Meghna Shah - 38, Batch-

Over 75 years old and still running strong

Bata first established itself in India in 1931 and commenced manufacturing shoes in Batanagar in 1936. At that time the Bata Shoe Organization was headquartered in the Czechoslovak town of Zlin, the residence of Tomas Bata, the founder of the Organization. Operations were expanded throughout India with the establishment of factories in different states and the rapid growth of the distribution channels to allow the Company's products to reach consumers in every town across India. Bata India remains today India's biggest manufacturer and marketer of footwear. Today it is one of the leading and trusted brands in Indian rural markets. MARKET SCENARIO: The Indian footwear industry is estimated to be worth just INR 160 bn or $4 bn. It is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for more than 14 % of global footwear production of 14.52 bn pairs. In this total market demand, about 42% are brand-driven. And Bata covers about 12% of the organized footwear segment. The other major retail players in the industry include brands like: Metro, Nike, Liberty, Adidas, Woodland, Khadims and Regal Shoes. BATA AS A RETAIL BRAND: (According to BATA website) Sells over 50 million pairs of footwear every year Serves over 150,000 customers every day Sells through over 1250 retail stores Operates 5 manufacturing facilities Employs more than 6800 people BRAND PERSONALITY: When we think of BATA, the first thing that strikes us is its INDIANNESS. According to the HR manager BATA, it is the mass appeal that drives a customer to a BATA store. This is largely because, BATA offers the masses products and gifts in every possible price range they can think of. The brand identity and position of Bata has been carefully crafted and painstakingly embedded as a value proposition in the minds of consumers for generations. It certainly promises a lot of value by virtue of consistent quality and positive word-of-mouth. According to Mr. Anjanay Shrivastav (HR manager), most of the people in India dont even know that BATA is not an India based brand. An example of mass appeal is also seen in the fact that the school shoes category is synonymous with Bata. Also a fact that remains to be observed is that we always find a BATA store at most of the M.G. Roads and near many stations without fail to always remind us that it is the peoples band after all.

THE IMC STRATEGY: Advertising: The total revamp that Bata got as a brand in
2007 aimed at targeting audiences in every income group. And hence, the brand came up with products targeting the youth, corporate executives, working women, sports enthusiasts and children. Prior to this strategy, Bata was considered to be the Parle-G of the footwear industry, mass producing shoes and sandals of the same type and features for all kinds of target audiences. Hence the new strategy was a huge development from its previously rigid and old-fashioned brand image. As a part of their new strategy, the new brands that came about were: NorthStar (youth), Marie Claire(women), Bubblegummers(kids), Weinbrenner(Men), etc. However, one

fundamental strategy that Bata did not execute was the effective promotion of these brands in terms of their advertising. These new brands did not have separate identities of their own and hence did not succeed in creating images of their own.

Public Relations: This is one area of their communication that is working remarkably well for Bata as a brand. Every new store launch of Bata sees an extensive PR campaign before and after the launch. The buzz about any new store coming up in the locality is created either by organising events like fashion show or small newspaper snippets in local newspapers. The social media is also extensively used in terms of the Facebook page of Bata, which was started in September 2010 and has seen a whopping ten thousand likes since then. Newspaper articles showing College Kids flaunting Bata's fashionable footwear in HT City, Campus Fashionista pages, etc. are also a part of the PR strategy by Bata. Sales Promotions: Like any other retail brand in the business, Bata too holds sales promotions at specific time periods in the year. These sales promotions are advertised through their website,facebook page and other conventional media like print ads. Another feature of their sales promotion strategy are their point of purchase products. Products like, Dr Scholls foot cream, Knee Pain Relief Orthotic,etc are displayed over the cash counter so as to encourage customers to make an immediate purchase. Online Processes: As a part of their new product strategy, Bata introduced a new business model of buying shoes and other accessories online from the Bata website. This is a very innovative step from a brand which is synonymous with being old fashioned. The new look of the website also gives the customers a very fresh outlook towards the brand. Like any other online buying website, Bata also helps you find your shoes in sizes and colours as per your choice and taste. The delivery is also promised to be free and quick at the same time.

SUGGESTIONS:
The entire revamp strategy of Bata is a brilliant concept in itself. However, the entire face-lift of the brand has not been promoted well at all. One of the main problems here could be the fact that Bata in itself looks like a cluttered brand. The sheer number of sub-brands that have been introduced by the company only confuses the customer as to what name is he actually buying. While names like Marie Claire, Hush Puppies and Dr. Scholls have been able to register themselves in the minds of the consumer other names such as North-Star, Sandak, Ambassador and Tiger have hardly made a mark. Hence, one must-do suggestion for Bata would be to take all these sub-brands under the main brand name itself. Another problem that the company hasnt addressed yet is reinforcement of its brand name. While most of India knows Bata as a brand, many people do not buy the product due to its earlier image imprinted in their minds. This problem could be addressed by using extensive advertising on the brands part. This ad campaign could showcase the fact that how Bata as a shoe retail store has changed over the decades. It would also highlight the fact that the brand has been there for ages and yet ceases to stop its success story by re-inventing itself over and over again. The ad campaign could also highlight its online facilities which have not been promoted well enough. Another suggestion for the brand would be to start a Rewards Program for its customers. This could be a part of a direct marketing initiative for Bata. The

customers would be awarded points for every purchase they make. This could help build a comprehensive database for the brand. The customers could also be emailed new collection catalogues and informed about new schemes and sales. As a part of an advertising strategy, Bata could have tie-ups with movies and films which are from the family entertainment genre. This could help promote Bata as a store which caters to all the member of a family. The brand could also associate itself with major orthopaedics across major cities for the promotion Dr. Scholls as a health care brand under Bata.

These pointers and suggestions can well establish Bata as a complete brand in itself.