MUMBAI: Some 15 months after its launch, the Tata Tiago has generated more than 100,000 orders using a combination of data and modern tech to reach its target audience of young, urban drivers.

Originally called the Zica – the name was changed following global concerns around the outbreak of the Zika virus in Brazil – the Tiago is positioned as a value-for-money car for a particular demographic.

“We use data, technology and trends to focus sharply on our customer target groups and define our marketing mix,” explained Vivek Srivatsa, head of marketing, passenger vehicle business unit at Tata Motors.

“We mapped back the latest technology to some highly pronounced behavioural traits of the youth to create campaigns for Tiago right since its launch,” he told the Business Standard, adding that “we have consistently done innovations to keep the interest of the youth alive”.

These have included the extensive use of digital media for both experiential branding and advertising.

“We used virtual reality as one of the tools to provide a unique experience to our customers and engage with them effectively,” said Srivatsa: they could download an app to take a virtual test drive via their phones without having to go through a salesperson – an option that also opened up digital channels for peer-to-peer recommendations.

And a tie-up with digital entertainment channel The Viral Fever saw the creation of a web series that generated 28m views. ‘Tripling with Tiago’ was about three siblings who represented three distinctive target groups for Tiago – young professionals, out of college and newly married.

“Tiago was featured as a fourth character which enables these siblings to take an unforgettable, unplanned road trip, to meet their parents and in the process relive their happy memories again,” Srivatsa related.

Future developments include music apps that cater to the tastes of young drivers and an electric variant for the environmentally minded.

Data sourced from Business Standard, Autocar India; additional content by WARC staff