Q] While 2025 is evolving with many marketing trends and strategies, how is Motilal Oswal keeping up? What financial or marketing strategies are you adopting?
As they say, ‘the more we change, the more the world changes - the more it remains the same’. While some trends make investing seem drastically different, the fundamentals remain consistent. What’s changing is the influx of new investors, often with little knowledge, who follow superficial trends. A key trend is ‘easier is better,’ people now prefer simplified explanations without much depth, making investing feel more casual.
At the same time, demand for credible guidance is growing. Motilal Oswal bridges this gap with solid, accessible knowledge. On the broking side, we offer personalised recommendations; on the AMC side, high-conviction growth portfolios; and on the private wealth side, growth opportunities built on enduring advisor relationships. Our ‘One MO’ approach ensures customers benefit from a cohesive capital market entity covering investing, listings, institutional equities, and private equity.
Q] There is a notable lack of financial education in India. How is Motilal Oswal bridging this gap through communication strategies?
The focus is on accessibility. ‘Simpler is better’, we simplify concepts and present them in snackable formats, often in local languages. Vernacular content is key; a recent SEBI study suggests that searches for investing-related content in Hindi is nine times higher than in English. The industry has largely produced content in English, something we are actively changing. Formats like Reels are easy to consume and gain strong traction. Our goal is to share knowledge across formats, making it accessible, engaging, and relevant for everyone.
Q] The ‘Indian Market in Minutes’ and ‘Kishore Narne’s Expert Market Guide’ fit well into your overall strategy. How are they performing, and what results have you seen?
These are great examples of packaging knowledge in a way that’s easy and palatable for the audience. ‘Indian Market in Minutes’ is seeing huge organic traction, with strong view-through rates and high ratings. ‘Kishore Narne’s Expert Market Guide’ especially with the current commodity tailwinds, is also performing extremely well. To reach the right audience, we launched a dedicated channel called ‘Markets with MO’ for snackable, knowledge-driven content, which is also seeing strong organic traction. We track metrics such as reach within the target audience, click-through rates, followers, engagement, and organic traffic. We also measure hard outcomes such as new account additions and transactions. Each format is monitored closely to decide whether to continue, adapt, or retire it based on performance.
Q] You have launched the RIISE app. Can you tell us more about it, its performance and the insight behind it?
RIISE isn’t a new app; it has been around for some time. The recent humor-based campaign brought it into focus, highlighting our phygital approach - combining digital and physical strengths. The ads, like the one where a dog chooses a gift, communicate the message clearly: ‘If you’re not getting the right advice, come to Motilal Oswal.’ The light, reel-style storytelling strongly resonated with today’s audience. The campaign drove over 20% growth in new Demat account openings, higher organic website traffic, more app downloads, and a rise in active users. Margin accounts also increased as more customers began transacting through the RIISE app - marking the campaign as a major success.
Q] How does Motilal Oswal allocate investments across traditional, digital, and OOH advertising, and can you give an overview of ad spends?
We view spending as a balance between brand building and performance marketing - roughly 40% brand and 60% performance - with a gradual shift toward performance to bridge gaps left by oversimplified influencer content. Digital is prioritised as audiences spend over five hours daily on mobile, while OOH and print maintain strong recall. We also invest in the middle and bottom of the funnel while keeping brand building central. Exact numbers aren’t disclosed, but we spend a healthy high-digit percentage of revenue to strengthen credibility, trust, and knowledge gaps.
Q] Many brands are targeting Gen Z as the future of investments. Is Motilal Oswal doing anything different for this section?
We use a segmentation approach, serving investors from 19 to 70+. The 45+ group is particularly profitable due to larger capital and loyalty, while many new investors are Gen Z and millennials with distinct content preferences. Grandparents may prefer newspapers, parents lean toward TV or YouTube, while younger investors turn to Instagram. Our audience is largely self-segmented, allowing us to tailor both the messaging and the formats effectively. Gen Z and millennials form a significant share of new accounts, so we focus on engaging them thoughtfully.
Q] Beyond customer data analysis, how is Motilal Oswal using AI for marketing or communication strategies?
We’re actively using generative AI for mass customization of creatives, including copy, visuals, static content, and videos. We’re also experimenting with AI-generated videos at scale, enabling personalized deployment for each user. On the advisory front, AI analyses a customer’s background, investment history, strengths, weaknesses, and life stage, helping advisors deliver faster and more precise recommendations. Overall, AI is enhancing personalization and improving the quality of both our communication and advice.
Q] Do you integrate campaigns across digital platforms, and also invest in experiential marketing?
Yes, every campaign follows a full-funnel approach—covering awareness to conversion. Along with digital and social media, we invest in experiential marketing through college connect programs, investor education sessions, customer and distributor meets. While digital dominates as audiences spend over five hours a day on mobile, on-ground engagement remains key. These initiatives strengthen brand recall by blending online reach with human connection and trust-building.
Q] In a crowded market where every brand invests in marketing, how does Motilal Oswal stand out?
Our differentiation lies in strong research and personalised advice. While many focus on seamless UI/UX and easy transactions, we prioritize guidance backed by insights. Every Demat account comes with access to our in-house research and a dedicated advisor who offers tailored investment recommendations. We also create relevant, snackable content to communicate that true investing success comes from expert guidance and trust. On the AMC side, our strength lies in growth investing with high-conviction portfolios of around 25 stocks, unlike typical funds with 70–90 stocks, which demands deeper research but delivers greater impact. Across broking and asset management, we focus on meaningful engagement and an enriched investor experience.
PROFILE
Sandeep Walunj is the Group Chief Marketing Officer at Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOFSL), overseeing the marketing function across all group entities. Based out of Motilal Oswal Towers, he brings over 26 years of experience in Marketing, Digital, Product, and Innovation, with a proven track record in the BFSI, Retail, and FMCG sectors
A PGDM graduate from IIM Ahmedabad, Sandeep has held key leadership positions in prominent organizations, including Nippon India Life Asset Management, Big Bazaar, PepsiCo India Holdings, and Reckitt Benckiser. His expertise spans developing strategic marketing initiatives, driving digital transformation, and leading product innovation across diverse industries.
ABOUT THE BRAND
MOFSL is a financial services company. Its offerings include Wealth Management, Capital Markets (Institutional broking & Investment banking), Asset & Wealth Management (Asset Management, Alternates & Wealth Management), Housing Finance & Equity based treasury investments. MOFSL employs 13,250+ employees serving to 13.6 mn+ clients via distribution reach in 550+ cities. MOFSL has Assets Under Advice (AUA) of Rs. ~6.5 Lakh Crs.
FACTS
Creative Agency: Cultivate Design
PR Agency: Concept PR
