Hyundai Grand i10: Making a grand entrance

Hyundai's Grand i10 jostled with Maruti's Swift, making space for itself in a sub-segment that is witnessing growth

Hyundai had a strong presence in the compact mid-segment with the i10 and the Santro, and in the compact high premium segment with the i20. Hyundai Grand i10 was conceptualised to fill the gap between the existing i10 and i20 models to attract buyers in the growing 'compact high entry' segment in India - a sub-segment that contributes up to 69 per cent of the overall compact high segment sales. Clearly, an area of opportunity.

"The main creative challenge was to slice the target audience thinly, and arrive at a positioning that is youthful and aspirational yet doesn't tread on the toes of other compact models," says Vivek Srivastava, joint managing director, Innocean (the ad agency behind the brand). That apart, the Grand i10 had to challenge the hegemony of Maruti's Swift in the compact high segment and target young adults/couples looking for stylish, feature-led spacious vehicle available at 'good value'. The car, meant for personal commuting, city driving and highway getaways, was given a sporty, aerodynamic and trendy styling, along with features like a smart key with a push-button start, rear AC vents, auto-folding mirrors and so on. Hyundai invested over Rs 1,000 crore on product development.

The Grand i10 targeted an age group of 25-35 years, and so a youthful and energetic brand connection was essential. "The positioning line implied that this brand is the new currency that expresses the lifestyle of affluent car buyers with an element of individuality," says Rakesh Srivastava, senior VP, sales and marketing, Hyundai Motor India.

In the first phase, preceding the national launch, a media preview was conducted in August 2013, to give a firsthand experience of the Hyundai BA (project code). The first impression product reviews also generated conversation on Twitter and online automobile news portals. During the second phase, a national media launch was organised on the September 3, 2013, followed by regional launches across India. This was followed by nine weeks of extensive promotions: Hyundai Grand i10 invested heavily in TV, radio, print, outdoor and viral videos. The Grand i10 received over 10,000 bookings within 20 days of launch. Hyundai has recorded sales of over 82,400 units of the Grand i10 since its launch.

WHERE IT STANDS
Launch budget:
Rs 22 crore
Sales till now: 82,400 units
WHAT WORKED
Youth-led marketing
High investment
in product development
Media hype