EXPLORING CONSUMER PERCEPTION ABOUT PREMIUM WATCHES IN INDIAN CONTEXT
XYLYS: Exploring Consumer Perception about Premium Watches in the
Indian Context
BACKGROUND
op yo Manoj Chakravarti, Senior Advisor, Titan Industries reflected on his 28 years in the watch industry, both in India and abroad, and contemplated about Xylys, Titan’s premium watch brand, and its foray into the Indian market. He had formulated several aspects of marketing mix strategies in the past to face diverse kinds of challenges. For
Chakravarti, any challenge in the watch industry, especially in an emerging market such as India, was something he looked forward to, as it gave him immense satisfaction when he was able to find some insights. Xylys was a premium watch brand launched by Titan a few years ago; the brand was aimed at creating a unique perception among consumers. The challenge was to create and shape a perception unique to the brand, since premium watches in India were associated with the Swiss brands Omega and Rolex, or Tag Heuer and other similar brands, which were more contemporary in nature. There were several interesting possibilities for Chakravarti to consider. Would a conventional-positioning approach be sufficient? Was it necessary to obtain some insights regarding the application of the uniqueness aspect to the self-perception of consumers? How were such aspects of uniqueness related to other established brands? How important was the “Swiss-made” label? Did the buyers and prospective buyers of premium watches hold any specific stereotypical images of such watches? The case delved into several aspects of the perceptual fields associated with consumer behavior with the objective of finding the most appropriate approach to further the prospects of the Xylys brand.
No
tC
The liberalization of markets, the rising disposable income, exposure to western lifestyles, and the need for the new generation to establish an identity for itself were some of the reasons for the growth of the luxury watch category in
India.
Indian Context
BACKGROUND
op yo Manoj Chakravarti, Senior Advisor, Titan Industries reflected on his 28 years in the watch industry, both in India and abroad, and contemplated about Xylys, Titan’s premium watch brand, and its foray into the Indian market. He had formulated several aspects of marketing mix strategies in the past to face diverse kinds of challenges. For
Chakravarti, any challenge in the watch industry, especially in an emerging market such as India, was something he looked forward to, as it gave him immense satisfaction when he was able to find some insights. Xylys was a premium watch brand launched by Titan a few years ago; the brand was aimed at creating a unique perception among consumers. The challenge was to create and shape a perception unique to the brand, since premium watches in India were associated with the Swiss brands Omega and Rolex, or Tag Heuer and other similar brands, which were more contemporary in nature. There were several interesting possibilities for Chakravarti to consider. Would a conventional-positioning approach be sufficient? Was it necessary to obtain some insights regarding the application of the uniqueness aspect to the self-perception of consumers? How were such aspects of uniqueness related to other established brands? How important was the “Swiss-made” label? Did the buyers and prospective buyers of premium watches hold any specific stereotypical images of such watches? The case delved into several aspects of the perceptual fields associated with consumer behavior with the objective of finding the most appropriate approach to further the prospects of the Xylys brand.
No
tC
The liberalization of markets, the rising disposable income, exposure to western lifestyles, and the need for the new generation to establish an identity for itself were some of the reasons for the growth of the luxury watch category in
India.