Storyline of the TV communication

M&M wanted to wanted their SUV to stand out from the league and clearly identify with the
positing they were aiming for, May your life be full of adventure.

The first TVC helped Mahindra establish the cheetah connect and associate with the youth
encouraging them to move towards a life of fun and adventure.

The TVC showcases two cheetahs coming onto the bonnet of the car and helps establish the wild
connect with the intended cheetah positioning.

The second one was produced in May 2015 which had to live up to the benchmark set by the first
TVC shot in South Africa. The story was again about a group of friends who have lost a camera and
how the XUV500 is driven by then in all possible terrains, the jungle and the swamps and ultimately
manage to find the camera. This helps position the SUV rightly as intended to be the perfect off-
roader for regular use.

Both the TVCs have been quite effective in aptly positioning XUV500 as a brand. These TVCs have
won many awards such as the best creative advertising by Prime Time 2016, Effies bronze (Auto) at
2015 and Gold award in PRCI 2014, to name a few.

The hybrid SUV found a niche by allowing consumers to realise their inherent aspiration for quality
life experiences.

XUV used pricing as a big differentiator in the category of SUVs.

The Indian SUV market was evolving when the XUV500 was launched. There was no premium
SUV at a pricesuited to value-conscious consumers who aspired to upgrade but settled for a
sedan. Mahindra grabbed an opportunity to introduce a global SUV placed between their own
Scorpio at around 10 lakh and Toyotas Fortuner in the above 20 lakh price bracket.

Insight of the brand XUV500

M&M wanted to offer an SUV with international appeal so they researched consumers from five
continents and arrived at a theme that led to design and development of the XUV500. The outcome
from the research was Feel the Power, with significant stress on power ranging from sheer engine
power to aggressive styling. The first monocoque SUV from an Indian manufacturer with a cheetah-
inspired design and the feel of a powerful SUV with an agile car-like handling, was the result.

The positioning strategy of this brand was based on the consumer insights that lifes experiences,
and not materialistic show-offs, was the new wealth that actually defined an individuals success in
the modern world. The XUV500 was so positioned that it could enable its customer of memorable
trips and life experiences by empowering him to go out and seek them. The sign-off line of the TVC,
May your life be full of stories, aptlycaptured this.

To be a real game-changer, the new concept had to trigger a storm and for that, it had to hit the
critical mass at a definite pace. The XUV500 launch was unique as it reached the critical mass very
early in its launch cycle. The pre-launch and launch events created a hype such that the first ever
print ad, released within 10 days of launch, stated, XUV500 is out, sold out! Thank you for the
overwhelming response. It was called Mudal Naal Madness which meant to signify the craze
similar to that of the first day of a Rajnikant movie.
The daunting aim was to make the XUV500, the most looked forward brand and create a one-year
booking queue even before its launch. The strategy was to engage the customer at every stage the
design, the logo, the schedule, the price, the pre-launch and the launch.

In the pre-launch phase, M&M adopted the strategy to reveal itpart by part and to create an
anticipation of the price of 17-18 lakh. When it was launched at an extremely competitive price of
10.8 lakh, it was simply irresistible and at a delighting price. The result was that more than 5 lakh
website visits before the launch, 1.5 lakh webcast views of the launching event, more than 40,000
test-drive applications on Day 1 and finally also an advance booking for more than 18 months. The
critical segment was already reached.

M&M created a distinct brand identity for XUV500 by maintaining the Mahindra DNA of creating
tough and rugged vehicles and simultaneously, appealing to the urban, sophisticated consumers
who did not even consider Mahindra earlier or considered only sedans. M&M successfully drew
volumes from different categories of sedans and also the high-end SUVs. It was the first time that
the product was relevant and appealing to mix of owners of a 7-8 lakh sedan as well as the ownerof
a premium vehicle priced at 15-20 lakh!

The numbers indicate that the XUV500 created a category in itself. It sold more than double the
volumes of all other premium brands added together in its price band. The sales of many premium
sedans put together (such as Altis, Cruze, Civic & Elantra) in a similar price range dropped from 4,118
(October 2010 to September 2011) to 2,934 (October 2011 to September 2012) after the XUV500
launch. Moreover, the XUV500 dominated the SUV segment with a 56 per cent share in 2012-13.

In case of XUV500, both the product design and its positioning were based on extremely relevant
consumer needs and insights. It was backed by a clear focussed vision, audacious goal-setting and
execution excellence.

High-end service experience: To create a satisfyingpremium experience at dealerships, specialist

manpower from outside the auto industry, among categories such as retail and hospitality was
deployed. These personnel were trained in technical and soft skills and were empowered with
technology aids such as tablets and POSs for the first time in the auto industry.

