IMB 489

CULTURAL SYMBOLISM AND AN

ENTREPRENEURIAL BRAND THE INDIAN
CONTEXT
S. RAMESH KUMAR, JAGANNATH JANAKIRAMAN AND SHANKAR
SETHURAMALINGAM

S Ramesh Kumar, Professor of Marketing, Jagannath Janakiraman, and Shankar Sethuramalingam, prepared this case for class
discussion. This case is not intended to serve as an endorsement, source of primary data, or to show effective or inefficient
handling of decision or business processes.
Copyright 2015 by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. No part of the publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (including internet)
without the permission of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.

This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.

Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

S. Srinath was quite pleased with the manner in which two of his furniture shops Inscape: The Furniture
Shoppe, had grown in the last one and a half decades since its inception in 1998 in two residential areas
of Bangalore. Bangalore has been often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India denoting the high
concentration of software professionals employed in several multinational software firms such as IBM,
Oracle, Honeywell, and SAP. Furniture has been a part of the Indian lifestyle perhaps as a legacy of the
British rule since the early part of the last century. With several changes in the environment and lifestyles
of young professionals, Inscape focused on providing high quality furniture and had grown to a turnover
of Rs. 75 lakhs or Rs. 7.5 million (one US$ was equivalent to Rs. 61, in November 2014). With the Indian
furniture market being largely dominated by the unorganized sector, Srinath had a tremendous
opportunity to build his brand. (An unorganized sector is one that has offerings of sub-standard quality,
generally not branded; and even if branded, it is distributed within a small range of few kilometers; and
pricewise the offering is cheaper than branded offerings.) However, there was a barrier that he had to
overcome. He had a limited budget for promotional activities and was unable to avail the kind of
promotion that large brands followed. He approached S. Ramesh Kumar, his customer who was interested
in researching consumer insights to come up with a plan suitable for a smaller company such as Inscape.
As furniture was part of a lifestyle that had a social link, Ramesh Kumar thought cultural symbolism may
hold the key not only to gain insights into consumer behavior but also to formulate a marketing strategy
for Inscape. How would culture be associated with lifestyles that included household furniture? Could it
reflect the lifestyle of consumers? Culture is all about shared meanings and how can furniture be a
lifestyle symbol that can be used for shared meanings? Can it also reflect ones self-concept? With a host
of such psychological dimensions, how can they be used to create a marketing strategy as an outcome of
the exercise? What are some of the unconventional questions that would crop up while planning for the
launch of Inscapes strategy? If IKEA, the world class brand with its branding had created a revolution in
the world of furniture as a symbol of lifestyle, there must be certain underlying psychological dimensions
that can be explored within the category of furniture.
The case is unique, given the situation that an entrepreneur was trying to build a brand in an environment
where branding was associated with large multinationals, especially in an emerging market such as India.

INTRODUCTION
The lifestyle of urban Indian consumers had been changing mainly owing to the growing real incomes,
which led to an increase in per capita disposable income; thereby, leading to increase in per capita
consumer spending. Indias consumer segments shifted from the pyramid structure with a large
economically weak segment at the bottom, a middle-class segment at the center, and a very small affluent
class at the top to more of a diamond structure which had a relatively large affluent segment at the top, a
huge middle-class segment at the center and a relatively smaller economically weak segment at the
bottom.1 This big chunk of middle-class consumers were generally categorized into three kinds of
households. Aspirers were people earning ~USD 1,9004,300 and expected to constitute 106 million
households. Seekers were people earning USD 4,30011,000 and would constitute 55.1 million
The bird of gold: The rise of Indias consumer market, May 2007.

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

households; and Strivers were people earning USD 11,00022,000, and would constitute 5.5 million
households by 2015.2 Lifestyles of each of these segments differed in terms of products purchased, brand
preferences, and also cultural/sub-cultural orientations. Consumers were also becoming more brand
conscious by looking beyond the functional or utilitarian aspects of a product to more intangible benefits
such as brand image and lifestyle statements associated with the product.3 The lifestyle of urban
consumers was also affected by changing cultural trends. Young professionals in the age group of 2530
years were leaning more toward achievement orientation. They were also extremely conscious of their
material success. This segment was highly educated, taking up cutting-edge professions and also adopted
a middle-of-the-road approach toward rituals and other traditional practices.

