Alto's rain dance

A young woman stands at the window enjoying the rain when her husband calls out for his morning cuppa. He's promptly served but the cup contains the car keys and not tea.

With a Shubha Mudgal rain song playing in the background, the cheerful couple gets into the car for a refreshing morning ride to the tea gardens.

That's how the new 40-second Alto ad, that hit the TV screens last week, unfolds. The longer, 60-second version is likely to be launched at theatres this week.

Created by Lowe's Delhi office, the ad plays on the freshness quotient to introduce the 'new' Alto with its improved exteriors and interiors.

"The ad celebrates rain which symbolises freshness. And that's precisely what the new Alto has -- a fresh new look," explains Rahul Sengupta, executive creative director, Lowe.

The choice of Shubha Mudgal for the background score (written by Manoj Kapadia of Lintas, Mumbai) too is appropriate as she is known for her rain songs, adds Sengupta. The TVC is shot at locations in Mumbai, Lonavala, Ooty and Kunoor.

While the ad retains the essence of Maruti's tagline for Alto -- "Let's Go", it upgrades the attitude and imagery of the brand for young couples. "It represents a new attitude, a kind of a social message wherein the wife instead of serving tea demands to be taken for a drive," points out Sengupta.

The fresh approach suits Maruti as it is positioning the new Alto as an entry-level car for young couples. It was towards this objective that Maruti introduced the Alto Standard in February this year.

According to Maruti officials, Alto sales have witnessed a growth of over 108 per cent during 2004-05, from 60,629 in 2004 to 1,26,223 in 2005.

Launched on August 1, the new Alto comes with clear lens headlamps and new tail lamps besides a new front grille and bumper and upholstery. The AC now has convenient rotary controls for easier operations.

"The new Alto offers enhanced value at the same price as the current Alto," says a Maruti executive. Maruti claims it sells 10,000-12,000 Alto cars a month. "The new-look Alto will certainly boost sales further," adds the executive.

But does a new campaign drive sales? With cars being an aspirational product, Maruti executives think it does. "These ads help generate awareness about the product leading to higher footfalls at the showrooms. After that, of course, the product and the factors take over," says a Maruti executive. The car maker will know only in due course if the campaign is revving up sales.