Mahindra promises the weekend lifestyle with the Quanto

Mahindra has released an ad film for its latest offering Quanto, which is the brand's first compact SUV. The ad went on air on 5 October and is created by Interface Communications. It is based on the key insight that young buyers lead very active lifestyles and look forward to having nonstop thrills in life. The ad communicates Quanto’s suitability as a compact SUV that is as city friendly as is suitable for outdoors and enables one to live as one would on the weekend even on weekdays.

The ad film starts on a sombre note, with a boss answering his mobile and being told by a young man (Sid) that he cannot come in because his wife is unwell. Actually, he is driving his Quanto with his wife besides him and they are touring the countryside. Like this, Sid keeps making excuses, such as being unwell, his house getting burgled, the dog biting his mother in law and so on. The boss realises what he is up to and even anticipates the excuses he is going to give. Finally the boss gives him an equally unbelievable excuse to teach him a lesson and asks him to handle a meeting knowing very well that he is nowhere in the picture. In the end, the boss drives away in his own Quanto and the voice over says,” Mahindra Quanto, live the weekend life.”

On the communication, Vivek Nayer, chief marketing officer, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, said,  "Quanto is a very differentiated and innovative offering, being a compact yet very spacious SUV. It is available at a very affordable price point  thereby giving a strong value proposition  to the customers who also consider premium hatchbacks and super compact sedans. The communication  would bring alive the key brand attributes –versatile, sporty, active lifestyle."

Commenting on the creative brief, Robby Mathew, national creative director, Interface Communications, said, “The whole idea was to position the Quanto  and sell it to a new TG: guys who are reasonably young and have a high disposable income for which the product is priced within the six lakh bracket . So you are actually talking to a younger audience and informing them that this  is a compact SUV which does not have the bulk of other SUVs . It is not a weekend car but a car that promises you a weekend life of going and doing things that you would love to do, of being somewhere else when everybody is chained to the desk. Therefore, we did not talk about the performance and mileage, which others normally talk about.  We worked on many ideas and zeroed in on the excuses story. “

“The insight was that whenever you want to bunk work and take a breather you just call in give some excuse and make tall stories. After giving excuses frequently, you run out of ideas and then you innovate. The idea being that technically the weekend is mine and you have no control over my weekend,” he added.

The campaign is a 360 degree communication plan with strong focus on print, TV, and digital. It targets males in the 25 - 35 years age group, who are married and are financially independent.  The communication schedule will run throughout the festive season and cover all the markets.



Credits:
Client: Mahindra
Creative agency: Interface Communications
National creative director: Robby Mathew
Creative group head: Ashok Giri
Servicing:  Shireen Cama, Santosh Ramaswamy
Production house:  Chrome Pictures
Director: Amit Sharma