CONSUMER EVOLVING MEANS OF SELF-EXPRESSION

There was a strong link between the consumers and their possessions the product categories and brands
they bought, as this formed a part of the consumers self-defining process. Consumers were likely to
select brands which were in congruence with their personality and would enhance their self-image.
Consumers expressed themselves through their possessions as there was an increasing tendency to
enhance their standing in comparison with others. Consumers wished to express themselves to the outside
world through self-altering products such as cars, cosmetics, apparel, watches, jewelry, mobile phones,
etc. When stepping outside their residences, consumers preferred to express themselves by using such
self-altering products/brands that were perceived to reflect their self-concept. Consumers also felt the
extrinsic need to enhance or alter their self-image while outside their residences out of physical or
achievement vanity. However, with rising materialistic attitude, consumers tried to express themselves
through their possessions inside their residences as well. The choice of furniture and furnishings within a
residence had been traditionally used to impress others apart from serving functional purposes. A drawing
hall was a room in a house where visitors were entertained and family members gathered together. Indian
consumers showed varied preferences in their drawing hall furniture traditional, contemporary, modern,
do-it-yourself, artefacts, ancient collections, etc. collections, etc. These aspects of reflecting preferences
for the furniture category would perhaps reflect their self-concept and how they wished others to
perceive them similar to many other categories that may contribute to the self-concept of Indian
consumers.4

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF FURNITURE IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT

As consumers reflected their self-concept through a variety of product categories and brands, it would be
interesting to note that furniture as a category had been traditionally used by people in India as a status
symbol a symbol that reflected ones wealth, taste, and even a sense of belongingness when members of
the family or friends gathered in the drawing hall of their homes.
There were three time-phases in India based on cultural meanings associated with furniture.

The bird of gold: The rise of Indias consumer market, May 2007.
Indian consumer market A change from pyramid to sparkling diamond K S Oils Ltd. Report
4
S. Ramesh Kumar, Consumer behaviour and branding: Concepts, readings and cases, 1st Edition, Pearson Publication, India, pp. 166178.
2
3

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

The post-independence phase

India was granted independent status by the British in 1947. The traditional tastes of the British were
reflected in the selection of furniture by consumers who may have been at appropriate levels of income
then.
Sixties to Nineties The Era of Cinematic Influence
With movies being the main pastime of people of this era; the drawing hall furniture presented in movies was a
fashion statement of wealth and indulgence. This was the phase when customized furniture was developed for
households through the services of carpenters.

Post-nineties The liberalized era

With the opening up of the Indian economy after 1991, consumers were exposed to new lifestyles through
television, internet, and interactions with non-resident Indians who were influenced by western lifestyles.
Such an influence was reflected in the purchase of value-based furniture, modern day aesthetic
furniture, and imported furniture. Although the selection of furniture might have brought in more variety,
consumers continued to buy drawing room furniture to reflect their taste, status, and extended selves.
The trickle down effect5 that was experienced by consumers in several categories was more responsible
for making drawing hall furniture an aspirational category among consumers at all levels of the socioeconomic spectrum. The trickle down effect ensures that fashion of any kind is diffused from the higher
income groups to lower income groups. It was not uncommon in India for a family to change its furniture
whenever it experienced an elevation in wealth as an outcome of professional progress. The historical
significance of furniture in India as a reflection of ones lifestyle was a cultural legacy of the British who
had ruled the country for several decades. It is difficult to imagine the role of such a category evolved
from a western concept (furniture) when Indians led ethnic lifestyles dominated by religious practices
besides the lack of affordability to indulge in such lifestyle symbols. The regal culture of rulers of a
country was always considered to be worthy of imitation by the rich of a society and later such imitation
diffused to the lower economic rungs of the society. This was especially true when the glamour of film
stars or sports celebrities was absent. Fashion associated with a lifestyle was always created by
individuals of higher economic strata when indulgence and buying power did not exist in the other
sections of the society. The era before the British rule may not have reflected the western concept of
lifestyle and furniture; however, the post-nineties reflected this lifestyle.

CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF FURNITURE IN INDIA

Furniture enjoyed a deep heritage value in many Indian households. The Indian consumers notion of
furniture had strong underlying cultural connotations, with tradition and contemporariness being
associated with the furniture purchase. The urban consumers increasingly considered drawing hall
furniture to be an expression of their taste or an extension of their own identity. The sensory pleasures
associated with visual hedonism also played an important role. Many consumers found the artistry
5

*Hoyer D and MacInnis J, Consumer Behavior, Houghton Miffin, 1999, 328.

