In a rapidly evolving smartphone industry dominated by global giants, Lava International has emerged as a resilient Indian brand rewriting the rules of the game. At the heart of this transformation is Puravansh Maitreya, the dynamic Marketing Head of Lava, who brings a sharp consumer-first mindset and a bold, digital-forward approach to brand building.
With over six years of experience across multiple stints at Lava, Puravansh has been instrumental in repositioning the brand for a younger, aspirational audience while staying true to its value-driven roots.
In this candid conversation, he shares Lava’s journey of revival, its unique differentiators in the Indian smartphone market, and the bold strategies powering its growth in the 5G and premium segments.
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How is Lava differentiating itself in a highly competitive smartphone industry dominated by global brands?
This question encapsulates a crucial point about the Indian smartphone market, where Lava stands as one of the few homegrown brands still competing in an industry largely dominated by global giants. As we celebrate our 16th anniversary, it’s clear that our sustained success stems from a distinctive operational philosophy.
Returning to Lava in 2022 after a previous tenure from 2014 to 2018, I bring over six years of experience within the company. Our core differentiator has always been an unwavering focus on the customer. Unlike many competitors, our product decisions are not driven by trends, gimmicks, or imitation. Instead, they are based on a deep, empathetic understanding of consumer needs. Every investment we make is aimed at providing unparalleled value to our customers.
This commitment to our customers extends to our services as well. For example, our market-first “service at home” initiative allows customers to receive on-site servicing for their devices. Moreover, we offer replacements instead of repairs for any issues with our Agni series devices. This exceptional level of service sets us apart even from the largest global brands.
We understand the importance of delivering value at every price point, whether it’s the affordable Yuva series or the premium Agni series, ensuring a superior experience for every customer.
What is Lava’s market share right now, and how is it performing in the 5G handset segment?
Currently, Lava holds a 1% market share, with significant growth in the sub-10K price segment, where we command nearly 3% of the market—a remarkable achievement as we’ve doubled our share in just the past year. We are also witnessing rapid growth in the 5G handset category. According to Counterpoint, Lava was the fastest-growing brand in the ₹10K-₹20K price range in 2023. While 4G remains a strong pillar, our 5G offerings are on a sharp upward trajectory. Our collaboration with Amazon has helped drive strong retail performance, and we anticipate capturing a larger share in the premium segments in the near future.
Lava is known for its competitive pricing. How does your marketing strategy reinforce this value proposition while ensuring the brand is perceived as aspirational?
In 2022, we undertook a strategic overhaul of our smartphone portfolio. After leading the feature phone market for over a decade, we sought to create smartphones that would resonate with younger, aspirational consumers. This shift led to the introduction of the Lava, Blaze, and Agni series.
The Yuva series caters to first-time smartphone buyers, offering a visually appealing and high-performing device at an accessible price point. The Blaze series targets college students, emphasizing premium features like superior processors and sleek design. The Agni series, on the other hand, demonstrates the capability of Indian technology to compete globally, offering world-class features like high-performance cameras and processors.
Our marketing strategy has been digital-first, collaborating with influencers in the tech and lifestyle sectors, such as YouTuber Saurabh Joshi, who boasts millions of Gen Z followers. This has enabled us to embrace a youthful and vibrant brand identity, leveraging social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to engage with our target audience.
Our efforts have yielded impressive results: Google searches for Lava have surged by 400%, Instagram followers have quintupled, and our YouTube subscriber base has surpassed 1 million. Through this approach, we’ve successfully positioned Lava as both affordable and aspirational.
How is Lava allocating its advertising expenditure across traditional and digital channels?
In the last three years, Lava has pivoted to a predominantly digital-first strategy, recognizing the digital-savviness of our target audience. We allocate approximately 50% of our marketing budget to digital media, influencer partnerships, and social platforms, with a strong emphasis on YouTube and Instagram to engage tech influencers and lifestyle content creators.
Brand-building activities, such as our collaborations with celebrities like Gautam Gambhir and our sponsorship of the IPL’s Kings XI Punjab, account for 20-25% of the budget. Another 20-25% is directed toward retail marketing and offline activations, essential given our extensive distribution network of over 80,000 retail outlets across the country.
While traditional media like TV and print are still part of our strategy, they are used more strategically. TV ads primarily air during high-profile events like the IPL to engage younger audiences, while print is targeted in regional markets where it continues to be effective.
How is Lava tailoring its marketing approach to appeal to Gen Z, who are highly brand-conscious and digital-first?
To resonate with Gen Z, Lava has built long-term partnerships with influencers and content creators who embody the youth values of fun, vibrancy, and humor. We produce engaging content that aligns with what Gen Z loves to consume, distributing it through the platforms they frequent most. Our tone has evolved to be energetic, relatable, and attuned to the preferences of this audience.