Purple Club: XUV500 owners were assigned their very own personal CRM, their direct point of
contact. Some unique benefits included, privileged access to exclusive events such as the Mahindra
Great Escape, invites to popular auto-related shows, trips to exotic locations by Mahindra Holidays
and photography workshops and related benefits such as car spa and monsoon wash. Purple Club
has redefined the vehicle ownership experience.

Till 2015, Torque Day events had been organised since the launch at Budh International Circuit and
Madras Motor Race Track, where the Purple Club owners had a once in a lifetime experience of
driving their XUV500s on the race track.

Pro-active upgrades: In these times of rapidly changing technology, customer expectations are really
dynamic. Unless the product can pro-actively match up to these changes, it is easy for it to lose its
recognition over time. Through regular upgrades and improvements, it was made sure that the
product met the expectations of the ever-evolving Indian customer.

The latest product development has been the launch of the New Age XUV500 in May 2015 and an
automatic variant launched later in November.
Keeping the core cheetah DNA of the product intact, the New Age XUV500 comes with more
aggressive and muscular front styling. The interiors have been changed to match new customer
preferences. It now has several new and hi-tech features such as the electric sunroof, six-way power
adjustable drivers seat, push button start, keyless entry, logo projection lamps on the ORVMs,
reverse camera and a new-age 7-touchscreen infotainment system.

Most importantly, staying true to its core promise of being a brand that provides an international
experience at disruptive prices, the features included in the New Age XUV500 are seldom found
even in vehicles priced above 30 lakh on Indian roads.

Brand positioning

Mahindra & Mahindra had launched the XUV 500 in India looking to position it as the lifestyle SUV
encouraging the customers to go off-road on long trips. This idea was evident from the television
commercial. Thecommercial reinforces its brand positioning of & isquoted May your life be full of
stories.

This television commercial was based on the incredible experiences of 3 young friends who embark
on a journey, together. The ad is set in the scenic and aspirational locales of South Africa with its
marvellous wildlife. The advertisement exhorts the young at heart to seek out memorable
experiences for themselves.

The XUV500 has been seamlessly integrated into the film to showcase its on-road and off-road
capabilities. The surprise towards the end of the film leaves the viewers thinking of those incredible
experiences that make for lifes memorable stories and thus ties in with the positioning of the brand.

A two-minute uncut version of the television commercial was first premiered on the digital platform
for fans in digital communities. It struck the right chord with Facebook fans and the YouTube
community, generating a very positive response. The song of the film has also been appreciated very
much and an audio version of the song has also been released for music lovers.

The two-minute digital version of the TVC has already crossed more than 2.6 million views on
YouTube.

Speaking about the campaign, Vivek Nayer, Chief Marketing Officer, Automotive Division,
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, "This new communication is based on the consumer insight that,
new experiences are the new wealth in todays world. Being rich is not about money alone, with '
memorable experiences ' becoming the new currency. The idea was to create an aspiration among
consumers to go on exciting road trips where the XUV500 can play an enabling role in the fulfillment
of its brand promise of May your life be full of stories. The television commercial of the XUV500
has been successful in creating a connect and aspiration for the next generation of car and SUV
buyers who are seeking new experiences in their lives.

Story behind the brand:

There is an interesting story behind the new XUV500 television advertisement. When it first
premiered on the digital platform the XUV500 was with an Indian number plate in a South African
backdrop. Among conversations in social media, this was seen as an anomaly.
Feedback:Mahindra made a conscious effort to listen and act on the feedback swiftly by changing
the license plates to a South African number through a very specialized process. The change and
acceptance of customer feedback was appreciated by the digital community and fans.

Mahindra awarded for positioning XUV500 and repositioning itself as Mahindra

Rise: While the Indian auto major received the Buzzy Brand award for the companys popular SUV
model XUV500 for driving a digital wave to promote the car and excite the consumers, the company
also won the Pitch Brands 50 Awards 2013 for marketing excellence for its Rise campaign. Mahindra
also received an award for its Mahindra Rise campaign in the Rechargers category, as the company
re-worked on its corporate identity and as a result gained market share with new brand positioning.

The awards were presented by the Exchange 4 media group which selected the top 50 brands from a
range of 120 brands across various segments of India. The entries were judged for excellence in
marketing for more than past 12 to 18 months. As an official recognition to the top 50 brands of the
year, the awards are an editorial acknowledgement of the great endeavours of the brands.

While speaking on the Recharger Award for Mahindra & Mahindra, the Senior General Manager,
Corporate Brand Management at Mahindra, B. Karthik said, this award gives the company extreme
satisfaction as it authorizes the companys constant focus on creating a strong corporate brand.
Furthermore, this recognition is even more special because of the fact that all the competing brands
are very successful, well known, as well as noteworthy in their own right. Mahindras brand
positioning, which is rightly represented by the word Rise is the emblem of a new chapter in the
history of this iconic brand and Mahindra is really pleased to be recognized for it.