McDonald’s India (West and South) ropes in actress Rashmika Mandanna as brand ambassador

The fashion and apparel industry is one of the most volatile ones, especially in a world ruled by Gen Z & Alpha, who are constantly on social media. Apparel brands have to be on their toes to keep up with every new fashion trend, launching a new collection every time to keep up. 

One of the most recent launches was by Pepe Jeans, which tapped into the increasing trend of travelling or as the MD & CEO Manish Kapoor says, ‘going out’. The brand has increasingly been working to ensure that it is on the consumers' minds when they choose to travel or go out for any sort of experience.

Kapoor also shared how the industry has seen a massive shift in consumer behaviour, where marriage once was an ‘ethnic only’ occasion, but it is now seeing indo-western, as well as denim with blazers as highly preferred options.

“The consumer is evolving, and what they're realising is that for the same pair of apparel, there could be multiple uses. We as marketers, we as brands have also understood that psyche and we have expanded our portfolios,” he said in a recent interview with Exchange4media.

Edited excerpts:

Your most recent ‘Spring Summer Collection 2024’ has been stirring great conversations, especially with the word ‘Wanderlust’ being a key part of it. What birthed this idea?

I think for this, you have to go back to what the campaign is all about. We have been noticing this trend among our customers, wherein we saw that people today are looking at experiences. And when we are talking of experiences effectively, it's majorly about travelling, it's about going out.

And when we were thinking about this: How do you ensure that you come into the consumers' consideration while they're thinking about all these experiences?

And we have seen it, especially during the last twelve-odd months, apparel or fashion shopping per se, has taken a backseat. So the idea was to figure out how you get into their mind while they're thinking about all this. Hence we came up with a tagline, which was simple - "Take Me Somewhere."

What’s further in store for ‘Take Me Somewhere’, in terms of the media plan?

We’ll be taking the concept beyond the cliche digital media. So rather than being just on social or YouTube, we are getting into newer spaces. So if you make a travel booking, you will see us on MakeMyTrip.

If you are going to book, let's say, a dine-out experience on Zomato, you will see us on Zomato.

So those are some newer avenues that we are exploring since we need to be where our consumer is. For us, social media is not limited to Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. All these other apps are also an expression of being social and we want to be present there.

Going further, for Autumn Winter ‘24, our big focus will be on the Women's category, and you will see some great marketing action there in terms of celebrity and a lot of other things happening on that side.

With travel taking up a huge part of consumers’ lives and terms like discretionary spending becoming more and more common, what has the shift in consumer behaviour been like over the years, considering you have spent a large part of your career in the fashion & apparel industry?

The premium fashion space is more of a want than a need. Initially, if you looked at branded apparel, you would buy it more for the occasion rather than day-to-day wear. And then, you would have different brands for different sorts of occasions. 

It has evolved in a way that when you look at marriage as an occasion, everything had to be ethnic; it was not restricted to just the bride or the groom, but everybody around them. And then slowly, it started changing, because marriage is not a single function. It's like a three to five-day affair.

There are multiple functions, where now you could do Indo western at someplace. And it came down to a point wherein even denim with a blazer started becoming acceptable.

The consumer is evolving and realising that for the same pair of apparel, there could be multiple uses. We as marketers and brands have also understood that psyche, and we have expanded our portfolios in terms of how we can offer you wardrobe solutions that are not limited to one single occasion or category.

The term ‘athleisure’ has been picking up pace in the fashion industry over the past couple of years. What is the consumer demanding?

Athleisure has been a trend which has been there for almost five, or seven years. It started much before Covid gained a lot of traction during Covid. And now it's moving towards what we call utility. Very clearly, athleisure was a trend, now it is becoming a part of the wardrobe.

For example, sports started becoming acceptable as an area wherein people were looking at being fitter and they were embracing sports. And that's where sports apparel gained traction. But then people were looking at it as ‘I have a sporty lifestyle, and then how can I carry it outside of sports?’

So think of it like ‘I want to be sporty, but I want to go to a coffee shop’.

We have been doing athleisure for almost five odd years. It's a small line, and cannot become 50-60% of our business. But we do exceedingly well on that particular line. We have a line called Jim Indigo on denim, which is primarily knitted denim and a big proportion of our sales today comes from Jim Indigo. 35-36% of our denim sales come from Jim Indigo.

Overall, what demographic of people are your biggest customers?

