‘Save the marketing’: Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal criticises EV competitor's 'cute ads'

Ola Electric's CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, took to Twitter to express his views on the current marketing strategies employed by some electric vehicle (EV) companies. In his tweet, Aggarwal critiqued the focus on "cute" advertisements, suggesting that these efforts are an attempt to boost stagnant sales.

He emphasised that the EV industry should prioritise investment in supply chains and manufacturing technology over marketing. “I see some EV companies trying to make ‘cute’ ads in a bid to grow their stagnant sales.”

He further said, “Pro tip for them: Electric vehicles is a supply chain and manufacturing business. Save the marketing and sales ₹₹ and invest it into supply chains and tech to lower your product costs."

Bhavish Aggarwal is no stranger to sharing his views on industry practices and work culture. Recently, he supported Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy's suggestion for a 70-hour workweek for young professionals. In an interview, Aggarwal praised Murthy's return to Infosys in 2013 to address significant challenges, highlighting the impact of strong leadership.

"I fully align with Murthy's direction to the youth," Aggarwal said. He noted the contributions of Murthy and Nandan Nilekani, another Infosys co-founder, who returned in a non-executive chairman role and helped drive the company's growth. Aggarwal sees a similar ongoing commitment in his entrepreneurial journey, where emotional and strategic involvement remains crucial despite delegating day-to-day operations to professional management.

I see some EV companies trying to make ‘cute’ ads in a bid to grow their stagnant sales.

Pro tip for them: Electric vehicles is a supply chain and manufacturing business. Save the marketing and sales ₹₹ and invest it into supply chains and tech to lower your product costs.

— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) July 12, 2024

In addition to his opinions on work culture and marketing strategies, Aggarwal has been advocating for made-in-India products. Recently, he announced a move away from Google Maps, encouraging developers and users to adopt Ola Maps. This shift is supported by Ola's AI firm, Krutrim, offering over ₹100 crore in free credits to developers.

Aggarwal's push for Ola Maps follows the company's exit from Microsoft Azure, aiming to develop a more localised and efficient mapping solution tailored to India's unique needs.