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Knowledge centre for MBA students. |
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Marketing Hosiery: Some Insights B. Kanishwarya In India, the inner wear market is segmented between the
organised and unorganised sector. Innerwear ceased to remain a utility item
in the 80s. However, with change in lifestyles and better buying power,
consumers have become more selective and demanding. And this has resulted in
branded wear gaining ground. During the past few years, there has been a significant
rise in corporate interest towards the inner wear segment for various
reasons. One of the reason being the huge domestic market that today demands
for better quality products and also the growing export prospects, especially
to Europe. Companies like the Chennai based Tatia group that have realised
this are cashing onto it and are proving to be a front-runner for many a
company that wishes to diversify into this. In earlier days discussions on inner wear was taboo,
usually confined to the mother and daughter but today all this has changed.
Inner wear is increasingly being looked upon as a fashion accessory. What
with inspiration from our dream merchants in Bollywood, who display an array
of tantalising inner wear probably prompting our men and women to demand the
same from their companions. The future of the inner wear market looks hot and positive
as more MNCs are stepping into the arena with their unparalleled marketing
strategies and their latest product range that is in tune with fashion trends
the world over. But the undergarment sector in India, till recently was
one of the few markets that did not witness the entry of multinationals.
However, with globalisation of the Indian economy, international innerwear
giants like Jockey International Inc. and VF (Vanity Fair) Corporation have
entered Indian markets. Thus, the market, with the entry of new brands is set
for a buoyant trend. Also the role of the media cannot be ignored. With
globalisation came magazines like Elle, Cosmopolitan, Playboy, Vogue to name
a few that showed Indians to pay equal attention to the inner side as well as
the outside. Then come the various beauty contests and manhunt shows,
where our folks sashay down the ramp dressed in their scantiest for that
glittering piece of metal. And in the process serve as inspirational material
to scores of dreamers. So popular are these contests and shows that inner
wear companies have started launching their product range at exclusive
lingerie shows like the one by Liberblu Enterprises for launching Liberti
World. Aptly titled Passion for Fashion, many a guests that night would have
taken a deep breath and wowed to add to their shopping lists. In a market like that of India, where competition is on
the up trend, the role of effective communication plays a vital role (apart from
design innovations, quality and distribution) in making the brand a success.
Below are discussed some of the ad strategies in marketing hosiery in the
Indian market. The Fairy Story Vanity Fair, a premium lingerie brand from the US-based VF
Corporation has entered the top end of the Indian market for women's
undergarments. Vanity Fair is trying to get India's upper-middle class women
hooked to the idea of buying world class lingerie at world-class prices. For
Vanity Fair, the target audience is not buyers of local brands; but, the
urban, affluent women who know about foreign lingerie. The other potential
buyer segment is that of to-be-weds. The company also plans to target men, who are expected to
buy lingerie as gifts for their wives or girl-friends. The companys
promotional plans include credit card offers through direct mail. The company has targeted the brand at the upwardly mobile
modern young women. The company has positioned Vanity Fair as a brand for
young women from the very beginning. Comfort and product superiority are
reflected in the advertising, which drives home the message that wearing
Vanity Fair is a tactile and sensuous experience. The VIP Strategy VIP Umbrella - Brat, Frenchie, Beny, Designer, Nawab,
Bonus, Feelings and Flora. Through its VIP brand, Maxwell Apparels has put the
intimate clothing category on a branded platform. A number of strategic moves
won it leadership in this new market, which it created. The company has retained its leadership in the market through
the following techniques: The company pushed the concept of branded underwear, the
medias being radio, press ads and TV commercials. To justify branding of its underwear, the company had to
establish a perceivable difference in its products. Quality was the biggest
factor at the time, which could be used as a marked point of reference. So,
the company went for backward integration by setting up of a new processing
unit to take care of the dyeing and bleaching processes; and to maintain the
quality of elastics, Microtex Industries was set up. Further, a spinning mill
was also set up by the company. A good distribution network through wholesalers and
retailers was activated. To sum, design innovation, along with quality-oriented
backward integration and distribution innovation helped establish VIP. Also
VIP resorted to unorthodox advertising like the commercial in which the lady
on a shopping expedition chased by a youth is rescued by her husband in a VIP
Frenchie and nothing else . This was bold and unorthodox advertising during
the 80s when no manufacturer would risk such an exposure towards his product
but for VIP it turned the companys Frenchie bikini briefs into a best seller.
Further, the company has learnt the art of leveraging
brand value constantly to stay ahead. Every time the competition caught up,
it created a new value for its brand, without losing the old one and
introduced newer designs thus ensuring that its consumer base was intact. Dora: For Everyone Dora changed its business approach when the hosiery
industry moved into the branding mode with increased competition. Doras advertising communication had a wide field to cover:
cities, small towns and secondary metros. Magazines were flooded with Dora ads,
being the ideal medium for innerwear advertising. For ladies wear, they
advertised in magazines ranging from Savvy to Grihashobha, and for menswear,
right from Filmikaliyan to Manohar Kahaniyan to India Today. The company developed independent brands to suit every
income segment and varying tastes. Doras brands: Pocketwala, Trend, Arrow,
Cute, Ribco, Simi and Lehar. To maintain its stronghold, a new jingle for radio - a
tried and tested method for instant brand recall - was developed. A strong
distribution network numbering 175, and a 17500 retailer network is another
strength of the company. You : Different form the rest TTKs You ads at the initial launch, did not show the
product, since the company and the ad agency felt that Indian women do not
like to see underwear in an ad, it downgrades the image of the brand. The
advertising is more emotional, showing the different moods of women. The
visual is trying to create the imagery while the copy gives the rational
reason to buy the product. However, the present ads of you do show the
product. Thus as the industry is hotting up and consumers becoming
more demanding inner wear in India is all set for a new avatar, breaking many
beliefs and giving shape to many a figure and dreams. |
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