we see regional marketing technology as the defining factor in India’s evolving digital landscape. As the lines between urban and rural markets continue to blur, brands that can seamlessly integrate national presence with authentic regional voices will capture disproportionate growth. At Maruti Suzuki, we are committed to leading this evolution – ensuring our technology investments amplify rather than diminish the rich cultural diversity that makes India unique.”