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

involved in furniture making aesthetically pleasing. Consumers also experienced a sense of progress in
life and accomplishment when they upgraded their furniture from utility-oriented plastic to more
aesthetic, decorative sofa sets or divans. Furniture and furnishings were used by consumers as gifts,
especially during marriages, as a means of showcasing their affection and reinforcing the status symbol.
Furniture buying was also a ritual for Indian parents during their daughters marriage, symbolizing their
love and care, by ensuring a comfortable lifestyle for their daughters.

FURNITURE INDUSTRY IN INDIA

The market size of the furniture retailing sector in India reached about Rs. 470 billion by 2012, growing at
a CAGR of 10%. The unorganized sector accounted for about 92.5% of the market.6 Although, the Indian
furniture market was dominated by unorganized furniture retailers, this witnessed a change in 2012 as
branded furniture was slowly being preferred by the consumers, especially those in tier 1 and tier 2 cities.
The furniture market witnessed a value growth of 17% in 2013 mainly owing to the increased sales of
branded furniture and homeware in retail outlets of urban areas.7 The number of organized furniture retail
outlets exceeded 50,000 across the country growing at a CAGR of 5% and it increased by 4% in 2012
alone as consumers preferred the wholesome experience of buying furniture from branded retail outlets.
The organized furniture market was dominated by leading domestic players such as Nilkamal, Godrej &
Boyce, Bombay Dyeing & Co, Durian Industries, Hindware Home Retail, Furniturewalla, etc.8 Godrej &
Boyce was the leading player and operated through its Interio stores across India. Godrej Interio
focused on specialized furnishings and furniture for different applications including home, office,
hospitals, hotel accommodation, etc. through international tie-ups.9 Owing to relaxations in the FDI
policy and rising disposable incomes of the Indian household, several globally reputed furniture retailers
such as IKEA and Muji also planned to enter the Indian market.10 With growing competition from local
players and reputed foreign brands, the organized Indian furniture manufacturers were faced with the
challenge of upgrading their products to keep up with consumer preferences. The cultural and lifestyle
beliefs and dimensions associated with furniture buying was important to furniture manufacturers who
aimed at capturing consumer preferences. Consumer consumption theory as a field was extensively
researched and could be applied to furniture buying context in the Indian scenario.11

ABOUT INSCAPE FURNITURE

Inscape was a mid-sized furniture assembler and dealer located in Bangalore (shown in Exhibit 5). It procured
furniture from various local and international manufacturers and customized them according to consumer

requirements. The product portfolio of Inscape included bed frames, dining set furniture, living room
sofa, TV stands, kids beds, kitchen cabinets in the home furniture category and computer tables, chairs,
file cabinets, reception sofas in the office furniture category.12 Bangalore consisted of a population of

Furniture and homeware stores in India, Euromonitor International, May 2012.

ibid
8
ibid
9
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/godrej-interio-eyes-25-market-share-in-next-3-years/article2766059.ece
10
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Keikaku-set-to-enter-India-with-furniture-brand/605400
11
Furniture and homewares stores in India, Euromonitor International, May 2012
12
http://www.inscapefurniture.com/
7

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

about 9.6 million13 and Inscape had two retail outlets in different corners of the city.14 Inscapes target
segment was the urban middle-class which was increasingly moving toward stylish as well as compact
furniture that enhanced the look and feel of their living spaces. Srinath, the owner of Inscape furniture
was aware of the increasing footprint of international furniture makers in India and the traditional
stronghold of the unorganized players; and planned to position Inscape in a unique way to attract the
urban Indian consumers, as they moved from simple furniture to living room solutions.

