Renault India repositioned the KWID as an 'ally in adventure' with Ranbir Kapoor

After three years and more than 2.5 lakh (250,000) sales, Renault launched the New Feature-loaded KWID with first-in-class features — reverse parking camera, rear armrest, rear 12V socket — and needed a campaign to communicate the car's capability and new features.

Reframe the budget hatchback as an SUV-styled 'ally in adventure' for young Indians' short drive holidays — with Ranbir Kapoor surprising real customers.

An integrated campaign across TV, radio, print and digital: a digital film of brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor surprising KWID customers, released on social platforms, plus a scenic TVC in which a herd of elephants cavorts with the cars as a young one is returned to the fold.

No campaign-specific results reported; the KWID had already sold over 2.5 lakh units in its first three years when the update launched.

In August 2018, Renault India launched the campaign for its New Feature-loaded KWID, created by L&K Saatchi & Saatchi. The context was strong — the KWID had sold over 2.5 lakh units in three years, a car Renault India credited with reordering its fortunes — but the update's job was specific: make first-in-class features like the reverse parking camera, rear armrest and rear 12V socket part of the car's story.

The strategy was repositioning, not spec-listing. 'Inspired by its SUV design, we wanted to reposition it as an ally in adventure,' said executive creative director Kartik Smetacek. The insight from executive director Charles Victor: young Indians were increasingly taking short drive holidays and self-planned trips, making the SUV-inspired KWID 'a perfect match for this growing lifestyle' — a 'big small car' that stands for 'live for more'.

The campaign ran across TV, radio, print and digital. Its two faces: a digital film in which brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor surprises KWID customers, released across social platforms, and a scenic TVC where a herd of elephants cavorts with the cars as a young elephant is returned to the fold — capability and charm dramatised without a feature readout.

Borrowing SUV styling codes let the budget KWID ride the aspiration of India's self-drive holiday boom.

The celebrity film surprises real customers, so the ambassador's role plays as a gift rather than a pitch.

The elephant TVC dramatises 'big small car' capability and gentleness without reading out a single spec.

Repositioning a cheap car upmarket works by changing the story it stars in — from city runabout to adventure companion — not by adding specs alone.

The campaign rolled out across TV, radio, print and digital from August 2018; no campaign-specific results were published.