The CMO’s MO: In a world of information overload, emotional intelligence cuts through the clutter—Partho Banerjee

The CMO’s MO (modus operandi) shines the spotlight on some of India’s prominent chief marketing officers as they share their marketing mantra, trends for the future, and what keeps them up at night. In a free-wheeling chat, the who’s who of the country’s leading marketers give a sneak peek into their personalities, plans, and passions projects for the year ahead.

In this week's edition of CMO's MO, we have Partho Banerjee, senior executive officer for marketing and sales at Maruti Suzuki India, on the hot seat. He took charge of this role in April this year, when the automaker rejigged its management team.

An IIT Kanpur alumnus, Banerjee has been associated with the company for close to three decades. He has played an instrumental role in leading its digital transformation, enhancing the customer service experiences and also helping the sales team.

Read on to learn about how he views the evolution in the marketing landscape, his favourite brand campaign, and more:

What are the three big marketing challenges that your brand faces currently?

The first is evolving customer preferences. The automobile industry is highly competitive, and customers are more informed than ever. It is crucial for our marketing communication to stand out by selecting the right media to reach them. We use data-driven strategies to effectively deliver the right message through the right channels.

Next is managing brand perception. Cars are now seen as extensions of personal identity, making brand perception as a key factor in purchasing decisions. Maruti Suzuki has shifted from emphasising fuel efficiency and value for money to highlighting vehicles as a reflection of individual personas. This change has been supported by our campaigns and product communication.  

Thirdly, it comes down to leveraging digital platforms. The current digital landscape encompasses diverse platforms that cater to varied content and language formats. This presents a challenge in selecting the best medium to effectively reach the target audience with appropriate messaging.

What are the three biggest opportunities for your brand?

The Indian automotive industry is at the cusp of a transition and Maruti Suzuki is proud to play an active role in it. The country’s journey to sustainable mobility will have the co-existence of multiple clean technologies.

We are committed to offer an array of green mobility solutions, including EVs, strong hybrids, CNG, flex fuel, and compressed biogas. This approach also extends to making petrol vehicles as fuel-efficient as possible—for example, the Epic New Swift offers best-in-class fuel efficiency and 12% lower CO2 emissions as compared to the outgoing model.

By equipping our vehicles with modern features like connected technology and advanced infotainment systems, we will cater to tech-savvy customers. We are also leveraging digital tools to offer a more convenient and personalised experience, from buying a new car online to booking, its services and track vehicle status through smartphones.

Additionally, digitalisation plays a key role in our marketing efforts. Through data analytics, we can create targeted digital marketing strategies, and reach the right audience with tailored messages. This improves customer engagement and helps us measure the effectiveness of our campaigns more accurately.

We have the largest dealership network in the country, with 3,880 sales touchpoints spanning over 2,500 cities. But our aim is to further expand it and reach out to customers even in very remote locations. We recently inaugurated our 3,000^th Arena outlet in Ludhiana and plan to open one new touchpoint in India every day.

How is your brand walking the talk on sustainability?

At Maruti Suzuki, sustainability is not just a buzzword; it is woven into the fabric of our strategy and operations, driving us towards a greener and more sustainable future. To give an example, we pioneered the CNG segment in India in 2010 and since then we have continued to win the trust of over 1.8 million customers who have loved the S-CNG technology.

Also, our commitment to sustainability is holistic and extends beyond our products. We have significantly increased the use of solar power in manufacturing and are committed to expanding this capacity.

Furthermore, we have implemented initiatives like India's first in-plant railway siding, zero liquid discharge techniques, and extensive water recycling to minimise our environmental impact across all operations.

What separates your brand culture from that of others?

At Maruti Suzuki, we value people above all else. Whether it is our customers, employees, or partners, their well-being and satisfaction are paramount for us. We foster a culture of inclusivity, respect, and collaboration, recognising that our people are our most valuable asset.

This approach is reflected in our commitment to customer-centricity. In the past 40 years, we have remained the market leader by continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of our customers. This philosophy is ingrained in our culture—a blend of tradition and modernisation, while emphasising values of trust and integrity. This approach has earned us the loyalty of millions of customers, cementing our position as a brand they can rely on.

Along with this, innovation has been the driving force behind everything we do. We thrive on pushing boundaries, exploring new technologies, and finding innovative solutions to challenges. This pursuit of innovation ensures that we stay ahead of the curve and continue to offer cutting-edge products to our customers.

What is the best piece of professional advice that you ever got?

One of the best quotes that has impacted my professional career is by physicist Stephen Hawking that I have kept in my diary. It says, “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”

What kind of a CMO are you?  

Empathetic, analytical, and strategy-driven. As a CMO, I believe in a holistic approach that combines emotional intelligence with data-driven decision-making and a relentless focus on tangible results.

I believe empathy is one of the key differentiators. In today's world of information overload, emotional intelligence helps cut through the clutter, creating campaigns that resonate with people on a deeper level.

What is that one thing that few know about you?

A personal fact that may not be known to many is that I am an avid reader. I am not much into streaming, but I do enjoy a fresh book with a hot cup of chai! I mostly read books that can add value to my professional life.

What’s your favourite brand campaign that you participated in or wish you had?

My favourite brand campaign right now is ‘Time to go Swifting’ for the Epic New Swift. It has been creatively designed to reach out to the young and dynamic at heart and has received an overwhelming response.

But if I were to rewind the clock, I would like to be a part of the much loved ‘Petrol Khatam Hi Nahi Hunda’ campaign back in 2003. Unarguably, it was this campaign that brought forward the most important aspect of cars then—fuel efficiency. And ever since, each of our cars rolled off the production line has reiterated this iconic mantra.

What keeps you up at night as a CMO?

As a CMO, my focus is constantly on finding innovative ways to offer customer delight. The dedication to customer satisfaction has been key to Maruti Suzuki's success as India's leading passenger vehicle maker.

In today's competitive landscape, crafting a compelling customer journey is more crucial than ever. I am particularly fascinated by technology and keep exploring new-age solutions which can be deployed to curate experiences that resonate with the modern customers.