PROBING INTO THE CONSUMER MINDSET

The methodology of probing into the consumer mindset involved segmentation of urban Indian
consumers based on stages of the family life cycle. Since the context of furniture buying evolved along
the different stages of the family lifecycle, especially between married and unmarried people, these two
segments were analyzed. The urban married segment was considered because of the need state and high
involvement with respect to furniture buying. The urban independent youth was considered because of
their high discretionary spending capacity and also because they perceived that they would transition to
the married segment in the near future.
Urban household of young married couples: This segment typically included newly married middle
class couples without any children or with kids aged less than 10 years. They generally belonged to
the age group of 2736 years. The husband was the chief earner and generally the wife was also
employed. Occupation mainly ranged from entry-level jobs in organizations to middle-level
managers. The annual income of the respondent family was pegged between USD 6,500 and 20,000
per annum. The couples were newly married and tended to be more expressive.
Urban unmarried youth: This segment typically included bachelors and spinsters living
independently. They belonged to the age group of 20 to 27 years. They were generally software
professionals or entry-level executives in other domains such as manufacturing. The annual income of
this segment was pegged at USD 5,00011,000 per annum.
Development of the segmentation profile was followed by literature survey which involved a detailed
analysis of existing literature on lifestyle, culture and consumption from which 17 dimensions were
identified. A sample of 70 respondents was considered from each segment after filtering through an
involvement construct scale.15 A questionnaire was developed for each segment based on the identified
cultural dimensions from literature survey; and through analysis of responses, dominant cultural
dimensions pertaining to furniture were identified for the two segments. Further, the lifestyle of
respondents belonging to both the segments was understood from a separate survey which captured the
different lifestyle aspects such as hobbies, shopping behavior, involvement level in furniture category,
reference group associations, media/social networking, pastimes, fashion trends, and cultural orientation.
The lifestyle aspects were used to derive the inherent internal values for the respondents in both the
segments and their inner self-concept was recognized. The dominant cultural dimensions associated with

13

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-24/bangalore/39501220_1_96-lakh-30-lakh-population
http://www.inscapefurniture.com/contact-us
15
Judith Lynne Zaichowsky, Measuring the involvement construct, Journal of Consumer Research, 1985, 12(3), 341-352.
14

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

furniture buying were used to construct the extended self-concept for both the segments with furniture as
the extended self. Finally, by considering furniture as the extended self, the dominant and dormant
cultural dimensions that emerged were mapped with Holts framework on typology of consumption for
each segment and furniture consumption was classified into four types Experience, Integration, Play,
and Classification.16 The findings of this study were used to suggest a marketing strategy for Inscape
furniture.
Srinath along with Ramesh Kumar had to determine a strategy based on the results and analysis of the
survey.
Exhibits 1 & 2 indicate the dominant cultural dimensions captured for the unmarried and married
segments with respect to furniture buying. Exhibits 3 & 4 indicate the lifestyle aspects (captured for the
two segments) that were used to extract the internal values for the two segments. Exhibit 5 is a
photograph of Inscapes showroom.

The authors would like to thank S. Srinath, Managing Director, Inscape: the Furniture Shoppe, Bangalore for his support towards developing the
case study.

16

Douglas B. Holt, How consumers consume: A typology of consumption practices ,Journal of Consumer Research,22(1), June 1995, 1-16.

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

Exhibit 1
Dominant cultural dimensions with respect to furniture buying unmarried segment
Dimension

Mean

Visual hedonism

4.271

Reference group association/aspiration

3.486

Complementing one's lifestyle items

3.814

Expression of taste

3.800

Preference toward ready-to-assemble furniture

3.436

Shopping pleasures associated with it

3.207

Self-identity

3.214

Loveable possessions

3.614

Symbol of accomplishment

3.829

Expression of fashion trends

3.457

Symbol of foreignness/COO effect

3.343

Symbolizing as a memorable gift

3.629

Traditional vs contemporary view

2.971

Materialism

3.443

One-upmanship over friends and colleagues

3.271

Sense of belongingness

3.357

Symbol of social status

3.200

Nostalgia

2.900

Changing professional roles

2.443

Source: Primary Survey by Authors

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

Exhibit 2
Dominant cultural dimensions with respect to furniture buying married segment
Dimension

Mean

Preference toward ready-to assemble furniture

3.393

Complementing one's lifestyle items

4.000

Visual hedonism

4.200

Expression of taste

3.829

Self-identity

3.100

Symbol of accomplishment

3.529

Loveable possessions

3.614

Reference group association/aspiration

3.221

Shopping pleasures associated with it

2.950

Sense of belongingness

3.514

Symbol of foreignness/COO effect

3.100

Traditional vs contemporary view

3.271

Nostalgia

2.900

Materialism

3.200

Symbol of social status

3.129

Symbolizing as a memorable gift

3.129

Expression of fashion trends

2.771

One-upmanship over friends and colleagues

2.729

Changing professional roles

2.171

Source: Primary Survey by Authors

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

Exhibit 3
Values extracted from lifestyle statements for unmarried segment
Statements