If I look at the age group, the majority of our sales come from the age segment of 28 to 35. It's close to almost half of our sales. Another big chunk comes in from the age group of primarily 18 to 27, which has Gen Z also. Those are the guys who are shopping more online or interacting with us more digitally.

When I look at it from a geographic point of view, clearly the north contributes to almost 40-42% of our sales. This is because, the north is the only region which actually gets a pretty decent two and a half, three months of winter. So the higher proportion is also attributable to our strength in winter wear.

What share of your ad budget is digital media going to take up going forward this year?

The reality is that if I were to look at pure spends, it's going to become more like 60% digital and 40% traditional. But if I look at overall marketing, our spending on content will increase multifold. So out of a marketing dollar, if we were spending something like 4 or 5% on content, I think that will increase to 16-18%. So it will be an 11-12% jump.

Why the increased inclination to content?

Traditionally, a fashion business does a seasonal campaign, and that's about it. You put all your money onto it and run it probably for 45-60 days for the season. You start during the peak shopping time and then end it off. After that effectively, you are not speaking to the consumer much.

Today, the consumer wants to be spoken to effectively every day. A lot of it also needs to get personalised.

So let's say you are a female customer, you would always want inputs on what's new in women's wear, rather than athleisure or menswear. Effectively, if I am doing 800 options in a season, and I need to talk and create content for all the 800.

And then I say, okay, these hundred appeal to A, these 150 appeal to B, and then I start personalising these options. So I think that's the whole realisation wherein this change is happening.

You also have a presence across retail, marketplaces and D2C. How is the revenue split between the platforms?

Our revenue split is pretty even. 23-24% comes in from retail, 25% from e-commerce, 26% from the large format stores, and the balance 23% from regional departmental stores and multi-brand stores. D2C contributes to around 14% of our e-commerce revenue.

Where do you see your D2C business going in the next couple of years?

For us, retail is also D2C since we own that retail; I get real-time information. It is as good as any other D2C media. D2C is anything that helps to influence or control the consumer experience. That's where our focus is.

We are at almost 36% D2C at the moment. We want the business to be more like 55% D2C in the next three years.

MakeMyTrip’s latest campaign plays on the much-expounded benefits of ‘star power’ albeit with a twist, where the stars signed for the campaign never really show their face. 

The campaign comprises four films starring Bollywood's Bhidu - Jackie Shroff, the God of Dance - Prabhu Deva, and the 'Breathless' Grammy-winning singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan.

Each of these personalities are so distinct in their style, voice and attitude that anyone familiar with their work will recognise them even without seeing their face. MakeMyTrip plays on this insight to showcase the platform as the ‘Asli Star’ (real hero) of the campaign, highlighting the benefits of booking hotels and homestays on the platform. Jackie dada drops Shakespeare-sque gems about maximising on life’s experiences whether on a trip or beyond; Prabhu Deva shares his love for dancing with abandon especially when your hotel room has all the amenities conducive to it; and Shankar Mahadevan sings breathlessly to cover the myriad offers available on the platform.

A fourth film featuring two cricketing legends will go live later this week. Peppered into the ad films are inside jokes for the delight of true fans, and lovers of internet culture which audiences would love to keep their eyes peeled for. 

 Raj Rishi Singh, Chief Marketing Officer and CBO - Corporate, MakeMyTrip said, “When it comes to advertising, our goal is to keep upping the ante on the quirk-factor or the humour in our campaigns. Easily relatable situations, characters and people are brought into the fold of the brand’s communication but with a distinct MakeMyTrip edge. For this campaign too, we wanted to spotlight our fabulous hotels and homestays offerings with an equally fabulous star cast. It turns out that each of the personalities in our 4 films are real-life patrons of our platform. This information and their own distinct personal styles combined really brought our vision to fruition.” 

This creative campaign has been conceptualised by the creative agency Talented and directed by Suresh Triveni, Open Image and Radhika Produces Films. Pearl Alex, Creative, Talented said “How bold the client, and how humble the celebrity, who hears a concept like this and says yes! Credit to co-founder & CCO P.G. Aditya for not just the creative device, but also letting no one shy away from it. We wanted to work with talent who had stories & personalities bigger than their face value, and an even bigger heart to attempt this format. All the inside jokes and ‘was that really him?’ moments in each film were intentional for rewatchability. If you’re going to see an ad umpteen times, we may as well make it fun, giving you something new to spot each time!” 

The first three films are live on television and across all social platforms.

