Integrated Marketing Communication

Group Assignment - 2

Submission by Group 5
Ruchin Dwivedi
Mukund Agarwal
Kunal Kumar Sahu
Shashwat Misra
Nitin Pareek
Simon Beonist
Introduction
Goibibo was launched in 2009 and is part of ibibo Group. It was co-founded by Sanjay Bhasin and
Vikalp Sahni. Goibibo is India's largest hotels aggregation and also one of the leading air
aggregator. Goibibo's core value differentiation is delivery of the fastest and the most trusted and
reliable user experiences.

Market share: In online travel bookings, MakeMyTrip rules with nearly 42% of the market share,
according to market intelligence firm KalaGato. Goibibo follows at 33%. The likes of Oyo, Cleartrip and
Yatra are distant rivals, each capturing less than 10% of the market. And even though MakeMyTrip’s
hotels business nearly halved between September 2016 and December 2017, Goibibo’s transactions
make up for its slide.

Positioning: Positioned as a trusted online booking portal as well as travelling consultant offering
cheapest fares in flights, bus, hotels etc.

Target audience: GoIbibo will majorly focus on value conscious travellers who use internet for online
transaction, couples and youth centric between the age range of 16 to 40 years

GoIbibo Promotional Offers

1) GoContacts & Referral advertisements featuring Deepika Padukone
3 college students going to goa. Targeted at people who are thrifty and go to great lengths
for cashbacks and rewards. They are constantly saving for a trip and every rupee saved
equals more miles
Objective: To primary objective was to get more application downloads and transaction from
the current and newly acquired customer base.

Target Group: Age:16-30 years. School and college students, young corporates

Promotion: 200 Gocash on download, 300 on referral, 50 for each contacts travel after
syncing them with the platform

2) GoContacts: ft. Deepika Padukone and her mother

Targeted at the people who believe at networking and willing to earn extra credit by
connecting

Objective: The primary objective was to create the networking effect by making people to
syncing contacts

Target Group: Generation X people to sync contacts or older parents who'll get their
children to sync their contacts for them

Promotion: Sync and get gocash+ for other people’s holiday/business travels

3) Ratings and review ad:

Goibibo features 25lac+ rated and reviewed properties, it helps you make better choices
while selecting hotels for booking.
 4) Deepika Padukone Vicky Kaushal advertisement:

Promotion: Gostays rooms starting at Rs. 999 with wifi+Ac. Money back guaranteed if
services not up to par
Target Group: Working professionals, Young couples

5) IPL campaign
Featuring Bollywood stars like Sharukh Khan and Deepika Padukone along with other
International cricket players
Target Group: Young Indians, cricket lovers
Objective: The campaign is aimed at generating excitement and gaining traction among
young Indians by bringing together cricket, Bollywood and passion for travel.

Primary Hashtags used in the campaigns:

#Travelbookinggokarde

#aslitravelerphoto : GoIbibo hotel ranking is based on the reviews and ratings of the travellers. It
often happens that people book rooms and hotels looking at pictures of them online only to
realize it is nothing like them photos. To build trust and show real pictures, posting pictures and
writing reviews were incentivised with 50 gocash in wallet.

#Gobefikir

#GetSetGoIbibo

Insights from the campaigns over the years: Seven years back, their advertisement focused on
telling people goibibos offerings, their services, that you can book flights hotels etc. on the platform
which are honest and true to what pictures you see of it online. Referring that other platforms are
not trustworthy. Recently, having already established a brand name they're advertising their
promotions to retain and attract new customers by communicating value added perks for the same
services
Detailed analysis of Promotion Campaigns:
1) Deepika Padukone: Referrals ad

The above advertisement featuring college students going to goa, it is a humorous banter.

Targeted at people who are thrifty and go to great lengths for cashbacks and rewards.

The new campaign uses the element of subtle humour to highlight the benefits of the unique
‘GoCash’ feature on the Goibibo platform. Through the new campaign, Goibibo aims to increase new
user acquisition and augment hotel market share growth. This is in line with company’s endeavour
to catalyze the shift from offline to online in the hotel booking segment. Launched in 2017, the
feature – GoCash+ is Goibibo’s travel booking currency which can be used without any restrictions
on usage.

