Marketing review

Atlas Cycles launches new range of fancy bicycles
Atlas Cycles, based in Haryana, has announced the launch of "Columbia" and "Sparkle", bicycles for girls in the fancy bicycles segment.

According to the company, "Sparkle" has been specially designed with an oversize bottom tube; bent seat tubes and link tubes. The fork is sleek with swaged blades and the deep bend in the handle gives softer grip. The saddle is made of PVC moulded top and the plastic body reflectorised pedals are properly chained to the 18-teeth freewheel. Caliper BPC brakes and 26'x1.3/8" wheel gives a smooth ride. With a wire type carrier the cycle comes in TSA mauve and TSA Blue colours. With accessories like a sari guard and a basket Sparkle is priced at Rs2,200.

Steel MIG Welded "Columbia" has a moulded top cushioned saddle and pedal with reflectorised moulded body are chained to 18T freewheels. The handle is a semi-raised bar with extended stem Caliper brakes with friction are a unique feature in "Columbia". With chain cover, carrier and bar ends the cycle is priced at Rs2,600.

Both the cycles have 14G. ZP spokes attached to the oval barrel hub. The chainwheel and crank are 44Tx6.5". The 'U' shaped mudguard and BPC side stand acts as an added support. All the features ensure longevity and at the same time are sleek and sturdy.

IA launches `Fortune Safari' promotion
Indian Airlines has launched a promotional scheme under which passengers travelling on its domestic sectors can win attractive prizes, including four Tata Safari cars.

To be eligible for the scheme passengers should have flown at least four times in a month. The number of prizes on offer are 25, including the first prize of a Tata Safari Dicor LX, every month, according to a statement from Indian Airlines.

At the end of the three-month scheme, a lucky draw will be held for a mega prize of a Tata Safari Dicor VX car.

Similarly, passengers who have flown twice in a specified month can participate in `Fortune Safari 2', which offers 15 prizes every month and a mega prize of two 12-coupon Executive Class Super Saver tickets at the end of three months.

Clarins opens another beauty studio
Clarins, the € 1-billion French company has opened its fourth exclusive studio in India at Hyderabad and plans to open another one during the year. The professional beauty services and products company says Asia has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets in the past couple of years.

In the recent past, beauty care for men has taken centre stage calling for products and services that are custom made to suit them. To cater to this requirement, Clarins has launched an exclusive range of products for men in the country.

Clarins manages about 160 beauty centres across the world. Of them, 53 are located in Asia. Apart from four beauty institutes, Clarins sells beauty products through 13 retail outlets in the country.

Reliance mobiles offer comics
Reliance Infocomm is now offering Archie comics, Chacha Chowdhary, Billoo & Pinki and Hum Tum on its Reliance Webworld. The telecom operator has uploaded the comics on to its R-World data application suite.

Reliance Infocomm will a new comic strip from different categories every week. All one has to do is log on to the messaging application on R-World and choose one's favourite comic.

The company feels that comics have a universal appeal. They use the powerful combination of pictures and prose to tell stories. People of all ages can now enjoy reading their favourite comic on their Reliance mobile phone.

Skoda introduces two variants of the Combi
SkodaAuto India, part of the German Volkswagen Group, has introduced the station wagon Combi in two variants in the Indian market. These include the Combi L&K (named after its founders) and the RS (Rally Sport). The RS Combi will be available at a price of Rs13,85,340 and the L&K Combi for Rs14,45,886 (ex-showroom New Delhi).

SkodaAuto has also increased its capacity beyond 30,000 units during its second phase of expansion starting June 2006. The expansion is part of SkodaAuto India's plan to make India an export hub for the South Asian market.

HSBC, Trent offer private label card
HSBC and Trent Ltd, a Tata Group retail segment company, has launched the Star India Bazaar credit card, India's first private label credit card. The card is available on a standalone basis or as an additional card linked to an HSBC credit-card account.

Unlike normal credit cards, private label credit cards do not require any minimum income requirement. Customers can get a card by showing proof of purchase, identification and proof of address, and its limit stands at Rs3,000. Housewives are seen as primary candidates for the card. As of now the card can be used only at the single Star India Bazaar outlet in Ahmedabad.

If the card is linked to an HSBC credit card, its limit will be the same as the limit of the credit card.

Godrej revamps furniture retail outlets
Godrej & Boyce is revamping its furniture division. The division recently launched the Godrej Lifespace brand to showcase its furniture products in a `contemporary' ambience. Plans are also on to expand the number of outlets to 52 such outlets in two years.

According to the company, homes or offices are not made of just bare walls. The company plans to make them living entities by breathing life into them.

The division recorded a turnover of Rs63 crore from 38 Lifespace showrooms last year and is targeting to achieve Rs100 crore by the end of 2007-08.

Amex, ICICI Lombard. HPCL launch credit card
American Express has launched a general insurance credit card in association with ICICI Lombard and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL).

The card comes loaded with attractive freebies like American Express RPM (Rewards, Points and More). Cardholders can pay their motor insurance premium over a period of three, six, nine or 12 months as interest-free equated monthly instalments (EMIs) and can avail of cashless car insurance claim settlement at 400 select automobile garages in around 70 cities.

According to ICICI Lombard, the card would best meet the needs of car owners in every aspect — service level, first EMI and auto renewal.

The card also offers 5 per cent savings on fuel bills whenever members use the card to purchase fuel at HPCL outlets. While the 2.5 per cent service charge will be waived off, savings will also be accumulated as rewards points. These points can be redeemed into fuel vouchers. To become a member, the customer should have a gross taxable income of at least Rs4 lakh per year. The annual fee is Rs2,000.

TVS Motor launches two motorcycle variants
TVS Motor Company Ltd has launched Victor Edge and StaR City motorcycle variants. The company is looking at a revenue growth of 15-20 per cent this fiscal. In 2004-05, the company notched revenues of Rs 2,900 crore.

Victor Edge has been designed for the executive segment and its variants will be available in the Rs40,900 to Rs43,000 range.

StaR City, priced at Rs 33,900, has been positioned for the economy segment. The company hopes to sell around 30,000 units of Victor Edge and 50,000 units of StaR City every month.

Hyundai Electronics plans marketing campaign
Hyundai Electronics India has launched a marketing campaign aimed at increasing sales of its recently launched range of flat screen colour televisions, DVD players, home theatres and air-conditioners in the Indian market.

The company is targeting a revenue of Rs600 crore in 2005-06.

The company has earmarked a brand-building, advertising and promotional budget of Rs 60 crore for the current fiscal. Of this, Rs 12 crore will be spent on the `Hyundai Pe Hyundai' campaign during the ensuing festive season (from Durga Puja to Diwali.) Customers will be entitled to gifts such as motor cycles, foreign trips, Hyundai LCDs and VCDs, travel bags, wrist watches and radios on the purchase of every Hyundai product during the season.

At the end of the offer period, Hyundai Electronics India will launch a theme-based campaign labelled `Creating Happiness,' around which the brand would be built.

— Compiled by Mohini Bhatnagar