This year, Dell’s festive marketing revolves around possibilities of AI: Mayuri Saikia

Adgully’s AG Talk brings unfiltered insights and thoughts of CEOs, MDs, and CMOs, who have been leading the marketing landscape, and in fact, also laying the ground rules to keep up with the transformative times.

The festive season in India is a critical time for brands across various industries, as consumer sentiment and spending reach their peak. This period, which spans from August to December – with Dussehra-Durga Puja-Diwali being the most crucial period – sees heightened marketing activities, with brands vying for attention through innovative campaigns, promotions, and exclusive deals. The technology sector, in particular, plays a key role during these months, as consumers increasingly look to upgrade their gadgets and invest in cutting-edge products that enhance both work and leisure experiences. With AI and digital advancements shaping the landscape, companies are focusing on personalized marketing strategies to engage tech-savvy audiences, fostering deeper brand connections.

In this exclusive AG Talk interaction with Adgully, Mayuri Saikia, Director of Marketing, Consumer and Small Business at Dell Technologies India, speaks at length about how Dell is tapping into the festive spirit with its latest AI-powered product offerings. She delves into the creative inspiration behind Dell's 2024 festive campaign, the strategic role of AI in enhancing consumer experiences, and the brand’s comprehensive marketing approach to engage audiences across diverse platforms. From heartwarming storytelling to influencer partnerships and on-ground activations, Dell’s campaigns embody the brand’s commitment to innovation and human progress, making it a standout in the competitive tech market this festive season.

What inspired Dell to develop this festive campaign, and how does it align with the cultural significance of the festive season in India?

Dell’s decision to develop its festive campaigns is deeply inspired by the cultural and economic significance of the festive season in India, a time when consumer spending surges. Starting in October, the festive period is marked by celebrations and gift-giving, making it an ideal opportunity for brands to connect with customers. This approach not only positions Dell’s products as relevant to the moment but also helps make the festive purchasing experience more rewarding for customers. The 2024 festive campaign is inspired by the desire to enhance the season’s celebratory spirit through Dell’s latest AI-powered PCs. By highlighting how these innovative laptops simplify daily tasks and foster productivity, creativity, and problem-solving, the campaign aims to make the festive season more special for users and their loved ones.

Could you share insights into the creative process behind the latest brand film? What elements were prioritized to resonate with your audience?

The campaign film, ‘Sweets’, serves as a reflection of Dell’s commitment to blending tradition with innovation, embodying the company’s broader mission to leverage technology to drive human progress. The creative process behind the campaign focused on crafting an emotional narrative that would resonate deeply with the audience, particularly during the festive season. By telling the story of a young man rediscovering the recipe for a traditional Indian dessert through Dell’s AI-powered Inspiron 14 Plus, the film symbolizes the seamless integration of modern technology with cultural heritage. The intention was not only to showcase product innovation but to connect with viewers on a personal and cultural level, demonstrating how Dell’s technology can enhance everyday experiences and bring joy to users at significant moments.

The film exemplifies Dell’s strategic marketing approach, where storytelling goes hand in hand with the brand's values of sustainability, innovation, and social good. By featuring AI as a tool that enriches lives rather than merely simplifying tasks, Dell highlights how its products can create deeper personal connections. This resonates strongly with consumers, fostering brand loyalty. Additionally, the campaign extends its reach by collaborating with popular content creators and influencers, ensuring that the devices' unique capabilities and use cases are showcased to a wider audience, further strengthening the brand’s appeal.

How does Dell plan to engage consumers during the festive season through this campaign? Are there any specific promotions or events tied to it?

Dell's approach to engaging consumers during the festive season revolves around creating meaningful connections across multiple touchpoints, both online and offline. By offering customers a seamless interaction through various channels, including exclusive offline stores and retail partners, Dell aims to enhance the overall shopping experience. This strategy ensures that customers can engage with the brand in a way that best suits their preferences. Additionally, the campaign is designed to resonate with different demographics, from younger audiences to digitally savvy families, ensuring that the brand reaches a diverse audience.

As for Dell’s promotions, they are extensively distributed across various channels, including retail, Dell.com, e-commerce, social media and influencers, Out-of-Home (OOH) activation, and print. In retail, for instance, we have utilized point-of-sale materials (POSM) such as store decor, gaming standees, flyers, and posters in over 2,000 stores. We also offer special deals and financing options to encourage purchases during the festive season and assist customers in locating their nearest retail outlets through online tools and advertising. For social media and influencers, our strategies include unboxing videos and paid media promotions. Finally, in the e-commerce sector, the focus is on enhanced product listings and targeted promotions, among other initiatives.

How does AI play a role in enhancing the user experience during the festive season, as depicted in your campaign?

AI has been able to play a pivotal role in enhancing user experiences by making technology smarter, more efficient, and tailored to individual needs. The integration of AI into PCs and consumer-facing technologies elevates the user experience by automating mundane tasks and allowing customers to focus on what truly matters. AI’s ability to transform raw data into meaningful applications is key, as it empowers businesses to provide hyper-personalized customer experiences, particularly during high-demand seasons. This results in seamless interactions, efficient services, and more thoughtful product recommendations that resonate with individual preferences.

From a marketing perspective, AI enhances customer engagement through advanced tools like chatbots and virtual assistants, which offer real-time, personalized support. From addressing inquiries to managing returns and tracking product deliveries, these AI-driven solutions ensure a smooth and enjoyable shopping journey. The automation of content generation, including festive marketing campaigns and product descriptions, further simplifies the process. By providing personalized recommendations and optimizing seasonal SEO strategies, AI also allows companies to stay ahead during peak shopping periods, fostering deeper customer loyalty and driving business growth.

