Schneider Electric Targets IPL to Boost Lauritz Knudsen Brand

Schneider Electric's premium electrical and automation solutions brand Lauritz Knudsen was named Principal Partner of the Mumbai Indians for two seasons of the Indian Premier League 2025 and 2026. Just seven months after its rebranding from L&T Switchgear, a time-honored brand acquired by Schneider Electric in 2020, this strategic partnership is considered a major milestone for Lauritz Knudsen.

The conglomerate took to all marketing channels to create awareness regarding Lauritz Knudsen after a brand rebrand in May 2024. Rajat Abbi, global marketing head for India and chief marketing officer of Schneider Electric, explains that they immediately launched a huge 360-degree campaign behind this subsidiary in both rural and urban markets.

This involves a partnership with Kaun Banega Crorepati, in addition to profound digital spends and below-the-line initiatives.

Abbi stated, “Our integrated marketing approach believes in engaging our target audiences by leveraging the right marketing touch points. We also rolled out a series of campaigns in rural areas on digital, partnering with Meta, Google, and other platforms.”

Lauritz Knudsen is targeting a huge audience, crossing over 68 million micro, small, and medium businesses, agricultural sector, large companies, and government agencies, as well as households.

According to Abbi, the partnership with Mumbai Indians is another milestone in the brand’s marketing journey.

“The IPL partnership with the Mumbai Indians is the next step. In India, cricket is something that unites millions and billions of people, and there is no better team than the Mumbai Indians for us to partner with because Lawrence Knudsen also has its roots in Mumbai. It’s just a natural fit,” he added.

Digital-first, consumer-centric media strategy

"Digital adoption is accelerating at an unprecedented pace," Abbi highlighted. "We're witnessing a fundamental shift in how consumers interact with brands, particularly in the electrical solutions space. Voice search, WhatsApp for Business, and extensive online research have become critical touchpoints for our audience," he added.

The digital strategy of the brand is especially attuned to the demographic dividend of India. This country holds a median age of about 28 years, having a young and tech-savvy population, which apparently has been consuming the available content on different kinds of digital platforms. Lauritz Knudsen has placed itself wisely to capture this digital-native population.

Investment and expansion strategy

This significant financial investment is part of a very aggressive marketing strategy. Lauritz Knudsen has earmarked almost Rs 850 crore for investments in the Indian market.

The company has gained remarkable popularity in India's electrical solutions space and has established itself in several cities and towns.

Abbi explained, "We are not a niche brand that only wants to be targeted in a few cities in India. We want to be—and already are—one of the biggest electrical players in the country, with one of the widest reach and depth across India."

Strategically, the company takes a comprehensive approach of market coverage going from metropolitan to rural areas. "We are already present across all leading cities, tier one, tier two, tier three, and beyond," Abbi notes. The comprehensive approach is prominent in the agriculture sector where the brand creates what Abbi calls "cult brands".

Further, Abbi highlighted, "Our ambition is to make Lauritz Knudsen the most recalled electrical brand in India. We want to educate consumers about our 70-year legacy and emphasise that while the name has changed, the trust and quality remain unchanged."