Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), on Tuesday, inked a deal with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be the ‘Official Car Partner' of the ICC from 2011-2015. The company has also earmarked an investment of Rs 200 crore, over the next five years, for advertising.
“In the next five years, we will spend roughly Rs 200 crore on campaigns across the board, including the partnership with ICC,” said Mr Arvind Saxena, Director Marketing and Sales, HMIL.
HMIL is looking to enhance its brand image as well as push up sales by associating itself with the ICC. “While it is difficult to put a number on how much sales we would achieve during the World Cup, the event gives us an opportunity to cut across customer segments, as cricket is universal in India,” he said.
According to the agreement, ICC officials, players, and VIP guests will use Hyundai cars for official transportation for the entire duration of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and the contract extends till 2015.
In addition to the World Cup, Hyundai will also be the transport partner for the Women's World Cup and the T-20 Championship.
New models
The car-maker also plans to launch six new models, in the next three years. “Starting from this year, we are looking at launching two new models every year, in the next three years,” Mr Saxena said. He did not provide details on the two model launches slated for this year.
Hyundai will re-open bookings for its sports utility vehicle, Santa Fe, by March-end or April. “We have bookings for 600 units and it will be delivered by May,” he said.
He added that the company had clocked 2.47 lakh units last year. “With Europe, our biggest market, yet to recover, we expect similar export numbers this year,” he said, adding that the company is not exploring new markets as it is already present in over 115 countries.