From Commutes to Conversations: Hitachi’s EV Bus Branding in Surat Sparks Sustainable Brand Recall! A case study by Excellent Publicity

Hitachi on the Move: How EV Buses in Surat Carried More Than Just Passengers

Hitachi’s been around long enough that people think they know it. A dependable name. Solid products. Quiet confidence. However, here’s the thing: brands like Hitachi can’t simply rely on history to stay in people’s minds. Cities change. People change.

So when the team decided it was time to refresh visibility in Surat, they didn’t go for another static hoarding or the usual mall screens. They went for something that would move. Literally.

Electric buses. Not just because they’re visible, but because they’re… well, a statement. Modern. Clean. A small nod to the future every time they pass by.

Who are we Talking About?

Hitachi’s a global brand in technology and lifestyle solutions, spanning everything from infrastructure and energy to your everyday home appliances. More than a hundred years of doing this, and they’ve built a reputation that sticks..

The Problem They Were Solving

Cities like Surat? They’re noisy. Not just sound, but visual noise too. You’ve got billboards stacked on billboards, banners, digital screens, every brand elbowing for space.

For Hitachi, two issues stood out:

How do you keep people recognising your brand when everything’s fighting for their attention?

How do you say “we’re modern and sustainable” without it sounding like you copied it from a press release?

The goal wasn’t to shout louder. It was to be there often enough that people just… remembered.

The Thought Behind the Move

EV buses ticked all the boxes: they’re mobile, they’re green, and they cut across every part of the city. The idea wasn’t complicated; sometimes the smartest ideas aren’t.

Pick routes that matter – Not just main roads, but those sneaky connectors that touch residential areas, markets, and office clusters.

Let the bus be part of the message – Its eco-friendly nature already aligned with the brand; the design simply underlined it.

Keep the design bold but not loud – Something that catches your eye at a glance but doesn’t scream for it.

How It Played Out?

The campaign wasn’t a one-and-done. These buses became part of people’s routines. Morning commute? There’s an EV bus with a brand name, Hitachi. Quick grocery run? Another one passes by. Stuck in traffic? Guess what’s in the lane next to you.

The entire branding setup had the look and feel of being extremely pristine: Hitachi colors, clean fonts, carefully chosen words without a single word cluttering the whole design.

What Changed?

While not giving away exact figures, here’s what came out of it:

Hitachi popped up in parts of Surat where it hadn’t had much presence before.

More people started connecting the brand with modern, green innovation.

The Takeaway

The Surat EV Bus Branding wasn’t flashy for the sake of it. It was consistent, it was visible, and it matched what the brand stands for. Hitachi didn’t just rent ad space; they joined the city’s daily flow.

And maybe that’s the lesson here: sometimes being part of people’s routine is the most powerful kind of marketing.