Paramjeet Singh Mehta of ASUS India on crafting contextual marketing for Gen Z and millennial consumers
A college student sits in a cafe, rapidly switching between editing a video project, checking class notes and messaging friends. Next to him, a young professional alternates between spreadsheets and a side-hustle design project. Both represent India's new generation of tech consumers; always connected, multitasking, and increasingly perceptive about the devices that power their hybrid lives.
It is precisely this audience that ASUS India is targeting with its marketing approach, one that prioritises contextual relevance over constant visibility in an era of information overload.
"One insight I believe every marketer in the tech space should be paying close attention to is contextual marketing instead of constant marketing," emphasises Paramjeet Singh Mehta, Product and Marketing Head of ASUS India. "In today's world, it's easy to chase numbers, meet metrics and being everywhere is the ultimate goal, but with a generation that is always on display, especially Gen-Z, are increasingly tuning out of the noise."
This comes at a time when India's PC market is set for robust growth, projected to grow by 6% in 2025. According to IDC data, ASUS held a 7% market share in 2024, ranking fifth among PC vendors despite experiencing a 7.8% year-over-year decline. The brand has maintained this position through careful channel inventory management but has plans to grow by 30% in 2025, driven by increasing demand for AI-enabled PCs, gaming devices and content creation machines.
Segmented marketing strategy
The brand's approach is influenced by the shifting consumer behaviour in India's maturing PC market. Mehta notes that India's PC and gaming market has matured, with Gen Z and millennials driving a shift toward value- and experience-led buying. He continues, "While price was once the main factor, today's consumers prioritise meaningful features, reliable performance, and strong brand credibility."
To address these evolving preferences, ASUS has crafted a carefully segmented portfolio. The Vivobook line targets students, young professionals, and first-time laptop buyers seeking style and affordability. The premium Zenbook series caters to users valuing sophistication and high-end design. The Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand represents ASUS's flagship performance offerings for gamers and tech enthusiasts, and ProArt serves creative professionals with specialised tools for content creation workflows.
Through this segmentation strategy, the brand reaches out to its customer base of over 55% of its non-gaming PC users between 15-35 years old, and over 70% in the gaming segment.
The brand's marketing efforts extend beyond traditional advertising to include strategic celebrity partnerships that resonate with specific audience segments. The recent collaboration with Tiger Shroff for the ASUS Vivobook 14 Flip reflects its approach. The campaign shows Shroff using Vivobook 14 Flip’s various modes for a range of purposes.
"The objective behind this partnership is to speak to young, ambitious and digitally driven audiences who seek devices that match their pace and lifestyle," Mehta shares. "With Tiger as the face of this campaign, we wanted to celebrate the spirit of bold expression, innovation and seamless transitions much like the Vivobook 14 Flip itself."
Previously, ASUS has worked with personalities like The Great Khali for its TUF gaming laptops, which focused on emphasising durability and performance and influencers like Bhuvan Bam for its ‘ITS ROG!’ campaign, highlighting features for its gaming laptop and also featured Ronit Roy in ‘Khelon Ka Pitara’ campaign, aiming to encourage millennials to rekindle their passion for gaming and bridge the generational gap with their kids.
Each collaboration is strategically chosen to align with the brand positioning for specific product lines.
Focus on building communities
Through all these efforts, ASUS’s marketing invests in community building. Rather than relying solely on conventional marketing, the brand has developed properties like ProArt Meet and 'Beyond Incredible with ASUS' event series for creators, and ROG Showdown gaming tournaments for the gaming community.
"We understand that a community play also ensures brand loyalty amongst Gen-Z and millennials," Mehta says.
For gaming enthusiasts, ROG Showdown features tournaments for popular titles like PUBG and Valorant, while ROG Academy nurtures professional gaming talent through training and mentorship. For content creators, ProArt Labs offers specialised insights and tools to enhance their craft.
ASUS's media allocation reflects the digital-first nature of its target audience while maintaining crucial touchpoints across the consumer journey. 30% of its marketing budget is dedicated to end-user affordability programs. Of the remaining 70%, approximately 90% is directed toward digital platforms, with 15-20% targeting e-tailer platforms like Flipkart and Amazon, and 20% allocated to influencer marketing. Offline channels remain important through retail visibility and in-store branding.
Mehta emphasises that this mix isn't just about presence across channels but creating a consistent and relevant ASUS experience wherever the consumer interacts with it.
In its product development and marketing, ASUS has taken a nuanced approach to positioning AI capabilities. Rather than making AI the centrepiece of its messaging, the brand presents it as an enabler that enhances user experience.
"For us at ASUS, we believe that AI is an enabler and an important integration across all our products," explains Mehta. "We have been bringing forth AI-powered PCs since 2024, and with every launch, we aspire to expand the use cases to ensure ease for our users."
According to its projections, the AI PC market share in India is expected to grow from 5% to 25-30% as more affordable devices enter the market. The brand has developed a three-tier framework of ‘Everyday AI, Next Level AI, and Advanced AI’ to ensure meaningful innovations across user segments.
On the retail front, it recently crossed the milestone of 300 exclusive stores in India, expanding to over 320 locations, with plans to have stores in all 700+ districts by 2026, extending even to taluka levels. This physical expansion is backed by quick commerce partnerships with platforms like Zepto and Swiggy Instamart.
"The idea behind having a well-entrenched retail network across the country is that we understand that Indians like to experience a product before investing," Mehta explains. This omnichannel approach helps it reach today's consumers across multiple touchpoints.
Younger consumers aren't just looking for specifications but for solutions that address real-life problems. By tailoring marketing efforts to provide contextual relevance rather than simply pushing product features, the brand aims to cut through the digital noise and build meaningful connections with India's next generation of PC buyers.
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