'You go to the Mitsubishi showroom': How a Rolls-Royce snub supercharged Joy Alukkas' brand

In 2000, Joy Alukkas, now one of India’s wealthiest individuals, walked into a Rolls-Royce dealership in Dubai, eager to buy the luxury car. 

But instead of receiving the usual deference afforded to potential buyers, he was directed to a Mitsubishi showroom by the salesperson, who assumed he wasn’t a serious customer.

Recalling the incident in a recent interview with CNBC-TV18, Alukkas, the 67-year-old billionaire behind the Joyalukkas Group, said, “I said I want to see the car, a Rolls-Royce. But they told me, ‘No, no, no. If you want to buy a car, you go to the Mitsubishi showroom, you will get a car there.’” 

This moment of unexpected dismissal didn’t deter him; instead, it fueled his resolve. Feeling slighted, Alukkas made an impulsive decision to purchase the Rolls-Royce on the spot.

Despite initial hurdles in securing the deal, Alukkas succeeded in buying the car. However, he soon realized that the luxury vehicle was more of an extravagance than a necessity. 

Rather than letting it sit unused, he reportedly decided to leverage the Rolls-Royce for a marketing campaign to promote his rapidly growing jewellery business in the UAE.

Alukkas announced a raffle, offering the Rolls-Royce to the first customer who spent 500 AED on gold at his store. The bold move created a buzz for the brand, drawing massive attention to Joyalukkas Jewellery and cementing its reputation in West Asia -- the firm now boasts over 100 stores in India and 60 abroad. Fast forward to March this year, Alukkas reportedly added another Rolls-Royce to his collection — a Rs 6 crore Cullinan.