Slice® has teamed up with brand ambassador Kiara Advani to unveil its summer campaign 'Ras Aisa Ki Bas Na Chalega.' 

"This campaign aims to reinforce Slice®'s position as the ultimate companion for fulfilling insatiable mango cravings. Through a captivating brand film, it accentuates the irresistible mango charm that Slice® offers to its consumers, mirroring the unapologetic indulgence of biting into a juicy mango. The campaign peels back the layers of Slice®'s irresistible magic, transporting consumers to the luscious world of mango indulgence, where every sip is a journey without boundaries and inhibitions," said the brand in a press release. 

The film opens with Kiara Advani preparing to dazzle the ramp, her attention unexpectedly stolen by a Slice® bottle backstage. She grabs it, and in a surprising twist, a picture of a mango in the bottle comes alive and transforms into a real one.

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The TVC celebrates the unapologetic indulgence of biting into a juicy mango.

"With Slice®, it captures the essence of this irresistible journey, where inhibition is left behind, inviting consumers to dive into a world where every sip is an escape into mango bliss and unbridled indulgence. Through the TVC, Slice® truly embodies the messiness and indulgence of a real mango experience, making it the perfect companion for those seeking an authentic and uninhibited mango adventure," said the brand. 

Speaking on the campaign, Anuj Goyal, Associate Director, Slice and Tropicana, PepsiCo India said, “As a brand, Slice is profoundly treasured in the Indian market, striving to provide the closest taste to the authentic mango experience. Our latest summer campaign reflects the quintessential Slice approach to savouring the mango journey. The TVC revels in the delightful messiness and pure indulgence of savouring a mango, emphasising how Slice embodies the true essence of the real mango experience, free from any constraints or inhibitions. Kiara’s captivating personality and on-screen presence have impeccably elevated the film, embodying an irresistible allure synonymous with Slice's brand persona. We are confident that the new film will deeply resonate with our consumers, aspiring for Slice to become their preferred summer beverage this season." 

Commenting on the film, Indian actress and Slice’s brand ambassador, Kiara Advani, said, “Collaborating with Slice is always a pleasure; their campaigns are incredibly captivating, entertaining, and timeless. This film holds a special place in my heart as it beautifully captures the irresistible allure of mangos, urging everyone to indulge and immerse themselves in its flavour with Slice. I'm thrilled for my fans to experience the film and join me in embracing the mango season with Slice.”

The new Slice® TVC will be amplified across TV, digital, outdoor, and social media with a 360-degree campaign. Slice® is available in single and multiple serve packs across all modern and traditional retail outlets in India, as well as on leading e-commerce platforms. 

*Slice’s position of being the thickest and tastiest mango drink in India has been corroborated through a study by Nielsen IG

Apple, the numero uno brand in India’s premium smartphone segment, surprised analysts by crossing the 10-million shipments mark in 2023.

According to Counterpoint Research, this is the first time the US-based company had managed to capture the top position in India, in terms of revenue in a calendar year.

It is no mean feat even for the world’s most valuable company with a net worth of $2.7 trillion, which started off its journey in India’s price-sensitive consumer market in 2008. Apple could sell barely a few thousand units of iPhone in its debut year in India. The company was not even investing in local advertising until 2015, recall industry experts.

It spent less than one per cent (Rs 452 cr) of its revenue (Rs 49,200 cr) in advertising and promotional activities in FY23, including its entire product range and cloud services, as per the company’s financial report accessed by e4m via Tofler.

“The marketing spend in India appears to be very low compared as globally Apple spends 8-10 per cent of its revenue into advertising and promotion,” says tech analyst Neil Shah, Partner & Co-Founder at Counterpoint Research.

Despite such little spending on advertising, the US-based tech firm commands nearly six per cent of the market share in the smartphone segment in the world’s largest consumer market, up from one per cent in 2018, as per a study by CyberMedia Research (CMR), Prabhu Ram, Head - Industry Intelligence Group at CMR told e4m.

Samsung has the largest market share, at 18 per cent, followed by Vivo with 17 per cent share in India’s predominantly Android market.

The iPhone’s phenomenal growth coincided with the launch of the company's two maiden outlets in India in April 2023-Mumbai and Delhi-by the hands of none other than the company’s CEO Tim Cook.

“The twin flagship stores form a key pillar in Apple India's playbook to gain strength in this strategic growth market. Besides, its online store has made products accessible and available to a growing aspirational breed of consumers, including content creators, in Tier II cities and towns”, noted Prabhu Ram.

