'Relevance lies in building long-term brand equity, not riding short-term product cycles'

The ninth edition of the e4m India Brand Conclave (IBC) 2026, held today (February 11) in Mumbai, brought together some of marketing’s brightest leaders to deliberate on the theme ‘Reimagining Brands in the Age of Acceleration’.

Among the standout sessions was a fireside chat titled, Beyond Specs & Sheets: Building a Purpose-Led Tech Brand in India’s Hyper-Connected Era. Featuring Deepesh Ladiwal, Marketing Lead - Consumer Business, ASUS India, in discussion with Sameer Mitha, Associate Director - Marketing & Business Development, 91mobiles, the session explored how technology brands are shifting focus from hardware specifications to purpose-led storytelling and sustained consumer engagement.

The session began with Mitha framing how buyer behaviour in India’s PC segment has transformed. He pointed out that for years, purchase conversations centred on specifications RAM, storage, processor performance and display size but that mindset is gradually changing. “Earlier, customers walked into stores asking about RAM or storage capacity. Today, the question is far more outcome-oriented what can this device empower me to accomplish?” Mitha remarked.

Expanding on this, the dialogue examined how Indian buyers are no longer influenced solely by specifications, but by the real-world possibilities a device unlocks.

Detailing this transition, Ladiwal said, “Today’s consumers are significantly more aware, particularly college students, who rank among the most tech-savvy groups in India. They understand specifications, but what’s shifting is a deeper appreciation of what technology truly makes possible. It’s no longer about enumerating features. We first identify what users aspire to achieve with our devices, and then align the specs with that purpose in our communication.” Taking the discussion ahead, Mitha raised the question of maintaining relevance amid shrinking technology refresh cycles. With global platforms like CES and Computex accelerating innovation and upgrades, devices now see much shorter replacement windows, often compressing to two or three years.

Responding to this, Ladiwal said that staying relevant today is less about pursuing incremental processor upgrades and more about contextualising meaningful value.

He explained that Indian buyers have progressed from judging devices purely on technical benchmarks to evaluating how well a product boosts productivity, portability and overall efficiency.

He further observed that in a landscape where brands frequently enter and exit, heritage and credibility emerge as critical differentiators. Long-term relevance, he suggested, depends on cultivating enduring brand equity rather than capitalising solely on short-lived product cycles.

The exchange also addressed rising digital saturation and the difficulty of standing out without simply amplifying messaging. In a hyper-connected world where audiences encounter constant promotions across social media, e-commerce and influencer ecosystems, ASUS has prioritised narrative-building over spec-heavy advertising.

Ladiwal also pointed to the brand’s gaming sub-brand, ROG (Republic of Gamers), as a successful example of community-driven storytelling. With the gaming total addressable market expanding significantly after the pandemic, ASUS created campaigns spotlighting varied gamer journeys—from an army veteran to a female gamer to a young aspirant from a small town—positioning the brand as a catalyst for ambition rather than merely a device manufacturer. Insights from gaming around advocacy and community development are now being extended to other portfolios such as VivoBook and ZenBook. Instead of pushing individual products, the company is increasingly rolling out umbrella campaigns customised for distinct cohorts including students, creators and premium professionals.

The conversation further examined regional expansion and rising demand from tier-2 and tier-3 cities. While online commerce has broadened reach, Ladiwal underscored the need to fortify offline presence and after-sales capabilities. With more than 350 exclusive outlets and expansion plans underway, ASUS is also rolling out localised service solutions like drop zones to enhance access and experience.

After-sales service, he noted, has evolved from a backend operation to a core component of brand perception. The company has introduced service camps, device health check-up initiatives and integrated feedback mechanisms to proactively monitor customer sentiment and Net Promoter Scores. Complaints, he said, are viewed as “signals” rather than alarms—inputs that help optimise processes and reinforce trust.

The discussion also shifted to the intricacies of marketing within a fragmented, multi-channel environment. With publishers, influencers, marketplaces and physical retail each playing distinct funnel roles, Mitha asked how ASUS ensures precise messaging at every touchpoint. Ladiwal explained that channel strategy is fundamentally audience-centric. He outlined ASUS’s annual marketing rhythm, noting that Q1 is primarily allocated to strategic alignment across product and marketing teams. Q2 centres on communication ramp-up, while Q3 marks the crucial back-to-school and back-to-college sales window. “That’s when conversions become paramount. Our budgeting and planning synchronise product, marketing, web development and consumer experience teams to maintain cohesion,” he said, adding that while ecosystem-building remains the overarching objective, execution differs sharply by platform and segment.

As the session concluded, Ladiwal highlighted emerging headwinds such as escalating component costs and pricing pressures across the sector. The pivotal question, he suggested, is whether customers will continue to embrace premium pricing for elevated value, and how brands must recalibrate their communication to reflect that equation.