Nada Nada: When Tata Motors Made Onam About Moving Forward Together

July 2025. As Kerala prepared for its most cherished festival, Onam, Tata Motors launched a campaign that did something remarkable—it didn't just sell cars; it celebrated the spirit of moving forward together. "Kerala Comes Together with Tata Motors" wasn't your typical festive discount advertisement. It was a love letter to Kerala, set to one of Malayalam music's most beloved anthems, acknowledging a relationship between brand and state that goes deeper than commerce.

The Significance of Kerala to Tata

When Vivek Srivatsa, Chief Commercial Officer at Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said "Kerala has always been a vital market for Tata Motors and holds special significance for the Tata Group," he wasn't exaggerating. The relationship between Tata and Kerala has been forged through both prosperity and crisis.

That significance was proven most powerfully in August 2018, when catastrophic floods devastated Kerala—the worst the state had faced in nearly a century. While the 2025 Onam campaign celebrated togetherness through commerce, the true depth of Tata's connection to Kerala had been demonstrated seven years earlier through action, not advertising.

When Crisis Revealed Character

The August 2018 floods caused massive destruction across all 14 districts of Kerala. Over 489 people died, approximately 1.25 million people were displaced into relief camps, and the government even cancelled Onam celebrations that year, reallocating festival funds to relief efforts. It was possibly the biggest tragedy the state had faced in recent times.

The Tata Group's response was immediate and comprehensive. Under the leadership of Tata Sustainability Group, they deployed full-fledged teams to provide relief and rehabilitation across affected areas. They mobilized three mobile Reverse Osmosis units from Hyderabad, supplied over 200,000 litres of safe drinking water to approximately 6,500 households across Kochi, Alleppey, Wayanad and Idukki between August 19 and September 5, 2018, and operationalized two "Water from Air" units with support from Israel-based WaterGen Technologies.

Tata Motors specifically provided three water tankers with a capacity of 2,000 litres each to strengthen distribution and make delivery accessible to interior pockets. Medical teams conducted camps and home visits. Volunteers trekked through heavily forested areas carrying supplies, even building temporary bamboo bridges to reach tribal settlements cut off by destroyed infrastructure.

This wasn't a marketing initiative. This was corporate citizenship at its finest—the kind that builds relationships money can't buy.

Seven Years Later: A Celebration Earned

Fast forward to July 2025. Tata Motors launched its exclusive Onam campaign, valid from July 25 to September 30, 2025, offering special benefits up to ₹2,00,000 on passenger and electric vehicles with priority deliveries. But the campaign was never just about the discounts.

The regional campaign titled "Kerala Comes Together with Tata Motors" was deeply rooted in local sentiment and cultural understanding. Srivatsa explained: "Onam is the most important festival for our customers here, and we are committed to making this celebration even more meaningful. This year's festive campaign is designed to enhance the overall buying experience with attractive cash offers, easy financing options, and priority deliveries—ensuring a delightful journey for our customers."

The Song That Made It Resonate

Central to the campaign's emotional impact was the use of "Nada Nada" by Avial—an iconic Malayalam track that holds special place in Kerala's cultural consciousness. The song's message to "keep moving forward" resonated deeply with the spirit of Onam and the state's own journey of resilience.

The campaign film followed relatable moments leading up to Onam—each made possible and more meaningful with a Tata car in the frame. Whether it's the rush of errands or a long-awaited airport pickup, the car became an enabler of celebration and togetherness. The use of "Nada Nada" didn't just add local flavor; it elevated the narrative with powerful cultural relevance.

This wasn't generic festive advertising localized with regional language. This was a campaign that understood Kerala's soul—its music, its values, its journey.

Beyond Advertising: Infrastructure Commitment

What differentiated this campaign from typical festive promotions was Tata Motors' tangible commitment to Kerala beyond the advertisement. As part of offering a seamless ownership experience, the company had scaled up its service footprint across Kerala with 1,200 passenger vehicle bays across 83 workshops in 62 cities—ensuring an upgraded modern workshop within 30 minutes of drive time.

The brand offered real-time technical support through its Central Diagnostics Command Centre for faster diagnostics and service. To further support EV adoption in the region, Tata Motors set up a dedicated EV battery repair center in Kochi. Additionally, a digitally-enabled Roadside Assistance program ensured 60 minutes response in cities and 90 minutes on highways with real-time tracking and industry-best on-site repair capabilities.

These weren't campaign promises—they were operational realities that existed before the advertisement aired. The Onam campaign simply highlighted infrastructure that was already serving Kerala's customers.

The Financial Accessibility Strategy

Understanding Kerala's diverse economic landscape, Tata Motors introduced flexible financing schemes designed for different customer needs. Customers could avail Balloon Schemes enabling low initial EMIs for easier upgrades, Step-Up Schemes providing progressive EMIs tuned to income raises, and Low EMI Schemes offering just ₹100 per lakh for the first three months.

For EV customers specifically, 6-month financing was available for accessories, extended warranty, AMC, and service repair, making EV ownership more accessible. These weren't peripheral offers—they were thoughtfully designed financial products that acknowledged real barriers to vehicle ownership and addressed them systematically.

