Creator-led, AI-first: Motorola’s festive strategy aims for market momentum

For Motorola India, the festive quarter is not merely a seasonal sales opportunity but a critical period that can define its annual performance. With as much as 30% of the brand’s yearly sales concentrated in this quarter, the company recently launched its new campaign, Big Billion Moto Rush, in partnership with Flipkart, to capitalise on the surge in consumer demand.

The campaign is a playful remix of the Oscar-winning track Naatu Naatu (Naacho Naacho) from RRR, which has been reintroduced as a festive anthem. The hero video, released across Motorola’s YouTube and Instagram channels, features a line-up of creators and celebrities, including chef Ranveer Brar, comedian Ravi Gupta, actor Abhay Deol, finance creator Anushka Rathod, and digital personality Barkha Singh. 

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The idea, according to Shivam Ranjan, global head, Motorola India, was to stand out in a crowded festive market where nearly every brand relies on discounts and promotions.

“For us, the objective is to drive consideration and purchase intent, but also to make Motorola part of the cultural conversation. Music cuts through clutter better than any other element, which is why we chose Naacho Naacho. It has pan-India and global affinity,” says Ranjan.

Unlike last year, when Motorola created a lifestyle-led festive film, this year’s assets are largely product videos set against the track.

The strategy also extended beyond paid media, with meme pages and pop culture handles such as Laughtercolours, sarcasticschool_, and filmyvision amplifying the campaign organically. User-generated content has been another driver of engagement. 

Motorola launched a contest inviting audiences to recreate their version of the Hello Moto Naacho Naacho remix, with selected entries winning Motorola smartphones. Thousands of micro- and nano-creators participated, pushing the campaign to more than 200 million views across platforms, as per the brand.

Festive season and sales focus

The festive period’s contribution to overall category sales is well documented, with smartphones and electronics often seeing up to a third of their annual sell-outs during this window. For Motorola, too, the festive share of sales is significant. But there is more to the festive season for them than just sales.

“This is not just about sales. It is also the most important period for brand visibility. We measure consumer intent through a share of Google searches. We aim to increase searches by at least 50% during festive seasons. Over the last two years, we have exceeded that target, including an 80% year-on-year growth from 2023 to 2024,” Ranjan explains.

Marketing spends are correspondingly weighted this quarter, with 75–90% of the budget allocated to festive campaigns. Once Diwali passes, demand slows until late December, making this short window even more crucial.

"Outside of festive launches, there are other big drivers of spending. If a launch does not create demand, no amount of festive discounting will make the product sell,” he says.

Market Positioning

After some tough years up until 2022, Motorola focused on resetting its business model and regaining profitability. From 2023 onwards, it shifted to what Ranjan calls a phase of “hyper growth”, growing from 2% to 8% market share in three years. Motorola Mobility India's operating revenue was over Rs 500 crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2024. "We are the sixth biggest brand by volume and fifth by value," Ranjan reveals.

FYI: India's smartphone market shipped approximately 70 million units in the first half of 2025, reflecting a modest 0.9% year-over-year growth, with Q2 alone showing a stronger 7.3% increase to 37 million units, according to IDC. The total market value is estimated to be around $48.22 billion, driven by growth in premium segments and rising average selling prices, which reached a record $275 (Rs 24,396) in Q2 2025.

The top players by market share in India are Vivo, which leads with about 19%, followed by Samsung with 14.5%, Oppo at 13.4%, Realme, Xiaomi, and Apple. Apple holds a smaller volume share but significantly impacts market value due to premium offerings like the iPhone 16, which was the highest-shipped model in India during the first half of 2025.

Creator-first strategy

A notable shift this year is the brand’s decision to go beyond its core base of tech influencers. While Motorola regularly works with the tech community, the festive campaign leveraged creators from genres such as comedy, food, finance, and lifestyle to reach new cohorts.

“Our offers are for everyone. To create a festival around Motorola, we wanted to reach not just tech-centric audiences but consumers across different interests. Seeing Ranveer Brar or Abhay Deol dancing was unexpected and fun, which increases the chances of organic sharing,” Ranjan says.

Targeting is broad, covering the 18–44 segment, but Gen Z and younger millennials form the core audience. Platforms such as YouTube and Instagram are particularly effective for these cohorts, with virality playing a central role in the campaign’s design.

Motorola remains heavily digital-first, with more than 80% of its media spend directed to digital. Traditional media plays a selective role. The brand utilises airport digital out-of-home advertising to target premium consumers and collaborates with television news networks, focusing on content integration rather than solely relying on ad spots.

Retail is another important pillar, with visibility, fixtures, and promoter presence being ramped up across partner outlets.

Price segments and key products

The festive portfolio spans Motorola’s three main franchises:

• G Series (sub-Rs 20,000):Moto G96 and G86 Power cater to value-conscious consumers. The G96 features a curved OLED display and a Sony sensor-led camera system, while the G86 Power appeals to those prioritising battery life with a 6,700mAh battery and a flat display.

• Edge Series (Rs 20,000–Rs 60,000):The Edge 60 Fusion, priced below Rs 20,000 for the festive period, is currently the brand’s best-selling model. The Edge 60 Pro, positioned as a semi-flagship, sees its price reduced to below Rs 25,000, offering premium-grade AI and camera features.

• Razr Series (Rs 50,000+):The foldable Razr 60, launched at Rs 49,999, is now available at Rs 39,999, signalling Motorola’s intent to make foldables more accessible.

Ranjan notes that pricing remains a critical lever, especially in the competitive sub-premium segment, where Motorola faces both established players like Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi, and also emerging brands like IQOO and Nothing.

Differentiation through design and innovation

To stand apart, Motorola has invested in design partnerships and finishes. Its collaboration with Pantone, a company that provides professional color standards and a universal color language for industries like fashion, graphic design, and manufacturing, has allowed it to introduce distinctive colours and materials, ranging from vegan leather to Alcantara, acetate, wood finishes, and Swarovski crystal editions.

“Smartphones are an extension of consumers’ self-expression. Design makes us appeal to them beyond hardware specifications,” Ranjan believes.

Motorola devices with Pantone colours

Software is another focus area. Motorola offers privacy and security features such as ThinkShield and Moto Secure, while Smart Connect allows users to link their devices with televisions, PCs, and tablets.

AI has emerged as a defining theme. In addition to its in-house Moto AI, Motorola integrates Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot, giving users a choice across platforms.

“No one AI is superior at everything. Our approach is to make Moto AI the interface through which consumers can access all,” Ranjan says.

Distribution strategy

Distribution has also expanded. While Motorola was historically online-heavy, with Flipkart as its anchor partner, offline channels now contribute 35–40% of volumes.

Partnerships with Reliance Retail and Redington have extended its reach into premium general trade outlets, supported by investments in fixtures and in-store promoters.

Quick commerce is another emerging channel, with Motorola devices already being delivered in minutes via Flipkart. Direct-to-consumer remains a smaller but growing piece, aimed at loyal customers and ecosystem products.

“The festive season is both a battleground and an opportunity. Our goal is to drive consideration and purchase intent while ensuring Motorola is part of the larger cultural conversation,” says Ranjan.