From infrastructure to intelligence: Marketing’s role in the new era of electrical and automation

New Delhi: The electrical and automation industry is entering one of its most transformative decades. Traditionally viewed as the backbone of infrastructure and industrial growth, it is now being reshaped by digitalisation, sustainability imperatives, and the demand for smarter, more connected solutions. 

In this changing landscape, marketing is no longer a peripheral function. It has become an enabler of industry evolution, translating complex technology into meaningful narratives, driving customer-centric engagement, and aligning with the broader goals of a digital economy.

At Schneider Electric, we believe that marketing is not only about visibility. It is about driving strategic impact, building trust, and helping customers navigate an era defined by energy efficiency, AI and automation, digitalisation and sustainability.

A legacy renewed: Branding for a digital-first future

Few examples illustrate the changing role of marketing as clearly as the evolution of L&T Switchgear into Lauritz Knudsen. With a legacy of over 70 years built on trust and performance, the brand needed to be reimagined for the future and aligned with modern expectations of design, connectivity, and digital integration. 

Marketing was not just a support function in this transformation; it was a driving force. From building awareness and emotional recall for Lauritz Knudsen to launching high-impact campaigns such as our partnership with the Mumbai Indians IPL Team as their Principal Partners, we ensured the brand gets high visibility and recall as one of the leading electrical and automation brands in India. This exemplifies how marketing can preserve heritage while propelling a brand into a connected and sustainable future through bold strategic partnerships. 

The evolution of automation: Open, agile, and scalable

The automation sector is undergoing a fundamental shift. The industry is moving from closed, proprietary systems to open automation platforms that prioritise interoperability, flexibility, and vendor-neutrality. These changes enable businesses to integrate innovation faster and create customised solutions for unique operational challenges.

Schneider Electric has embraced this evolution through the EcoStruxure Automation Expert solution, which is designed to provide enhanced agility and performance at scale. But technology alone does not drive adoption. It is essential to communicate these advancements with clarity, demystifying complex innovation and building trust among decision-makers.

Here, marketing plays a strategic role, not by selling features but by shaping customer understanding, enabling accelerated digital adoption, and positioning Schneider Electric as a transformation partner, driving digitisation at scale. 

Digital-first and human-centric

With accelerated investments on digital platforms, our approach is built on precision, experimentation and relevance. We engage with diverse personas - factory owners exploring automation, facility managers seeking smart distribution systems, homeowners adopting energy-efficient living and more. 

Our campaigns leverage a broad range of marketing touchpoints to reach the target audience while ensuring dynamic, cyber-compliant, and hyper-relevant communication. The core of our strategy remains human-centric: understanding needs, anticipating questions, and delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time, but with differentiated content. 

Less influence, more insight

While influencer marketing has a role in improving brand engagement, its relevance in the industrial and automation domains is still evolving. Here, technical credibility, domain knowledge, and solution depth carry increasingly more weight in shaping customer preferences. Real testimonials make all the difference. 

Our focus is on platforms that foster education, community, and co-creation, like industry events, webinars, innovation forums, and specialised digital content hubs that speak directly to stakeholders across the value chain.

Experience-led engagement still matters

In an industry built on precision, reliability, and trust, physical engagement remains key, especially in B2B. Experiential marketing through initiatives like Elecrama, Schneider Electric Innovation Hubs, Innovation Days and presence at thought leadership platforms like India Energy Week, allows customers to engage with our solutions firsthand. Whether it’s a factory automation demo or a live walkthrough of smart home systems, these hands-on experiences turn curiosity into conviction.

The future of marketing in Industry 4.0

In an era where technology defines competitiveness, the role of marketing leaders extends beyond campaigns and communication. It is about translating complex engineering into compelling, accessible narratives that resonate with diverse stakeholders, from policymakers to end-users. 

It is about shaping categories rather than merely building brand visibility, guiding industries toward a shared understanding of what the future can look like. And it is about aligning every message with the larger imperatives of sustainability, digitisation, and measurable business outcomes. True leadership in marketing today is defined by the ability to inspire trust, influence ecosystems, and create a roadmap for responsible growth.

At Schneider Electric, we call this responsible marketing, a philosophy that balances performance with purpose. Initiatives such as our Green Yodha movement and carbon-neutral campaigns like the Schneider Electric Innovation Yatra reflect our belief that marketing should inspire action while supporting sustainable growth.

The transformation of the electrical and automation industry is not just about technology but also about how we communicate, connect, and create differentiated value. Marketing, when integrated with innovation and purpose, becomes a force multiplier. It moves beyond storytelling to become a strategic partner in shaping the industry’s future.

As we enter a new era of energy transition, digital automation, and sustainable infrastructure, marketing will play a defining role—not just in building brands, but in building the future of the industry itself.