Marketers pitch luxury cars on social media to Indian consumers

Marketers are discovering that the old adage about luxury not meant to be promoted online does not hold true. The world's best luxury cars are now wooing the Indian customer, through social media. From Facebook to Twitter, YouTube to specially customised apps, luxury car brands are using every platform they can get to reach Indian customers.

Audi has wholeheartedly embraced the media, and according to Joe King, head, Audi India, one of the uses of online technology was to generate better sales for the brand.

India Today quoted King as saying, the Audi Q3 S Edition for instance was launched on a digital platform through an online booking engine - driven by social media platforms. The company received 125 bookings for the Q3 S on the day of its launch itself, he added.

But Audi is not the only auto maker to have leveraged digital platforms and brand Mercedes Benz has developed an iPad-based tool called iSales that showcases features of the car through videos, images and even financial options.

Eberhard Kern, MD and CEO, Mercedes Benz India, told India Today that i-sales had been instrumental for the company in aiding sales to tech-savvy customers, who were on the move and short on time.

Meanwhile, Audi's new A3 model – a dynamic, personal expression of style and form; sensual and defined, went on display at Muscat City Centre (MCC), MuscatDaily.com reported.

In keeping with the Audi's brand value, the Audi A3 is a pleasing combination of sporty practicality and eye-catching style with a dash of luxury, added to power and performance! MuscatDaily.com quoted Ahmed Shariefi, general manager, Wattayah Motors, dealer for Audi in Oman, as saying the new Audi A3 offered a host of features for a great driving experience and top-notch fuel efficiency, neatly packaged in a body that was a stunning showcase of Audi's design expertise.

Audi vehicles had always received a superb response in Oman, and the company wanted to give automobile enthusiasts in Oman an exclusive first-hand look at the dynamic car at MCC. The five-day display received over 400 registrations from aficionados especially the youth at the display atrium at MCC.