Defender Launches India’s First Luxury Automotive Anamorphic Display

Defender has become the first luxury automotive brand in India to activate an anamorphic display, installing a large-scale 3D digital experience at the Atrium in Phoenix Palladium, Lower Parel, Mumbai, from 20 to 22 February. The activation marks a notable moment in how luxury car brands are using immersive digital formats to capture attention in high-footfall urban spaces.

The installation featured a 35ft x 16ft LED screen designed to create a striking anamorphic illusion. Using perspective-driven 3D visuals, the content made the Defender appear to emerge out of the screen, reinforcing the vehicle’s bold design language and off-road positioning. The creative and technical execution of the anamorphic content was developed in collaboration with Inventech, a Laqshya Media Group company.

Anamorphic advertising relies on spatial modelling and precise visual calibration to generate a depth illusion when viewed from a specific angle. While widely seen in global markets such as New York, Seoul and Tokyo, the format is still nascent in India’s luxury automotive category. By adopting the medium, Defender signals a shift toward experience-led brand storytelling rather than traditional static out-of-home displays.

The activation was not limited to Mumbai. The anamorphic content was also rolled out across major Indian cities including Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai from 21 February, expanding the footprint of the campaign beyond a single location. This multi-city approach indicates how premium automotive brands are increasingly integrating digital OOH with broader urban marketing strategies.

Rajan Amba, Managing Director, JLR India, described the initiative as an extension of the brand’s legacy. “Defender has a tremendous following and aspirational value in India stemming from its iconic heritage and off-road legacy that continues to inspire admiration across generations. Bringing India’s first luxury automotive anamorphic display to life is a natural extension of this legacy,” he said.

From the global brand perspective, Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, framed the activation as a convergence of innovation and storytelling. “This activation is not merely a showcase of an iconic 4x4; it’s a statement of how innovation, creativity and experiential storytelling can converge to redefine engagement in luxury automotive,” he noted.

Alok Jalan, CMD, Laqshya Media Group, highlighted the technical precision required for such executions. “Anamorphic storytelling calls for precision in spatial modelling, perspective calibration and LED optimisation. Through Inventech, we executed the entire production pipeline in-house, delivering a high-end immersive experience entirely from India,” he said.

For the advertising ecosystem, the move underscores how digital out-of-home (DOOH) is evolving beyond media placement into spectacle. Luxury automotive brands, in particular, are using immersive formats to mirror the premium positioning of their products. In high-income catchments such as Lower Parel, where malls double as lifestyle destinations, such activations blur the line between retail environment and brand theatre.

For consumers, the installation offered a shareable, visually arresting moment aligned with social-first behaviour. Anamorphic displays often generate secondary visibility through user-generated content, extending impact beyond physical footfall.

The Defender activation illustrates how luxury marketing in India is shifting toward high-impact, tech-enabled experiences that emphasise presence and storytelling. As digital screens become more sophisticated and urban audiences more visually conditioned, immersive formats are likely to become a stronger part of premium brand playbooks.