What are your observations on the overall consumer and market sentiment during the festive season this year?

The festive season is always a vital period for brands across industries. In fact, as per a report by The Economic Times, it is said that brands see up to 30% of their annual sales coming from this period. From a consumer technology perspective, this means people are looking to facilitate connections with their loved ones by utilizing prominent devices. Beyond purchasing products, consumers are also looking to create memorable experiences, and therefore, there is a sense of hope and anticipation for the future with technology seen as a key enabler of progress. Overall, consumers make conscious choices and seek value in their purchases, in this phase.

At Dell as well, we’re focused on understanding our audience during such a period. By analyzing behaviour preferences and current trends, we craft targeted marketing campaigns with personalized and engaging content. We utilize a mix of digital platforms, social media, and influencer collaborations to reach a broad audience and offer enticing promotions and discounts. However, our approach goes beyond simply pushing our brand. We believe in empowering customers with the right information to make those informed decisions. By combining thoughtful marketing strategies with genuine customer engagement and festive themes, we create positive, lasting relationships with our customers, adding to the optimistic sentiments around this timeline.

What forms the core of your festive marketing strategy this year?

This year, our festive marketing strategy revolves around the exciting possibilities of AI. We’re showcasing the AI-powered features of our XPS and Inspiron laptops and how they can enhance the festive season for our customers. Our campaign emphasizes how these laptops simplify daily tasks and offer solutions that boost productivity, creativity, and problem-solving, ultimately improving our customers’ lifestyles. This is in line with Dell’s vision of leveraging technology to empower people. With the tagline “Bring home the power of AI”, we aim to spark conversations and inspire consumers about the potential of AI. Our hero products, the Inspiron 14 Plus and XPS 14 with their Intel Core Ultra processors, AI boost via the presence of the NPU (Neural Processing Unit), futuristic design language, and built-in AI key, among other significant performance and aesthetic improvements, therefore, reflect exactly the direction in which we want our consumers to grow, thus having taken the center stage of this campaign. Irrespective of whether you’re a student, gamer, creator, or someone whose lifestyle comprises a combination of these, these devices are enhanced for the best computing experience across use cases.

Could you tell us about your campaign strategy for the festive season?

Our festive campaigns always feature a vibrant blend of storytelling, technology, and customer engagement. Once again, this aligns with our vision of driving human progress through technology. The latest ‘Sweets’ campaign is yet another testament to the same as a film that blends the capabilities of Dell’s machines with the larger messaging of social good. It intertwines multiple aspects such as technology, tradition, societal impact, and the like, thereby ensuring a holistic message is delivered to a wide base of users. Additionally, to ensure the message reaches everyone, we incorporate our omnichannel approach alongside a mix of festive offerings across digital platforms, retail stores, and regional networks. Therefore, consumers get to experience the campaign wherever they are, whether they’re browsing online, visiting a store, or enjoying their favourite streaming services.

Of course, no festive celebration is complete without exciting offers – thus, we provide exclusive deals, including cashback, extended warranties, and merchandise to make each festive season even more special for our customers. With a firm understanding of the various languages of our customer base, we also launch our campaigns in multiple languages, including regional dialects to ensure everyone feels seen and included in the Dell festive experience.

To further amplify our message this year, we’ve partnered with influencers and content creators who genuinely resonate with our target audience. They share their personal experiences with our AI-powered laptops, demonstrating how these devices seamlessly integrate into everyday life and enhance festive preparations. And because we value real-world connections, we’re bringing the Dell experience to life through on-ground activations across 35 cities and 60 locations nationwide. These events offer a chance for customers to interact with our products and experience the power of AI firsthand. Ultimately, our campaigns are a celebration of technology’s ability to empower and enrich our lives. Through compelling storytelling, widespread reach, and genuine engagement, we connect with consumers on a deeper level and showcase how Dell PCs, especially in the age of AI, can help them achieve their dreams and aspirations.

What is your marketing/ advertising budget for the festive season in 2024? What percentage increase (or decrease) is it compared to the previous year? Given the increasing fragmentation of media consumption, how are you allocating festive ad budgets across different platforms?

We’ve strategically designed a marketing mix that encompasses product innovation, engaging promotions, competitive pricing, and diverse distribution channels. This creates a cohesive and compelling brand experience for our customers. This ensures that we connect with customers on their preferred platforms, whether it's through social media, online marketplaces, retail stores, or on-ground activations. And with the significance of AI in today’s day and age, it has become essential for optimizing marketing budget allocation. By analyzing data from websites, social media, and purchase history, AI provides insights into customer behaviour and preferences. This allows us to use predictive analytics to forecast campaign effectiveness, adjust strategies in real time based on performance, and accurately measure ROI.

Ultimately, AI empowers data-driven decisions, ensuring that marketing investments are utilized effectively for maximum impact, especially during crucial periods like the festive season.

In summary, our festive season marketing strategy is built on flexibility and adaptability to the shifting media landscape. While a significant portion of our budget is allocated to digital platforms, we also maintain a strong presence across traditional channels and on-ground activations, ensuring a balanced approach. AI-powered insights play a key role in optimizing our spending, enabling real-time adjustments and helping us maximize reach and engagement across customer touchpoints. This data-driven approach ensures that our investments resonate with consumers and deliver measurable results, strengthening our brand presence during this critical festive period.

Also Read: Neha Agrahari on Flipkart’s big video commerce push for festive season this year