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Barely two years after launching its first EQC (battery electric compact luxury crossover SUV) in India, luxury auto giant Mercedes-Benz is looking to rapidly expand its electric vehicle footprint. 

At the centre of its electric future is a well thought-out marketing strategy where the automaker is creating awareness, intrigue and interest amongst customers about EVs while also indulging in friendly banter with competition and growing the EV category in India. 

Some of the notable campaigns by the company include #SwitchtoEQC where Mercedes talks about how quiet its EVs can be or the welcome campaign it did during its competition Jaguar’s iPace launch in India. 

In an exclusive conversation with Storyboard18, Santosh Iyer, who was recently elevated to MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, talks about cracking the EV market, understanding the customers and larger industry issues including EV fire incidents.

Edited excerpts. 

How is your marketing strategy evolving when it comes to EV marketing?

Our integrated marketing strategy for EQC aimed at inspiring our customers to embrace ‘sustainable luxury mobility’ and become early adopters with the EQC - India’s first luxury EV. EQC marketing strategy combined with the unique product attributes, created a strong awareness, drove curiosity about luxury EVs and their practicality in daily usage and firmly established loyal brand advocates for our upcoming EV portfolio. There is an increased acceptability for a luxury EV amongst our customers nowadays compared to even three years back. 

How is EV marketing different from conventional auto marketing and advertising?

The EV campaigns are for a more tech-savvy, younger audience and focus on social media. For instance, our recent campaign on EV highlighted the “Magical Garage” concept, which showcased our prowess in technology and innovations, while driving the story of Mercedes-EQ with a creative twist.



<blockquote>Our EV campaigns are tailored to be unconventional, modular and directly targets the respective customer group. These campaigns are a lot more visual and avant garde than most other campaigns.</blockquote>



How is EV marketing different for luxury customers?

Marketing a luxury EV is kind of similar to marketing a top-end luxury vehicle as the focus remains on individual requirements and brand experience desired from the brand. As most of our EV customers are also owners of a Mercedes-Benz, the brand trust and recall is quite high. 

For a luxury EV customer, the marketing approach combines offering sustainable mobility with an emotional appeal and luxury brand experience synonymous with Mercedes-Benz. With our brand campaign and retail marketing approach we showcased the EV with its world-class products attributes along with an EQ ecosystem that promises hassle-free ownership devoid of issues like range anxiety, charging infra, etc.

Attributes like sustainable driving, zero emission, reduced carbon footprint, latest technology onboard, a hassle-free ownership etc, are highlighted through our marketing campaigns     

What do EV customers look for in EVs and brands? What are their barriers to entry?

These EV customers look for foresight, pioneering spirit and unconventional approaches from brands they want to own or associate with. They look for innovation, pioneering technology and sustainability from an iconic brand like Mercedes-Benz all these characteristics reflect in their individual choices and beliefs

Barriers for these customers can still be in the form of very high prices to an extent and the limited choice of products available currently. However, we are striving to change that with our EQ model portfolio as we plan to introduce the EQS and EQB luxury EVs by 2022. 

Based on their preferences and persona, our EV campaigns are tailored to be unconventional, modular and directly targets the respective customer group. These campaigns are a lot more visual and avant garde than most other campaigns.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DVRia5gpB-0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What are the key challenges that EV makers are facing in India? 

High duty of the cars remains a strong deterrent for wider adoption of luxury EVs. However, the long range of our EQ models (EQS range is 770 Kms) alleviates any range anxiety even for inter-city travel. With localization of EQS we also aim for an attractive positioning of the flagship luxury EV in the market.

However, the EV customer will still demand a robust, hassle-free charging infrastructure and an EV ecosystem. 

EVs are garnering a lot of negative publicity owing to vehicles catching fire and exploding. How do you deal with such issues as an industry?

These issues are surely concerning and regulations have to be in place regarding safety and security safeguarding the end customers’ requirements.

As OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), we have to introduce products in the market which are of world-class quality featuring the latest in-car technology, most efficient powertrains, powered by high-performance battery technology and having robust structural integrity, to ensure overall safety of passengers remain, totally uncompromised.


Note to readers: The last decade has witnessed significant advances in mobility and transport. New technologies and opportunities have brought a dramatic change to our societies. Planet and people-friendly transportation is more relevant than ever in the history of humankind, with everything from health to climate crises hitting us at warp speed. Storyboard18’s Month In This - EVolve 2022: Building an electric future, is an opportunity to bring to the forefront conversations around charging up marketing and brand building, to exchange and share new ideas, challenges and solutions in the field of clean transportation and mobility. Catch this Storyboard18 special on Moneycontrol, CNBC-TV18 and Forbes India.

EVolve 2022: 'EV campaigns are more avant garde,' says Mercedes-Benz’s Santosh Iyer

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz on Monday announced that it has elevated Santosh Iyer as the managing director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India. Iyer succeeds Martin Schwenk who will assume the responsibility as the president and chief executive officer, Mercedes-Benz Thailand. Both these appointments will be effective from January 1, 2023.

