How House of Abhinandan Lodha is tackling India’s land ownership anxieties

Luxury development projects today are increasingly defined by standout lifestyle amenities – from artificial beaches to massive clubhouses and hospitality-led services. For instance, House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) promotes its One Goa development with features such as a man-made sea and beach, open-air cafés, a 40,000 sq ft clubhouse and 5-star MIROS hospitality services.

Now, the company is repositioning its marketing narrative to focus less on showcasing amenities and more on addressing long-standing anxieties associated with land ownership.

Shifting the conversation: From amenities to anxieties

Saurabh Jain, chief marketing officer, HoABL, told afaqs! that the shift stems from the company’s larger ambition to expand access to land ownership. While real estate is often seen through the lens of buildings and infrastructure, the company views its core category as land itself – and aims to make land ownership more accessible to a wider consumer base.

HoABL has been working toward this vision for nearly four years. However, Jain believes the land category is still at an early stage of transformation. Historically, buyers have hesitated due to concerns around transparency, legal security, liquidity and complexity of transactions.

“As an organisation, we believe we have overcome many of these challenges – whether it is transparency, security of land or liquidity – but we never communicated about it earlier. It was imperative to do that now so more people understand that land buying can be easy and convenient,” Jain says.

The current marketing push is aimed at directly addressing these barriers and repositioning land buying as a simpler, more trustworthy and digitally enabled process.

According to a joint report by KPMG and Naredco, India’s real estate sector is expanding rapidly, with the market expected to reach Rs 88 lakh crore by 2030, more than tripling from 2025 levels, signalling rising investor interest and mainstream adoption.

The campaign and the “No Drama” narrative

The campaign, built around the idea of simplifying land buying and removing friction, features actors Boman Irani and Aparshakti Khurana.

The films are designed to balance credibility with entertainment, using humour and light storytelling to communicate complex ideas around trust, security and transparency. The creative direction ties into the broader “no drama” approach – positioning land buying as predictable, transparent and stress-free rather than complicated and risky.

Explaining the casting, Jain adds, “One of our objectives was to avoid sounding preachy while talking about trust, security and transparency. We wanted to keep it light-hearted while still delivering the message.”

The campaign currently spans six films, each focusing on a different barrier in the land-buying journey, from documentation and trust to ease of transaction.

Built for digital: A fully online buying model

At the core of HoABL’s positioning is its digital-first business model. The company claims that nearly all transactions of around 6,500 customers are completed online, covering discovery, virtual project exploration, documentation and transaction processes.

The digital infrastructure has also enabled HoABL to tap into global demand, with customers across nearly 30 countries purchasing land through online journeys without physical visits.

“Today, anyone sitting in any part of the world can buy land with us. Earlier, this was not possible. Convenience, access and transparency are enabling the category to grow faster,” he says.

Regulatory developments such as online registration processes in states like Maharashtra have further strengthened the feasibility of digital-only land transactions.

Marketing innovation: From digital media to quick commerce

The company's marketing strategy heavily relies on digital platforms, including performance platforms, video ecosystems, connected TV, mobile applications, and news platforms. Outdoor and print media supplement this strategy in high-intent markets like Delhi, Mumbai, and key project locations.

Recently, HoABL launched an ad for its Codename S.E.Z. (Spiritual Economic Zone) Vrindavan project in print (Times of India) with a QR code triggering a peacock to life in mixed reality, guiding viewers through a visual narrative of Vrindavan. HoABL later amplified the campaign through creator-led content and its own social platforms. 

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Last year, in one of its most unconventional experiments, HoABL partnered with quick commerce platform Zepto to enable land discovery in minutes.

While transactions themselves are not completed instantly, the activation allowed interested buyers to explore projects, register interest and connect with sales experts within minutes – reinforcing the brand’s messaging around speed and convenience in land buying.

“Within minutes, buyers could connect with our experts, understand the project and then decide on investment. The idea was speed of discovery, not instant purchase,” Jain says.

The collaboration with Zepto generated over 8,000 enquiries for properties priced at Rs 1.4 crore, especially from Delhi-NCR. 

Target audience: first-time buyers, but not only

While the latest campaign is designed to appeal across investor cohorts, it is expected to resonate most strongly with first-time land buyers – a segment historically cautious about entering the category.

“It would appeal to both, but I believe it will have more impact on first-time buyers who may have been reluctant because of historical concerns around land buying,” he says.
At the same time, the messaging is also meant to reassure experienced investors who may have had mixed experiences with land purchases in the past.

Evolving consumer priorities: luxury + trust, not either-or

According to Jain, Indian real estate consumers are not choosing between lifestyle and security — they increasingly expect both.

Rising disposable incomes and global exposure are driving demand for premium lifestyle ecosystems, while trust, legal clarity and liquidity remain non-negotiable investment factors.

HoABL positions itself as a lifestyle-led land developer rather than a pure plot seller, with projects often built around destination themes, resort infrastructure and hospitality integration.

The company has sold around 30 million sq. ft. of land and has expanded its footprint across prime locations such as Alibaug, Anjarle, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Dapoli, Goa, Khopoli, Nagpur, and Neral in Maharashtra, with upcoming developments in Amritsar, Shimla, and Varanasi.

Who is buying: Demographics and behaviour shifts

The company reports participation across age groups, with key buyer segments including:
1) Corporate professionals and CXO-level buyers (35–45 years)
2) Business owners and seasoned investors (45+)
3) Younger buyers (mid-20s onwards), especially in lifestyle and destination markets like Goa and Alibaug

Interestingly, the company has also seen younger participation in spiritual destination markets such as Ayodhya and Vrindavan, reflecting a mix of investment, lifestyle and emotional motivations.

From a demand perspective, roughly 60–70% of buyers initially classify purchases as investments. However, many eventually intend to use these properties for personal or long-term lifestyle use – what Jain describes as a “second first home”.

Going forward, HoABL expects education-led marketing to remain central to its strategy. The company believes land as an asset class still has significant headroom for penetration, especially among first-time buyers.

PS: One interesting cultural crossover that stood out for me was the presence of Boman Irani in the campaign, an actor strongly associated with land conflict in the Khosla Ka Ghosla movie.

When asked whether the brand would consider deeper integrations with films or OTT storytelling, especially with conversations around a potential sequel to Khosla Ka Ghosla, Jain said the company remains open to such collaborations, as long as they align with its core narrative.