For example, we leveraged Gautam Gambhir’s persona for a high-stakes product launch, capitalizing on his association with success and aggression. Our collaborations with platforms like YouTube and Instagram have allowed us to create a buzz and reach Gen Z in a meaningful way.
Additionally, our partnerships with e-commerce giants like Amazon have optimized our product visibility among young consumers, facilitating exclusive launches and promotions tailored to Gen Z’s digital-first purchasing habits.
We are confident that these strategies will help Lava remain relevant to Gen Z and beyond.
Lava has made notable progress in the budget and mid-range smartphone segments. Is the brand considering an entry into the premium smartphone market? If so, what would its strategy be regarding marketing and positioning?
In recent years, Lava has seen remarkable growth, especially within the ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 price range, where our Agni series has emerged as one of the fastest-growing offerings in the country. The Agni series represents a significant leap, as it was our initial foray into the ₹20,000+ segment. The Agni 3, priced at ₹25,000-₹26,000, features a groundbreaking dual AMOLED display—an innovation at this price point, priced much lower than competing devices with similar technology.
Our strategy remains unchanged: to deliver exceptional value at every price point. Whether the price is ₹10,000, ₹15,000, ₹20,000, or ₹25,000, we aim to provide products that offer superior quality and innovation. The Agni series demonstrates our ability to offer world-class technology even in higher price ranges, and we are committed to introducing premium devices that meet the expectations of discerning consumers.
For marketing, the Agni series has targeted a tech-savvy audience with feature-intensive, high-tech devices. The Agni 3 launch, for instance, was a grand event attended by 1,500 influencers and top YouTubers, reinforcing our commitment to engaging the tech community. As we move toward the premium segment, we are confident in our ability to innovate and cater to a broader audience.
Given the ongoing global supply chain disruptions and the rising trend of consumer nationalism, particularly the “Buy Indian, Be Indian” sentiment, do you believe this is benefiting Lava as a brand? Can you anticipate an uptick in sales as a result of this?
This is indeed a timely and insightful question, particularly given the global supply chain challenges and the rising sense of nationalism. Lava is proud to be the only major Indian smartphone brand in a highly competitive space, and while national pride is an added advantage, we do not believe it should be the sole driving force behind consumer decisions.
Our marketing has always focused on the tangible value of our products rather than merely leveraging our Indian identity. In recent years, we have placed emphasis on showcasing the quality, reliability, and innovation of our smartphones. While we do see a positive response from consumers who express pride in supporting an Indian brand, this sentiment stems from the quality of our products rather than being the core of our messaging.
As we continue to innovate and deliver exceptional products, we anticipate that consumers will naturally take pride in supporting Lava. We believe that success will come from consistently offering products that meet the needs of our customers, rather than relying solely on nationalistic pride.
Lava has chosen to use Indianised names for its products, such as Agni and Yuva, which contrasts with global brands that tend to adopt English names. What is the reasoning behind this naming strategy?
The decision to use Indian names like Agni, Yuva, and Shakti reflects our deep pride in our cultural heritage. As an Indian brand, we believe it’s fitting to adopt names that resonate with our roots. For instance, Agni was inspired by the ISRO’s Agni missile program, symbolizing cutting-edge technology and precision. Similarly, Yuva was designed to appeal to a youthful, dynamic audience, making it a natural fit for the demographic.
While we embrace our Indian identity, it is important to note that our marketing strategy does not rely on nationalistic messaging. The use of Indian names is an extension of our brand identity, not the central focus of our messaging. Our consumers have responded positively to this approach, as evidenced by the success of the Yuva series, which has become one of our best-sellers. Ultimately, the success of our products stems from their quality, not simply their names.
Going forward, we will continue to choose names that align with the product’s identity and the values we wish to communicate. If an Indian name fits, we will use it, but our primary focus will always be on delivering exceptional products that resonate with our consumers.
With Lava’s continued growth, do you have plans to increase your marketing expenditure? If so, by what percentage should we expect this growth in the coming years?
As Lava continues to grow both domestically and internationally, we recognize the importance of scaling our marketing expenditure to support this expansion. Over the past few years, we’ve already witnessed a significant increase in our marketing budget, with a 100% year-on-year growth in marketing expenditure.
Looking ahead, we anticipate further growth in our marketing spend, expecting an increase of 40-50% in the coming year. This increase will be aligned with our growing sales, as we scale up and introduce new products across various price segments. A robust marketing strategy is essential to raising awareness, building brand equity, and ensuring that our message resonates with our target audience as we grow.
We are committed to ensuring that our marketing efforts align with the growth trajectory of the company, and we believe this investment will continue to drive the success of the brand in the years to come.