Objective: To promote online hotel industry as a category and gain bigger share of the market by
educating customers about the E-Wallet feature, i.e., GoCash+, stimulating more app downloads and
transactions

Assessment/ Success or Failure: The company’s flagship apps have reportedly been downloaded
more than 25 Million times and have handled over 24 Million transactions.

Target Group: 16-30 students/colleges/young corporates, Young tech savvy people who are
constantly thinking about travelling and are saving for it and are spontaneous at times

Promotion: 200 gocash on download, refer other 300, contacts sync 50 for each contacts travel

Media Class: Television, Digital

Media Vehicle: Youtube, Facebook, NDTV, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Colors, Star World, MTV

Offer 100 gocash+ on download, for every referral other 150, contacts sync 50 for
each contacts travel

Type of ● It is a part of consumer promotion

promotion ● Delayed-Value promotion
● Added value promotion

Time Duration
The program was launched from 11th of July 2018, all the eligible goCash+
earning post the launch will be counter for rewards calculation
Geographic scope
Pan India
Terms and
conditions ● The benefit can be availed only immediately after the booking
completion. The benefit cannot be availed anytime later or through
contacting the customer care.
● In the case of cancellation of a booking due to any circumstance, the
benefit stands availed and will not be reinstated.
● The final eligibility of the benefit is based on the availability and
Goibibo has the right to alter the benefit at any time.
● Goibibo reserves the right to cancel all related bookings or benefits if
there is a fraudulent pattern noticed in the goCash+ earnings and
bookings.

When to
announce Since it is a temporary promotion as a part of the annual marketing planning
processes the announcement is done randomly
 2) Vicky Kaushal and Deepika Padukone Advertisement:

Promotion: Gostays rooms starting at 999/- money back wifi+Ac

Aim to encourage young Indians to book their travel without any hassles and worries.

GoBefikar, the campaign, communicates the brand’s promise of offering an amazing stay experience
with Gostays, availability of standard rooms for prices as low as INR 799, along with other functional
benefits. Backed by market and customer insights, the campaign addresses concern of price-
conscious Indian travellers, who look for enriching travel and comfortable staying experience at
hotels, at affordable prices.

Goibibo has chosen popular Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone and Vicky Kaushal for the launch
campaign of their Certified goStays service. It was one of the most viewed ads in the month it was
aired garnering 27 mil views across media channels

Target Group: working professionals, young couples, designed to connect with all travel cohorts –
from couples to students, from families to solo travellers,
The campaign reinforces GoStays’ value proposition to offer standardized amenities and services
comprising free Wi-Fi, AC, television, and clean washrooms along with 100 per cent money-back
guarantee.

In the television commercial, Deepika Padukone will be seen familiarizing two young travel
enthusiasts on the benefits of GoBefikar — who are left amazed at the various stay services offered
by GoStays’ certified hotel properties. The commercial evokes a feeling of surprise and instils a sense
of assurance amongst travellers as it concludes with the statement ‘Isey kehtey hai guarantee’.

With the campaign, they want to assure travellers that when they book on Goibibo they can be rest
assured that they will get the best accommodation experience that they have come to trust on
GoStays.

Media: Part of a multi-channel campaign, the commercial will run for five weeks across television
and social media channels.

This campaign for Goibibo heralds an invite for carefree travel. The television commercial captures
the surprise that comes with the promise of being carefree. First in a series of TVCs that will invoke
the young Indian to cast aside their worries to Goibibo and travel carefree to delightful destinations.

Offer ● Get rooms at 799/- only

● Customers get 40% instant off when GETSETGO
code is used, on select hotels
● Customers can also use Credit/ GoCash+ amount

Types of Promo ● Immediate-value promotions

● Price-cut promotion

Offer Frequency ● User can avail discount offers (all different promo-
codes included) maximum 6 times per month on
Goibibo platform
● Offer can be used only 3 times using the same mail
id or mobile no
● Max 3 transactions per credit/ debit card during
offer period

When to announce ● Since the campaign is a immediate value promotion,

thus the offers can be made in off season to boost
sales

Geographic Scope Pan-India

● Discount% and maximum discount would vary with

Terms and Conditions hotels, and the final discount would be displayed on
application of the promo code. Discount% is the
maximum percentage discount which can be
offered on a hotel
● Discounted amount will be deducted from the total
payable amount
 ● Offer is not applicable to travel agents. If found
then GoIbibo reserves the right to cancel the
booking and refund after adjusting the cancellation
charges
● The customer is not entitled to get any refund in
case of his/her inability to check-in

