Cleartrip’s Ayushi Agarwal on summer marketing, media mix, and the MS Dhoni campaign

The travel industry, rebounding from the disruptions of recent years, faces a dynamic landscape where consumer preferences and behaviors are rapidly evolving. With increasing digitisation, heightened demand for flexibility, and a greater emphasis on seamless experiences, travel companies are innovating to stay competitive. 

In this context, Cleartrip’s summer marketing strategy provides a case study on leveraging high-profile endorsements, digital channels, and strategic service offerings to capture market share and enhance customer loyalty.

Ayushi Agarwal, Head of Brand at Cleartrip talks about the recent campaign featuring MS Dhoni and how the brand is leveraging momentum from IPL and summer season.    

Product-focused marketing

Cleartip’s marketing efforts focus on emphasising its product–which is alleviating the anxieties related to travel and making the booking process smooth. At the core of Cleartrip's strategy is its Value-Added Services (VAS) under the ClearChoice umbrella. These services, which offer the flexibility to amend or cancel bookings with zero cancellation fees, address a significant pain point for travellers.

“Our marketing efforts are highly traveller focussed. We deploy our media based on a sharp understanding of our core customer profile and where we can drive maximum impact to this audience,” says Agarwal.

Cleartrip's recent campaign titled 'ClearChoice, Thala’s Choice' featured ex-India captain MS Dhoni. On the company’s ambassadorial choice, Agarwal says, “Mahendra Singh Dhoni, known as a cricketing legend, embodies qualities that align closely with Cleartrip's values of transparency, optimism, and straightforwardness. His influence extends far beyond the sporting world, making him the perfect fit to represent our brand. By associating with Dhoni, we aim to leverage his widespread appeal to connect with a larger and more diverse demographic, strengthening our brand presence and expanding our user base.”

The campaign showcases Dhoni in three roles – an aircraft pilot, a concierge (durbaan), and a traveller. The roles of Durbaan and Pilot symbolises confidence and reliability in the hospitality industry. The ad film goes on to introduce Cleartrip's product offerings with Dhoni at its centre. 

“As for ROI, we anticipate increased brand awareness, customer engagement, and conversion rates as a result of this campaign,” adds Agarwal. She says that the target audience of the campaign is individuals aged 18-45 residing in metro and tier-one cities. 

Agarwal breaks down Cleartrip’s marketing into the following buckets: 

• Platform-specific Content: Cleartrip tailors its content to each social media platform, understanding what resonates best with users on each platform. For example, on Instagram, where humor thrives, Cleartrip adopts the persona of a travel activist, sharing relatable content about the obstacles that prevent people from taking their dream trips.

• Audience-Centric Approach: Rather than solely focusing on pushing a brand agenda, Cleartrip prioritizes content that aligns with viewers' interests and content consumption habits. This approach ensures that Cleartrip's content is engaging and relevant to its audience, fostering stronger connections and interactions.

• Information Dissemination: On platforms like Twitter, Cleartrip utilizes a more broadcast-oriented approach to disseminate critical flight information and updates to its users. This ensures timely and relevant communication with its audience, helping users stay informed about their travel plans.

Media mix and social media strategy

Agarwal says that Cleartrip’s media mix is highly adaptive. “With online platforms dominating news, social trends, and content consumption, Cleartrip prioritises digital channels for maximum impact. We also embrace emerging platforms like Connected TV and OTT content to reach our audience where they are most active,” she remarks, further elaborating, “Each campaign's media mix is carefully tailored to the target audience and campaign objectives. While maintaining a digital-first approach, we supplement our strategy with a limited mix of print and Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising when relevant.”

On the use of influencer marketing, Agarwal says that Cleartrip harnesses the power of influencer marketing to achieve various marketing objectives, including brand and product awareness/education, as well as demand generation.

“Cleartrip collaborates with influencers across different categories to amplify its marketing efforts effectively. These influencers include travel enthusiasts, lifestyle bloggers, adventure seekers, family travelers, and more. Each collaboration is carefully selected to resonate with our target audience and align with Cleartrip's brand values. For example, CleartheAir and Checkinwithcleartrip are two properties where we leverage influencer partnerships to engage with our audience. These collaborations not only drive brand and product awareness but also educate consumers about our offerings and inspire them to explore and book with Cleartrip,” she elaborates. 

Budgeting, goals, and lessons

In an elaborate manner, the Brand Head at Cleartrip breaks down the marketing lessons she has learned after joining Cleartrip: 

• Stand Out with Consistency: Marketing in a low-frequency, high-price and seasonal category is challenging. It's crucial to carve out a unique space for your brand and maintain consistency in your Customer Value Proposition (CVP) across multiple campaigns and touchpoints. This ensures that when travelers consider booking, your brand stands out and remains top-of-mind.

• Finding Your Unique Voice: As a challenger brand to an established market leader, it's essential to develop a unique voice that resonates deeply with a specific customer cohort. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, focus on winning big with a targeted audience segment. This approach allows you to differentiate yourself and build a loyal customer base.

• Stay Relevant Year-Round: Travelers aren't always in booking mode, so it's important to stay on their radar even when they're not planning a trip. Whether it's through engaging social media content or helpful reminders in their inbox, keeping the conversation going year-round helps you stay top-of-mind when they're ready to book.

Cleartrip has been consistently investing in brand initiatives post the acquisition by Flipkart to maintain a high share of voice. Talking about the budget allocation, Agarwal remarks, “We adopt a frugal approach and make sharp choices on the platforms and the audience cohorts. Our advertising spending and strategy are planned in a manner that does justice to that.”

Lastly, sharing Cleartrip’s short-term goals, Agarwal mentions, “(Short-term goal is) Establish our Customer Value Proposition (CVP) of simplifying travel bookings by eliminating uncertainty and anxiety through unique flexibility products. This involves focusing on immediate actions to solidify Cleartrip's position as a go-to platform for hassle-free and flexible travel arrangements, instilling confidence and trust among travelers.”

On the long-term goals, she remarks, “Become the ultimate destination for all things travel. We aspire to be the first choice for anyone planning a trip, where the mere thought of travel prompts users to turn to Cleartrip. Our brand tagline, "So, where to?" embodies this vision, signaling Cleartrip as the comprehensive solution for all travel needs.”