In an industry dominated by glossy brochures and celebrity faces, one real estate developer is charting a radically different course. The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) is challenging decades of tradition by focusing its business on selling plots of land instead of built properties and by moving the majority of its marketing and sales operations online.
Building a Brand on Bare Land
Saurabh Jain, Chief Marketing Officer of HoABL, identifies the core challenge and opportunity. As India's largest branded land developer, the company's mission is to develop the very category of land as a secure and accessible investment. While land is one of the oldest and potentially most rewarding asset classes, its perceived complexity and scarcity have deterred many investors.
"Our journey has been about making people aware that things have changed," Jain explains. He points to procedural simplifications like the Maharashtra government's move to online registrations as key enablers. The company's strategy is to demystify the process and make land investment as straightforward as buying any other commodity.
The Zepto Experiment: Land in 10 Minutes
To jolt the market out of its conventional thinking, HoABL embarked on an innovative collaboration with the quick-commerce platform Zepto. The goal was to showcase the simplicity of their online buying process to a new, digitally-native audience.
"We realized it was worth it to leverage a platform where people are engaging online," says Jain. The campaign, which ran for ten days, allowed users to express immediate interest on Zepto and connect with a HoABL expert. The result was staggering. The campaign generated interest from 6,000 to 7,000 people, not just in target markets like Delhi but from across India and even abroad.
"People saw 'buy land in 10 minutes' and took notice," Jain states, highlighting how the campaign framed land purchase with the ease of ordering groceries. The initiative also led to actual transactions that exceeded the company's expectations. This success has cemented HoABL's digital-first approach, with traditional advertising now accounting for less than 30% of its total marketing spend.
A Shifting Customer Base and Marketing Philosophy
This digital pivot is reshaping HoABL's customer demographics. While their clientele traditionally included business families, the streamlined online systems are now attracting middle and senior-level executives from major metros. Notably, in some projects, 50% to two-thirds of customers are relatively younger, in their 30s.
The company's marketing narrative is also evolving. Instead of solely promoting foreign, luxury lifestyles, HoABL tailors its message to the cultural context of each project. In spiritual destinations like Vrindavan and Ayodhya, the emphasis is on peace, meditation gardens, and heritage, while still offering modern amenities like pools and gyms.
Regarding the industry's reliance on celebrity endorsements, Jain outlines a pragmatic, belief-driven philosophy. While brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan is a long-time investor, and stars like Kartik Aaryan, Triptii Dimri, and Kriti Sanon have endorsed projects, it's not a blanket strategy. "Our celebrity philosophy is that we would want them to endorse if they believe and invest with us," he clarifies, noting that several current projects do not feature any celebrity promoters.
Through its dual focus on land plots and digital sales, HoABL is not just selling property; it is attempting to redefine an entire sector's relationship with the modern Indian consumer.
