Mahindra might be one of the largest companies that many Americans have never heard of. The India-based conglomerate designs and manufactures virtually all kinds of machinery, not dissimilar to more familiar brands such as Mitsubishi. Carlberg Branding & Advertising serves its North American division, which manufactures a line of tractors.
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The challenge of promoting Mahindra lies in the crowded American Ag sector. Competition is fierce, with John Deere, Caterpillar, Kubota and many others competing for the hearts and minds of farmers and ranchers across the country. Being a foreign-made machine means that brand starts with a lower domestic awareness, which poses the question: how can we make enough noise to break into the American consciousness while not forgoing the highlighting of attributes that these machines bring to the table?
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The Official Tractor of Tough
What actually resonated most with our target market was the concept of toughness. While it's often tempting to focus on lift capacity, efficiency, longevity and other traits, we felt (and so did they) that toughness is what matters most for a machine that does that much work, that is that vital to any agricultural enterprise. Therefore, it was prudent that we carve out this niche for this relative newcomer to reside. Mahindra thus became "The Official Tractor of Tough," a campaign and messaging endeavor that has proven successful in the company's entry into the North American market.
Video/Digital
The commercials we shot for Mahindra generally coincided with the company's seasonal sales events. In those spots, we would incorporate themes of rugged individualism, hard work and family values to connect with target audiences.
Social Media
Our approach to social media was to provide a festive experience that engaged with followers while mixing in elements of Mahindra tractors in action and the daily-life aspects of life in the country. We used static images as well as sliders and loops to accompany each post.
NASCAR Partnership: Stewart-Haas Racing
Mahindra's partnership with NASCAR is centered around its sponsorship of the Stewart-Haas Racing team. Owner and former NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and his team's current driver, Chase Briscoe, have been featured in this ongoing campaign, as NASCAR fans and Mahindra buyers have resonated with the duo's comical interplay. The use of dry humor and promotional copy has proven a formidable formula that represents the consumer-facing side of the NASCAR partnership.
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Video Series
Carlberg's ongoing video series centers around the father-son, boss-employee relationship that Tony and Chase share onscreen. Each spot features the two in various scenarios bantering and competing as Chase tries to rise to a place of dominance in their dynamic, only to be shown that Tony's still the boss around there. Hilarity ensues.
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Social & Digital
Aside from posting our videos to the Mahindra Ag North America (MAgNA) Instagram page, we also made digital ads to keep interest in Stewart-Haas' progress throughout each NASCAR season while also keeping Mahindra tractors in the fronts of the minds of followers. We would promote regular and post-season races ahead of time, using our own copy and art direction to keep a professional edge on Mahindra's promotional efforts.