On his new role, Iyer says, “Mercedes-Benz is at the cusp of transitioning to an exciting, electrified future and it is a privilege for me to steer the brand, introduce emerging trends and continue to define new benchmarks for our customers. We have a fantastic winning team comprising our colleagues and Franchise Partners with proven records, and I am eager to continue this winning story.” 

Iyer, who is currently serving the company as vice president, sales & marketing, has been associated with Mercedes-Benz India since 2009. With more than two decades of diverse experience in the Indian automobile industry, Iyer has worked across across sales, marketing, retail, customer service and corporate affairs. In 2016, he took up the responsibility as vice president, customer services & retail training business.

He played an instrumental role in the turnaround of the Customer Services business, successful implementation of new initiatives like MB Tyres, Parts Trading and setting up the Mercedes-Benz Academy.

Iyer took over as the vice president, sales & marketing since July 2019, leading Mercedes-Benz’s digital transformation of the business and achieving the highest ever-online sales penetration. Subsequently, he also played an active role in conceptualizing and implementing the industry benchmark ‘Retail of the Future’ business model.

During his tenure of heading sales & marketing, the company said that he has laid a strong foundation for data analytics and pioneered online sales with its share exceeding 15% of total sales. Graduate in Commerce from Mumbai University, Santosh is an MBA from University of Indianapolis and holds a Masters in Corporate Governance and Compliance from the University of Lake Konstanz, Germany.

The company statement also stated that Martin Schwenk contributed in formulating the brand’s growth strategy that includes market introduction of key ICE products, pioneering luxury EV journey with the EQC, transforming the retail network strategy with MAR 2020 retail format, and successful implementation of the ‘Retail of the Future’ business model in India.

Speaking about his stint in the India market, Schwenk says “It is truly a dynamic market with immense potential and offers opportunities, making my stint enriching and rewarding. The strong brand loyalty and leadership of Mercedes-Benz in India is remarkable and inspires our customer centricity and customer commitment. As the company transitions into an exciting future with emerging mobility trends and unending possibilities, I am thoroughly convinced Mercedes-Benz will achieve new heights with the passion, vision and dynamic leadership that Santosh drives in.”

The German luxury carmaker recently  said that it expected sales in India this year to surpass its pre-covid numbers as it battles a chip shortage and logistic bottlenecks.

In the first two quarters of the calendar year 2022, the company sold around 9,000 units. That is compared to 15,538 units in 2018, followed by 13,786 units in calendar year 2019, before covid-19 pulled down sales. The company sold 7,893 and 11,242 units in 2020 and 2021.

Continuing its focus on electric vehicles (EVs), the company said that it expects 25% of its total sales to come from EVs over the next five years.

Mercedes-Benz India elevates Santosh Iyer as MD & CEO

Santosh Iyer, vice president - sales marketing, Mercedes-Benz India, is being elevated to the position of managing director of the company, as per a report. Sources within the company have confirmed this to Storyboard18, adding that the details will follow soon. The development was first reported by ETAuto. Declining to comment on the leadership change that could be in the offing, Mercedes-Benz India said that an official communication is expected soon. It also indicated that Iyer's designation will not change immediately.

The auto news portal, quoting sources, said that from January 1, 2023, Iyer will be taking over the position from Martin Schwenk who is all set to take over a global role. Iyer has been heading the marketing and customer service efforts of the luxury German carmaker in India for close to seven consecutive years.

If Iyer takes the MD role, he would join two other Indian leaders who head German luxury carmakers. Currently, Vikram Pawah is the CEO and president and CEO of BMW India, and Balbir Singh Dhillon is the head of Audi India.

Iyer joined the company in 2009 as vice president and rose to the current position in 2019. He took over the responsibility from Michael Jo who moved to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, after successfully completing his India tenure.

With two decades of diverse experience in the Indian automobile domain, Iyer has worked across functions including sales, marketing, retail, customer service and corporate affairs.

During his earlier stint as the head of marketing communications, CRM and PR at Ford India; he led brand campaigns and digital outreach programmes. He started his automobile career with Toyota Kirloskar Motor in 2004. Iyer, a commerce graduate, did his PG in business management from the University of Indianapolis.

The German luxury carmaker recently said that it expected sales in India this year to surpass its pre-covid numbers as it battles a chip shortage and logistic bottlenecks.

In the first two quarters of the calendar year 2022, the company sold around 9,000 units. That is compared to 15,538 units in 2018, followed by 13,786 units in calendar year 2019, before covid-19 pulled down sales. The company sold 7,893 and 11,242 units in 2020 and 2021.

Continuing its focus on electric vehicles (EVs), the company said that it expects 25 percent of its total sales to come from EVs over the next five years.

In an earlier interview with Storyboard18, Iyer emphasised on the need to invest in EVs.

"It's the biggest dilemma and challenge for the marketers to accept and continue the investments in markets as far as EV products are concerned. It is also challenging for brands like ours which have both traditional internal combustion (IC) engines and EVs," he noted.

"On one hand, we need to ensure that the current business continues and we are also trying to transition. We are committed and we have made it clear that we won't have any IC engines product in the world by 2025," he added.

SANTOSH IYER