Use your mobile to drive, explore a car

Are you planning to buy a car? If yes, how about booking a test drive or even playing around by changing the colours and getting a feel of the interiors before narrowing on a model - all without visiting the showroom.

BluFi networks, developed by TeLiBRAHMA, enables you to do all this and more. The technology is operational in 2,000 high-footfall areas such as malls, hangout locations, airports, stadiums and showrooms across the country.

All one needs is a Bluetooth device. Once you switch it on, the networks deliver brand-related queries and content to the mobile.

TELiBRAHMA Convergent Communications claims 14 automobile companies have used it this year as against eight last year. The concept was developed in late 2009.

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CEO Suresh Narasimha says: "In a virtual test drive, one can have a closer view of the car interiors, alter the speeding and experience the car moving on your mobile.

"People today want more convenient and engaging options than doing field work to plan a car purchase. We have made the job easier with this handy technology."

Companies, he reasons, are increasingly spending on digital platforms.

"It's only July, but the advertising spends on our technology have gone up by almost 520 per cent this year, as compared to just a 400 per cent hike in 2010."

Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki, for instance, are using BluFi technology to deliver videos, games, wallpapers, invitations, information fliers, interactive brochures and applications to target audiences.

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A few like Maruti Suzuki even feel the time is not too far when all auto companies would prefer to launch new models on digital platforms, instead of the traditional showroom launch.

Maruti Suzuki India has been advertising on mobiles for three to four years and has even launched some of its models, such as the Ritz or the diesel version of the SX4, Kazaki, in February on digital platforms.

Shashank Srivastava, chief general manager, marketing, says: "Our spends on digital media have almost doubled this year. We spent close to five per cent of the total advertising on mobile media. India is more of a youth-dominated country and we find media habits of people are changing rapidly.

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"This medium ensures higher return on investment, as the probability of an interested buyer increases through interactive engagement with the brand."

Srivastava adds: "Our 'Eeco' brand campaign on the mobile won the best digital advertising award in Los Angeles this year. We launched it in January 2010 and continued it for approximately eight weeks. "Of seven million unique users who received the campaign's SMS, about 1.2 million actually interacted. It registered a seven per cent ...

"With the improving infrastructure and bandwidth of Internet in the country, people are becoming more Internet savvy. With 3G, video streaming is also possible. With time, this will only become bigger and better."

Ford launched its all-new Fiesta on mobiles this year. Its general manager, marketing, Sriram Padhmanathan, says: "With increasing penetration of the Internet and more consumers frequently using Internet and mobile for search and information, Ford has increased its share of spends in digital marketing.

"This is a smarter way to connect with today's consumer in a more individual manner. Companies can do proper target group analysis and spend strategically through mobile media."

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Ford will launch eight global models by the middle of the decade and is considering various ways to launch, including the mobile medium.

Hyundai also joined the bandwagon with the launch of its new Verna this year, using mobile brochures and downloads.

Its GM, marketing, Sanjay Kumar, said: "We had a good response in the first 10 days of the mobile media advertising. Since it was a new launch, downloads were as per our expectations.

"We will definitely look at mobile advertising for future launches. We also plan to increase our digital spends considerably in 2011, compared to last year, so that we can utilise the digital medium effectively."