Average

My weekends are filled with social get-togethers such as parties and outings

2.40

My hobbies involve more outdoor activities than indoor

2.75

I play and outdoor sport/exercise regularly

3.10

I like to try different cuisines and restaurants regularly

3.55

Watching a movie in theatre and eating out later along with friends is my idea of fun

3.95

I regularly follow sports seasons such as premier league, cricket or tennis seasons

3.65

I enjoy reading books and magazines

3.35

I like to keep myself updated with the latest fashion trends

2.25

I am interested in celebrities and news about their lives

2.70

I look out for reviews of articles about furniture in the internet

1.95

I regularly access social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter

4.25

I like to own tech-savvy products and keep myself updated with the latest technologies

3.30

I have a keen interest in cars and keep myself updated with the latest news on different brands

2.75

I regularly buy handicrafts and artifacts that enhance the appearance of my home

2.15

I regularly invite my friends and relations home

3.15

When I find a good furniture store, I often tell my friends about it

3.05

If I like a furniture brand, I rarely switch from it just to try something different

3.25

I regularly change my wall paints to make my house look clean and attractive

2.80

I buy paintings and other wall hangings to decorate my living room

2.95

I usually read any articles or advertisements about furniture magazines

2.20

I always visit trade fairs and exhibitions showcasing unique furniture models

2.10

I regularly arrange the items in my living room to make it attractive and keep up with latest
trends.
I like to keep an aquarium to decorate my living room.

2.95

I keep flower pots to make my living room look attractive.

3.10

I love to hang chandeliers and colorful lightings in my living room.

3.75

I regularly change curtains and floor carpets to improve the aesthetics of my living room.

3.30

Whenever I have guests at home, I take them around my house showcasing my priced
collections.
I like to keep traditional artefacts which symbolize our cultural heritage and showcase them in
my living room.
I like to buy traditional furniture over modern and trendy furniture models.

2.45

I believe in buying superior quality furniture that will last for many years.

4.25

I do not hesitate to spend money on good furniture as it is a long-term investment.

4.25

2.75

3.21
2.60

Source: Primary Survey by Authors

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

Exhibit 4
Values extracted from lifestyle statements for married segment
Statements

Average

I enjoy reading books and magazine

4.27

I do not hesitate to spend money on good furniture as it is a long-term investment.

3.93

I regularly access social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter

3.87

I believe in buying superior quality furniture that will last for many years.

3.80

I like to own tech-savvy products and keep myself updated with the latest technologies

3.73

I like to try different cuisines and restaurants regularly

3.60

Watching a movie in theatre and eating out later along with friends is my idea of fun

3.53

I keep flower pots to make my living room look attractive.

3.53

I regularly follow sports seasons such as premier league, cricket or tennis seasons

3.47

I regularly invite my friends and relations home

3.47

I buy paintings and other wall hangings to decorate my living room

3.47

I have a keen interest in cars and keep myself updated with the latest news on different brands
When I find a good furniture store, I often tell my friends about it
I regularly arrange the items in my living room to make it attractive and keep up with latest trends.

3.27
3.27
3.27

I love to hang chandeliers and colorful lightings in my living room.

3.20

I play and outdoor sport/exercise regularly

3.13

I regularly change curtains and floor carpets to improve the aesthetics of my living room.

3.13

I like to buy traditional furniture over modern and trendy furniture models.

3.13

If I like a furniture brand, I rarely switch from it just to try something different

3.07

I like to keep myself updated with the latest fashion trends

2.93

I like to keep traditional artefacts which symbolize our cultural heritage and showcase them in my
living room.

2.93

I look out for reviews of articles on furniture in the internet

2.73

My hobbies involve more outdoor activities than indoor

2.67

I regularly buy handicrafts and artifacts that enhance the appearance of my home

2.67

I like to keep an aquarium to decorate my living room.

2.67

My weekends are filled with social get-togethers such as parties and outings

2.60

I am interested in celebrities and news about their lives

2.60

I will regularly change my wall paints to make my house look clean and attractive

2.53

I usually read any articles or advertisements about furniture magazines

2.53

I always visit trade fairs and exhibitions showcasing unique furniture models

2.40

Whenever I have guests at home, I take them around my house showcasing my priced collections.

2.27

Source: Primary Survey by Authors

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Cultural Symbolism and Entrepreneurial Brand The Indian Context

Exhibit 5
Inscape Furniture Store

Source: Inscape

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