CV Social Media Handles: What the Numbers Tell?

There was a time when social media was used merely for connecting people with their family and friends. Then came a time when brands started using the same as a marketing platform for their new and existing line of products. But as social media grew, people started looking for anything and everything on it, and now is a time when this platform is used by the brands aggressively.

Let’s take a look at how the top commercial vehicle makers in India are using social media channels for increasing their brand value and reach. We have only gauged major CV players in the Indian market. The analysis done is for Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra, Eicher and BharatBenz only.

Total number of Facebook posts from January 2014 to September 2016:

Our analysis from Facebook trends:

BharatBenz

BharatBenz started its social media journey in 2011 with just one post on Facebook in the entire year, and gradually increased it to over 65 posts in November 2015 itself. This is a sheer example of how critical social media handles are to their respective CV brands.

Tata

Tata Motors, on the other hand, forms a perfect example of underutilising its social media handle. There is no doubt in the fact that Tata leads India in CV sales but if one analyses the sales trends closely, it becomes evidently clear that other brands are eating Tata’s space steadily. Our research shows Tata starting its commercial vehicle social media activity with eight posts in January 2014 and keeping the posts frequency lower than 14 every month since then.

Mahindra

It was not long ago when Mahindra Jeeto outnumbered Tata Ace in terms of sales. People might have seen the Jeeto as the better of the two, but it would be an injustice not to mention Mahindra’s social media strategy as a dominant factor in helping the company win hearts of consumers. Mahindra has kept an average frequency of over 18 social media posts since January 2014 with more than 50 social media posts in February 2015.

Eicher

Eicher has outranked Tata in the 7.5 to 10 tonne and 10 to 12 tonne commercial vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2016. The brand has been socially active on various media platforms and averages above 25 posts in terms of social media updates on Facebook alone. Whether it is the commercial vehicle handle under VECV or the motorcycle social handle under Enfield, Eicher has made sure it’s presence is felt through agile media posts.

Ashok Leyland

Ashok Leyland has not been active on its social media handle for a long time now. It stopped posting updates on Facebook last November and hasn’t come back since then. It is imperative to note here that Ashok Leyland has sold less number of vehicles in April–September this year in comparison to April–September 2015.

The graph below represents the Facebook activity of leading CV brands from January 2014 till September 2016. The frequency of the posts is defined by circles. Smaller the circles, fewer the posts.

The social media trends clearly show the importance of a social media handle. Brands can no more solely rely on age old word of mouth publicities, it is critical to engage people on Facebook and other such channels. Maximized people participation over social networks has definitely become the need of the hour and CV manufacturer, whether new or old, will have to bow down to the same.

Disclaimer – We have searched for Tata’s social media handle using keywords related to commercial vehicles only.