Apple has gradually boosted its reliance on India in recent years by setting up three manufacturing units. It has bigger expansion plans now, say analysts.

Aspirational Phone

“Apple is riding on the ‘premiumization’ trend where smartphone users are maturing and looking to buy their third or fourth smartphone, which is a premium flagship phone as smartphones have become an important part of our lives,” says tech Neil Shah.

Shah explains, “iPhone being one of the most aspirational smartphones with cutting edge features, higher brand equity and differentiated ecosystem prowess-from apps to iPad to Apple watch- is attracting those increasingly “smartphone-dependent” users to upgrade to the best.”

Further, easier access to financing, availability in broader channels, buyback schemes and greater resale value is making premium iPhones more and more accessible to mainstream users, Shah noted. He predicts over 12 million iPhones are likely to be shipped in the country in 2024. 

Prabhu Ram says, “The pandemic-induced work culture transformation and a growing aspirational workforce continue to steer enterprise adoption for Apple products. With significant headroom for growth, India presents a bright spot for Apple's future over the next decade.”

Marketing sans a celeb face

Brand ambassadors are usually considered essential for business success in India. Apple doesn’t have one. Yet, it enjoys the status as one of the most successful brands. “iPhone’s brand equity is so high that it doesn't require a brand ambassador to create awareness,” quips Shah.

The smartphone maker started investing in marketing and promotions in India in 2015. Its first-ever local campaign revolved around storytelling, with a focus on the human experience rather than technical specifications. Conceptualized by Leo Burnett, the campaign promised to end the wait for 'something special', just like Indian weddings.

The US-based tech giant had floated TV commercials in India before, but they were created abroad. Nevertheless, the ad spends grew gradually. Neither Apple nor their media agency Omnicom Media Group (OMG) ever speak on their marketing strategy.

“Apple has always maintained a tech-savvy, smart, aspirational and upmarket image in India. Most of their advertising is global - and deliberately so. It keeps the brand a notch above local and even global brands,” says veteran adman, brand expert and MD of Rediffusion, Dr Sandeep Goyal.

Dr Goyal further explains, “Apple partners largely with the telecom operators and funds advertising for them. It is their model of specific international communication with no localization.”

“Apple tends to opt for premium positions across media. It excels at creating a sense of desire and aspiration among consumers through carefully crafted advertising campaigns.”

It positions its range of products - iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV - as symbols of status, creativity, and innovation. From the sleek and stylish design of its products to the layout of its retail stores, design plays a central role in the tech giant’s marketing strategy.

Minimalist campaigns

Rather than focusing solely on technical specifications, Apple in its promotional campaigns highlights the benefits and experiences that its products offer to consumers. Whether it's the intuitive user interface of iOS, the seamless integration between devices, or the quality of its cameras or batteries, Apple emphasizes how its products can enhance users' lives.

“Apple's ad campaigns are known for their simplicity, minimalism and ability to create a strong emotional connection with consumers,” says Amit Wadhwa, CEO of dentsu Creative India.

Wadhwa explains, “New versions of iPhones evoke euphoria worldwide even before launch. By leveraging secrecy and suspense, Apple creates excitement around its upcoming products. Besides, iPhone promos are simple and don’t describe many technical features. Their retail outlets reflect the same simplicity, offering a clean and welcoming environment for customers.”

Wadhwa credits former Apple CEO Late Steve Jobs, for creating a powerful global brand with his passion and focus on consistent innovation.

The California-based firm has cultivated a loyal customer base which is passionate about the brand. Through Apple Store's Genius Bar, online forums and user groups, it encourages customers to engage with each other and the brand itself.

Apple often differentiates itself from the rest of the competition by meaningfully showcasing the big difference.

Wadhwa recalls ‘Shot on iPhone’ campaign in 2023 that began as a User Generated Campaign (USG) when iPhone users were invited to share their best shots on Instagram or Twitter, and after a review of submissions from a panel of judges, a select few were featured on billboards, Apple retail stores, and online.

This was considered as a unique move to reach people's minds and ask them to tell the story themselves without saying a single word about their tech or camera quality, Wadhwa noted, adding that the campaign created a buzz beautifully across the globe.

While the phone makers’ strategy largely remained around its iconic ‘Shot on iPhone’ campaign, it later released a print ad in India about a short film shot on iPhone.

Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj made a comeback with a 30-minute film titled 'Fursat' starring Ishaan Khatter and Wamiqa Gabbi. Through the print ad, readers could scan a QR code that redirected them to the short film. The main aim of this campaign was to highlight the features of the newest iPhone model with a deep message of living in the moment and capturing it.

The latest iPhone 15 Plus campaign talked about its longer battery life, the one aspect that has troubled iPhone users for a long time.

Amazon Fashion announces the launch of its latest campaign, "Fashion on Amazon, Har Pal Fashionable,” featuring Bollywood stars, Ananya Panday and Aditya Roy Kapur for the first time together. The campaign highlights Amazon as a one-stop online destination across clothes, shoes, watches, accessories etc. that enables customers to put their looks together, with features like ‘wear it with’ suggestions from top brands and convenience features like ‘easy returns’, ‘fast delivery’, ‘no convenience fees’ etc. With this campaign, Amazon Fashion reaffirms its commitment to fashion enthusiasts, aiming to make fashion effortless, redefine fashion and elevate their shopping experience. Conceptualized by Media Monks,  the campaign went live recently across TV, Outdoor, Digital Video & Social Media. 

The campaign centres around the insights of assembling a stylish outfit and finding the right combinations for a complete look such as such as sunglasses, watches, shoes, etc. Women often find it more challenging to accessorize and coordinate everyday outfits, while men encounter similar difficulties, particularly when dressing for outings or leaving the house for work. In the first ad film, Ananya Panday effortlessly assembles a head-to-toe fashionable look while Aditya Roy Kapoor perceives it as a time-consuming task. While in the second ad film, Aditya Roy Kapoor is seen ready to head out but Ananya points out that he’s only halfway there and helps him find complementary accessories such as watches and loafers through the ‘Wear it with’ feature to elevate his ensemble into a fashionable look. Both the films, highlight Amazon Fashion’s delivery on time, easy returns and no convenience fee, and wide selection which makes it completely effortless for her to be ‘Har Pal Fashionable’. 

“We are excited to introduce our new campaign, 'Fashion on Amazon, Har Pal Fashionable.' This campaign aims to establish Amazon Fashion as the one-stop online destination for fashion enthusiasts. Offering a diverse selection of clothes, shoes, watches, accessories and more, Amazon enables customers to effortlessly curate their looks with features like 'Wear it with' suggestions from top brands. With added convenience features such as easy returns, fast delivery at no additional fee, we strive to continuously improve the fashion shopping experience.” said Pragya Sharma, Director-Consumer Marketing, Amazon India. 

"As a big fashion enthusiast, I constantly strive for effortless style," says Aditya Roy Kapoor. I'm excited to be part of Amazon Fashion's new campaign. The ease of online ordering from an extensive selection across sunglasses, watches, shoes etc. on Amazon Fashion, to always getting your delivery on time, takes the guesswork out of shopping and makes building a stylish wardrobe a breeze." 

Ananya Panday said, “I love styling that makes me feel comfortable yet confident and with Amazon Fashion’s wide selection across accessories, shoes, bags etc. I can mix and match effortlessly. I’m very thrilled to be a part of Amazon Fashion’s 'Fashion on Amazon, Har Pal Fashionable’ campaign, that enables customers to put their looks together, with features like ‘wear it with’ suggestions, from top brands and convenience features like ‘easy returns’, ‘fast delivery’, ‘no  convenience fees’ etc.

“In our campaign, Ananya, who is known for her fashion quotient and has been the face of the brand, introduces Aditya to the world of Amazon Fashion. Aditya gets wowed by how effortless fashion can be on Amazon with our wide selection & top brands that let you create all kinds of different looks.” Said Azazul Haque - Chief Content Officer, Media.Monks India.

Meme connoisseurs may be familiar with the connection between cricketer MS Dhoni and the Falguni Pathak number "Bole jo koyal." Not too long ago, a Dhoni lookalike on the internet created a video dancing to the song, which was memed to oblivion. In IPL 2023, the DJ paid a cheeky tribute to the Chennai Super Kings star by playing the song during his entry.

However, Dhoni has proven that he is Captain Cool even off the pitch by embracing his meme status instead of shunning it. In an EMotorad ad, Dhoni has memed himself not once but twice. Not only has the CSK star crooned the viral "Bole jo koyal" song but also tipped his hat to "Thala for a reason" meme in the recent ad for the EV brand.

Dhoni represents the brand's electric bike offerings and has been spotted riding the Doodle V3 before in public.