3) Goibibo IPL campaign

Goibibo has launched its 'Travel Cash Fest' campaign by signing up with two of the most popular IPL
teams, Kolkata Knight Riders & Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Target Group: Young Indians, cricket lovers

Aim: The campaign is aimed at generating excitement and gaining traction among young Indians by
bringing together cricket, Bollywood and passion for travel. Linking the thrill of cricket with travel,
the campaign features Goibibo’s brand ambassador: Deepika Padukone along with Kolkata Knight
Riders team co-owner Shah Rukh Khan and Royal Challenger Bangalore’s captain Virat Kohli – giving
it an unmatched powerful celebrity pull.

Promotions: The inclusion of Super Matches & Super Days as part of this campaign will give an even
higher opportunity for customers to win Travel Cash on the Goibibo App. Taking the offering a notch
higher, the campaign this time offers the option of purchase of Goibibo pass, in case the user does
not have immediate travel plan in mind and wants to preserve travel cash from expiring. The
Goibibo pass can be used to get room nights, flight meals, hotel upgrades, insurance and more over
a period of one year.

Media:

A 360-degree marketing campaign, it includes TVCs which will run for 8 weeks across high-impact
genres like IPL, General Entertainment Channels, HD channels, Hindi Movies, Hindi and English News
and Regional channels.
Success or failure:

We always look beyond advertising and creating salience. If you are present in IPL and making these
sizeable investments, you need to have a very clear view of the returns that you will get. Every time
we have invested in IPL, we have got record numbers and we are a number-focused company. There
are two or three things that we look at when we measure ROI – what kind of direct traffic growth we
have got on the Goibibo mobile app and the website. Secondly, the organic app download velocity
average, that is, how many organic downloads we get out of it. Thirdly, what kind of new user
growth have we seen during these 7 to 8 weeks of consumer programme. We then take a composite
view of these three things to see whether the initiative has delivered what we had set out to
achieve.

Offer ● Travel Cash Fest

● Customers get free travel cash on
opening app during RCB or KKR IPL
match

Types of Promo ● Delayed-value promotions

● Price-cut promotion

Time Duration ● 2 Months during the IPL season (23rd

March 2019 till the last match
of IPL 2019)

When to announce ● 20-30 days before the tournament

starts

Geographic Scope Pan-India

Terms and Conditions ● A user is eligible to participate in

all KKR or RCB Matches
● In case a match is abandoned due to rain
or any other circumstances, a fixed
amount of Rs. 200 Travel Cash will be
credited to all the users who have been
active on the app during the match
● If a match is delayed and the total number
of overs are shortened, no extra Travel
Cash amount will be credited to the users
apart from the regular amount they earned
during the match
● Goibibo reserves the right to add, remove
or modify events considered or amount
earned during the course of the season
● Incase a match goes into super over, the
scores and wickets in the super over will
not be calculated for earning
Key Success Factors

● Brand Ambassadors should be carefully chosen with which the target audience can directly
relate like Deepika Padukone, Shahrukh Khan, Virat Kohli and Vicky Kaushal relate the brand
well with the young audience on GoIbibo
● Promotion Release Timing should be appropriate. It should be given ample time to create
impressions onto the customers and the promotions related to any event should be
launched near to the start of that event like launching IPL TravelCash promo 10-20 days prior
to the start of IPL.
● Media Class should be carefully chosen as the Youth centric promos should be advertised
more on digital platforms to gain larger audience.
● There should be clarity in communication. The customer after seeing the promotion should
be clear about the benefits/incentives that he/she stands to gain leaving no scope for
ambiguity.
● It is desirable if the promos are easily able to engage customers leading to a lot of traction
for the brand and impressions online.

Reference:
https://qz.com/india/1181662/deep-kalras-go-to-man-behind-makemytrips-success-in-india/

https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/makemytrip-leads-online-travel-market/868169/

http://bwdisrupt.businessworld.in/article/Goibibo-Launches-New-Campaign-with-Deepika-
Padukone-to-Promote-its-e-wallet-service-GoCash-/02-02-2018-139355/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/inc42.com/buzz/ashish-kashyap-spills-the-beans-on-goibibos-
marketing-strategy/amp/

https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-mix-goibibo/

https://mediasamosa.com/2019/09/30/goibibo-releases-gobefikar-ft-deepika-padukone/