Mazda makes its mark with innovative branding and marketing strategies

Walk into any Mazda showroom and you will be drawn into the world of Zoom-Zoom. The lively spirit of Mazda comes alive with a vibrant setting of attractive wall-to-wall posters and a totally refurbished look. Staff uniforms, badges, sleek new stands complete the ambience.

Thereon, Mazda embeds itself in the minds of its customers with strategic visibility, tactically planned to address the target audience. Being a youth icon Mazda makes sure its presence is felt in core youth destinations and hangouts. Be it walking out of the Muscat City Centre parking lot or coming out of Seeb International Airport and going towards the city, you can't miss the gigantic Mazda posters greeting you. And if you're in for a game at the bowling alley at Al Masa Mall, you can't miss the refulgent Mazda poster specially designed to adorn the wall behind the set of bowling pins.

Youth interests are often on the forefront for Mazda. Be it bowling, inter college quiz competitions or movies. Recently, during the showings of the blockbuster Spiderman 3 at Al Shatti Plaza, Mazda again made a unique appearance. Special posters were created and Mazda 3 cars were displayed. "3 - The best catch" read the tall posters, inviting the moviegoers to take a peek into the cars on display, while they catch a show of the season's biggest hit. Mazda had even organized an exclusive showing of the James Bond hit Casiono Royale, by booking the entire theatre for its customers.

With more listeners tuning in everyday, Mazda has strategically employed radio as an important medium of imparting news about their models. Be it announcement of various promotions, radio slots for giving away prizes or simply gaining attention for their ongoing promotions, radio is certainly a top media choice for Mazda. During the promotion for Spiderman 3, Mazda gave out couple tickets to those who correctly answered questions on air.

Even with roadshows, Mazda has strived to be distinct. It has always been more than just a display of cars. Mazda was the first car brand in Oman to have a Valentine's Promotion, earlier this year where a sparkling display of the snazziest red Mazda cars in Oman livened up the ambience. The popularity and traffic at shopping malls in Oman has also led Mazda to conduct road shows in their premises. In a recent endeavor, Mazda organized a series of popular road shows at various Lulu Hypermarket outlets across Oman.

Associations are crucial for a brand and Mazda never compromises on that. Based on its brand DNA, Mazda often comes forward for sponsorship of events that heightens its core qualities - stylish, spirited and insightful. It was Mazda's unique style quotient that led them to become the exclusive presenters for the recently held Power Walk event. The one-of-its-kind event had corporate hot shots walk the ramp with their partners, flaunting creations of renowned Indian fashion designer Hemant Trivedi.

"A brand is the integration and implementation of a comprehensive marketing programme. Branding is an ode to the quality of a product. In this modern world of stiff competition, one has to be a cut above the rest to be recognized and appreciated. Hence, building brand equity requires immaculate and creative thinking to be able to stand out. This belief is what we translate into our innovative branding and marketing strategies," says Annurag Chawla, Brand Manager, Mazda.

With innovative media choices, first-of-its-kind promotions and many new branches and services stations opened, Mazda is taking their vivacious image to every corner of Oman.