Case Study

Hero MotoCorp and UST: Building a premium customer digital experience

In just four weeks, Hero MotoCorp generated 25,000 test-drive appointments for its new X440 premium 2-wheeler bike—thanks to an immersive sales campaign created by UST. The innovative, virtual campaign created an experiential environment where buyers could see, hear, and feel the power and beauty of the bike.
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CLIENT

Hero MotoCorp Limited is an India-based multinational manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters. Founded 40 years ago, the company is renowned for its innovative, sustainable products, holds more than 750 patents and has approximately 115 million happy customers.

CHALLENGE

Creating a digital sales experience for premium vehicles

Although Hero had a loyal fanbase among Indian commuters, the company wanted to move into the premium market. After forming a partnership with Harley-Davidson, one of the world’s largest and most iconic motorcycle manufacturers, the two companies collaborated to create the Hero MotoCorp X440 motorcycle.

Hero’s marketing team wanted to create a virtual experience to make customers feel like they were stepping into a luxury automotive store where people could see, feel and experience the power and beauty of the bike, whetting their appetite for the real thing and encouraging them to book a test-drive appointment. The company needed a technology partner with the digital expertise to design an enticing online experience to attract its aspirational, upwardly mobile target audience.

TRANSFORMATION

Delivering a virtual reality motorcycle experience to encourage test-drives

To kick-off the project, UST’s design team visited Hero’s regional dealerships to understand how customers interacted with sales teams, how the physical space reflected the brand and where gaps in the sale process existed. They also learned that for an up-market Harley Davidson buyer, the sound of the engine is critical to the unique Harley experience. Armed with the knowledge that premium brand perceptions go beyond visuals, the designers benchmarked criteria to include sound, culture and community so they could create an experiential digital sales environment to attract potential buyers.

In just a month, UST helped bring the X440 product launch to life with an innovative, Adobe-based, immersive, 360-degree product visualization for motorcycles, reinforcing Hero’s premium 2-wheelbike functionality credentials to build anticipation and establish brand value. The enticing experience influenced buyers to rapidly move from initial interest to book a test ride with minimal friction, while reminding customers that the Hero brand aligns with their values.

IMPACT

Generating 25,000 test-drive appointments in four weeks

The digital sales experience was so successful that potential buyers booked approximately 25,000 test drives in the first four weeks of the product launch—without seeing the bike in person. Pre-orders of the new X440 motorcycle exceeded Hero’s sales goal and contributed to an increase in the previous year's vehicle sales, even during a typically quiet 32-day festive period from Navratri to Bhai Dooj.

On the heels of the successful X440 digital sales experience, Hero tapped UST to create similar digital sales experiences for two additional motocycles—the Karizma and the Mavrick 440—generating 13,000 Karizma test drives in one month. As a result of this innovative, premium motorcycle brand building, Hero transformed its brand and business strategies to attract a more diverse, up-scale segment of the 2-wheel bike market. Samit Gorai, Hero's Head of Digital CX & MarTech, said, "UST is one of our key strategic partners in digital customer experience."

RESOURCES

https://www.ust.com/productengineering

https://www.ust.com/en/manufacturing

https://www.ust.com/en/what-we-do/strategy-implementation-operations