The Emotional Core

"This Onam, Tata Motors invites every household in Kerala to move forward—together—with a new car, a powerful emotion, and a celebration that begins long before the festival day," the campaign messaging stated. This framing transformed vehicle purchase from transaction into participation in collective celebration.

The campaign sought to go beyond promotions and become part of Kerala's collective festive memory. It acknowledged that the true spirit of Onam lives in pre-festival rituals and journeys—the errands, the preparations, the anticipation. By positioning Tata cars as enablers of these meaningful moments, the brand wove itself into the fabric of celebration.

The "One Tata" Philosophy in Action

The 2018 flood response and the 2025 Onam campaign, though separated by seven years and vastly different in nature, both exemplified the "One Tata" philosophy. During the crisis, various Tata companies—Titan, Tata Projects, Tata Motors, Tata Trusts—came together in coordinated response. The Onam campaign similarly positioned Tata Motors not as standalone company but as representative of the Tata Group's relationship with Kerala.

This consistency in approach—whether responding to crisis or celebrating festivals—builds the kind of brand equity that transcends individual campaigns. Kerala wasn't just a market; it was a relationship built over decades and proven in moments that mattered.

Five Lessons From Tata Motors' Kerala Connection

1. Relationships Are Built in Crisis, Celebrated in Joy

Tata's 2018 flood response gave the 2025 Onam campaign credibility it couldn't have earned through advertising alone. The brand's right to celebrate with Kerala was earned through showing up when needed most. The lesson: brands that demonstrate commitment during difficult times earn permission to participate in celebrations. Commerce works best when built on foundation of genuine care. You can't buy the goodwill Tata earned in 2018—you can only deserve it through action.

2. Cultural Authenticity Requires Deep Understanding

Using "Nada Nada" wasn't just licensing a popular song—it was selecting an anthem whose message of moving forward resonated with both Onam's spirit and Kerala's post-flood resilience journey. The lesson: cultural marketing succeeds when it demonstrates genuine understanding of what symbols mean to people, not just surface-level recognition of what's popular. Authenticity shows in choices that reveal cultural literacy beyond market research.

3. Infrastructure Speaks Louder Than Advertising

The campaign highlighted 1,200 service bays, 83 workshops, dedicated EV repair centers, and roadside assistance—tangible commitments that existed independent of the campaign. The lesson: the strongest festive campaigns showcase year-round commitment rather than season-specific offers. When you can point to operational infrastructure that serves customers daily, festive advertising becomes celebration of existing relationship rather than creation of new one.

4. Financial Products Show Customer-Centric Thinking

Balloon schemes, step-up EMIs, and ₹100/lakh initial payments weren't generic discounts—they were thoughtfully designed solutions addressing specific barriers to vehicle ownership. The lesson: true customer-centricity means understanding what prevents purchase and designing products that solve those specific problems. Generic discounts feel transactional; tailored financial solutions feel like partnership in achieving aspirations.

5. Brand Purpose Requires Consistency Across Contexts

From disaster relief to festive celebration, Tata Motors maintained consistent positioning as enabler of Kerala's progress and togetherness. The lesson: brand purpose must remain coherent whether responding to crisis, celebrating festivals, or conducting daily operations. Purpose-driven marketing fails when purpose appears only in campaigns but disappears from operations. Consistency across contexts builds belief that values are genuine, not performative.

The Bigger Picture: Brands as Community Members

What distinguished Tata Motors' Kerala connection was its refusal to position itself as mere vendor. Through flood relief that saved lives and festive campaigns that celebrated culture, through service infrastructure that enabled mobility and financial products that enabled ownership, Tata positioned itself as community member—one with resources and responsibility to contribute meaningfully.

This positioning is increasingly important in Indian marketing. Consumers, especially younger ones, expect brands to play roles beyond commerce. They want to know: What does this brand stand for? How does it contribute to community? What happens when things go wrong?

Tata Motors' answer to Kerala was consistent: We show up. In crisis, in celebration, in daily service needs—we're here, moving forward together.

Conclusion: Keep Moving Forward

"Nada Nada"—keep moving forward—wasn't just campaign soundtrack. It was philosophy that defined both Tata's relationship with Kerala and Kerala's own journey. After the devastating 2018 floods that cancelled Onam celebrations, the state moved forward. After pandemic disruptions, economic challenges, and ongoing struggles with development and environment balance, Kerala keeps moving forward.

And in 2025, as Onam returned in full celebration, Tata Motors was there—not as opportunistic vendor but as longtime companion, invited to the feast because they'd proven themselves family.

The campaign succeeded because it reflected reality: Kerala and Tata had already been moving forward together for decades. The 2018 floods crystallized that relationship; the 2025 Onam campaign simply celebrated it with the recognition it deserved.

Sometimes the most powerful marketing isn't about convincing people of something new. It's about celebrating something that's already true, giving people language and imagery to recognize bonds that already exist.

"Kerala Comes Together with Tata Motors" worked because Kerala already had. The campaign was simply invitation to acknowledge it, celebrate it, and continue moving forward—nada nada—together.