Water purifier brand Livpure makes a splash with data-driven marketing innovation

New Delhi: Imagine knowing exactly what your customers want before they even tell you! Data-driven insights help in targeting the right audience, optimising ad spend, and boosting ROI. Plus, with real-time analytics, you can tweak your strategies on the fly for maximum impact.

Nitin Malhotra, Vice-President of Marketing at Livpure and a true believer in data-driven marketing spoke to BestMediaInfo.com about how the water purifier brand leverages data to enhance customer experience and communication.

For example, Livpure uses the water consumption data collected by IoT (Internet of Things) devices on Livpure’s water purifiers to foray into the arena of water-as-a-service. 

Malhotra said, "Over the years, we realised that something as basic as water has been very under-penetrated in terms of purification. India stands at roughly around 7-8% penetration for water purifiers, which, in a country with many potable water issues, is almost negligible. To make water purification more inclusive, Livpure launched a disruptive service called water-as-a-service.

Here’s how it works: Instead of buying a water purifier, consumers can subscribe to one and leave everything to us, including maintenance and all the hassles of ownership. For a minimal subscription cost of 400 rupees, you can have a water purifier installed at your home. The entire service and maintenance are on us."

Highlighting the complexities of maintaining a regular water purifier, Livpure also released a TVC that depicts an elephant as a metaphor for a water purifier. The TVC has gained a significant amount of popularity due to its quirky nature in recent times.

Expanding on the TVC, he said, "During our extensive consumer research and focus groups, we asked people if they had installed a water purifier at home. Many responded colloquially with, 'Hathi kaun palega?' which translates to 'Who will domesticate an elephant?'"

Putting data to use

The data captured through IoT-enabled devices for the water-as-a-service model is helping Livpure in multiple ways. Firstly, it allows Livpure to address consumers' pain points by sending prompts when the filter is due for replacement, ensuring no one is left without water at the last minute. Secondly, it enables them to run targeted campaigns based on consumption patterns. Thirdly, it provides vibrant data on consumer archetypes, helping them customise their communication.

Providing an example, Malhotra said, "Based on data, we identified two main cohorts: typical bottle jar users and those concerned with costs. We used this data to tailor our communication for these different audiences. For instance, if someone is a bottle jar user, we use relevant messaging. These devices provide precise targeting data, indicating which cohorts are more prevalent in specific cities.”

Thanks to this data, Livpure designed water purification solutions for different cohorts. One major pain point for consumers who relocate is the availability of similar services in different metro cities. 

Addressing this challenge, Malhotra said, 'To provide hassle-free service across different metros, we ensured our presence in key geographies where people typically move. This strategy of being present in multiple cities was driven by our data insights.'"

Livpure to spike its digital marketing budget

Given Malhotra's data-driven approach, it's no surprise that digital is his preferred method of brand communication due to its highly quantifiable nature. When discussing Livpure's marketing mix, Malhotra said, "We focus a lot on Instagram and YouTube, and we work with influencers who resonate with specific audiences. We customise our water-as-a-service offerings using the rich data available to us. Digital platforms allow us to target consumers not just by age demographics but also by their consumption habits."

Livpure balances this with traditional methods, using TV and other channels to build brand awareness.

Despite concerns about trust in influencers and rising customer acquisition costs on social media, Malhotra plans to increase Livpure's digital spending. "As consumer consumption patterns change, digital will become even more significant, and our media budget allocation will reflect that. Currently, about 50% of our budget is split between digital and traditional media."

Malhotra also highlighted the role of AI in media analysis, stating, "AI will make media analysis deeper, faster, and more agile, allowing us to make corrective steps frequently and adjust our strategy accordingly."

In summary, digital spending at Livpure is set to increase significantly, not only in performance marketing but also in classic brand building, as the lines between these two areas on digital platforms begin to blur.

Expanding presence in India beyond metros

"Smaller Indian cities are now accounting for a bigger volume of e-commerce sales. E-commerce growth in tier-2 and tier-3 cities in India is outpacing that of tier 1 cities," stated an ICICI Securities report released in 2021. But how can a brand become relevant in the heartland to the point that it can drive conversations?

The key to relevance lies in communicating brand ideas in the language of the people. It's often said that when someone talks to you in English, you listen, but when someone speaks to you in your own tongue, you feel. 

Emphasising the importance of regional languages for expanding into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, Malhotra said, "India is no longer just about metros. My choice of mediums takes cultural sensibilities into account. To create more relevance with the end consumer, we advertise on regional channels that the local population consumes. Results have shown that this choice has been very effective, giving us better reach."

"In our communication, we have seen that engaging in different genres has been very cost-effective as long as we choose correctly," Malhotra added.