Marketing review

Titan opens concept store in Bangalore
Bangalore: World of Titan has opened its flagship `Celebrations'' concept store in Bangalore. According to a press release, the `Celebrations'' concept is built around the theme of the store being "a sensorial retail destination, where customers can indulge in an experience laced with the aura of celebration."

The concept is incorporated in the store display and merchandising gift boxes, mood visuals, staff uniform and carry bags, brought out by the colours related to the festivals in India — red and gold.

Bhaskar Bhat, managing director, Titan Industries said: "The concept store will enhance Titan''s brand identity in the retail space. Dynamic changes sweeping the retail environment have made it imperative for Titan Industries to open large format stores (which portray larger-than-life concepts) to drive image and build aspirational values for its key brands."

The new World of Titan store will offer value-added services such as gift vouchers, special gift packaging and a gift delivery service, apart from a loyalty programme. Titan''s first flagship store was inaugurated in New Delhi. More such stores are planned for this financial year.

Symantec to launch new anti-virus solution
US based anti virus solutions provider Symantec Corporation''s India center will play a key role in the processing of its new anti virus-solution - codenamed Hamlet. Symantec will launch the solution globally very soon. The India centre will test product assurance and handle the `data leakage prevention'' component of Hamlet in the two innovation centres - Pune and Chennai.

Hamlet is a new application for enterprise personal computers and will have anti-virus and firewall capabilities. Symantec is upgrading its products to counter the growing security threat on the Internet. It recently launched its Norton Confidential and Security 2.0 - both security solutions. Hamlet is an extension of the enhancements.

Jaeger-LeCoultre to launch six new models in India
New Delhi: Luxury Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre part of the Richemont Group with brands like Cartier, Mont Blanc and Baume & Mercier in its portfolio. plans to launch six new models in the country over the next eight to 10 months. The company says it is on a growth path in India and in the last one year, since it started the exclusive boutique.

The company has launched its new collection — the Master Compressor Extreme W-Alarm `46'', Valentino Rossi Edition. The watch is available in two options of Pink Gold and Titanium with a 46.3 mm diameter and is priced at Rs6 lakh onwards.

"Both the watches feature Rossi''s lucky number `46'' that is on the dial and his signature is engraved on the case-back. It comes with an interchangeable strap system, enabling one to swap a black alligator leather for a yellow rubber version.

The company said that it is looking at expanding its base in the country. Apart from an exclusive boutique it has seven dealers in the country and is looking at expanding this network and may also have a second boutique.

Madhavan to endorse UniverCell
Chennai: Tamil film star Madhavan will emdorse the products of UniverCell Telecommunications India, which owns the UniverCell brand of multi-brand mobile phone retail chain.

The company plans to expand its retail network beyond Tamil Nadu and open stores in Bangalore, Hyderabad and smaller cities in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Future group banks on Brand Factory
Future Group, which launched its Brand Factory (BF) discount format stores last year, is targeting to convert at least 20-25 per cent of its customers to Central mall.

Brand Factory claims to offer brands at factory prices. The four outlets of BF in different cities on an average attract over one lakh customers of which about sixty per cent are repeat customers. The company hopes that at least a quarter of the customers will be converted to buying the full-price brands. Prices in the brand factory stores are priced 20-50 per cent lower than brand new products. The company hopes that offering at the BF stores would entice customers who earlier found branded products prohibitive and unaffordable.

BF outlets put 135 brands of all kinds on display.

Scorpio an `Olympic'' brand: Study
A study by market research firm IMRB International has ranked the sports utility vehicle Scorpio in the highest-level of its construct, the `Olympic'' category. An Olympic brand is one that is "well-known, well-loved and has a large core following".

The achievement is unique because no other four-wheeler brand has reached this level in the market research firm in recent studies.

The results are based on a research conducted by IMRB using Millward Brown''s Brand Dynamics model, an internationally recognised brand equity measurement tool.

M&M officials said. "Scorpio is the only four-wheeler in its class in India to have achieved this, which speaks volumes of the customers'' faith in the brand."

IMRB International said, "Our Brand Dynamics study for the current year reflects the findings from the core target segment of those who own or intend to own premium utility vehicles."

The Scorpio has scored above other brands in its segment in all aspects, which include bonding, advantage, performance, relevance and presence. The Brand Dynamics study gives clients insights into consumer relationships with their brand and the competitive strengths and weaknesses of their brands.

Seabuckthorn Indage enters the mineral water segment
The latest brand to enter the mineral water segment is Mountain Spring, under Seabuckthorn Indage (SIL) flagship brand, Leh Berry.

Mountain Spring is priced at Rs10 for a 200 ml bottle and Rs25 for a one-litre bottle and is targeted at upmarket segment of the market.

The product is already on the shelves in the Northern and Western markets.

The company will begin packaging the water at a plant in Himachal Pradesh, under a subsidiary Leh Berry Minerals.

Though the plant has a capacity of one lakh litres per day, only 65 per cent of capability is being used currently. The plant will also be used for packaging of sparkling and flavoured water eventually.

Honda rolls out new variant of Civic
Honda Siel Cars India will launch the Honda Civic in a new trim the Honda Civic 1.8V. The new variant will join the 1.8S, which is currently the only variant available with either a five-speed manual or automatic gearbox.

The new Civic 1.8V will additionally sport features such as leather seats, front fog lamps and turn indicators integrated into outside rear-view mirrors and will come in two new colours — Mystic Violet and Carbon Bronze Pearl. The new variant is expected to be offered with both the transmission options and is likely to cost about Rs70,000 more than the respective 1.8S variants.

FitnessOne opens new brand of gym for women
Health club FitnessOne has launched a new brand of gym - Pink - for women in Chennai. According to the company Pink is "unapologetically all women" and it houses a variety of facilities to make women fit.

The new brand, apart from offering women regular weight loss programmes, also offers "circuit training" for those who cannot spend more than 30 minutes a day in a gym.

FitnessOne plans to take Pink to other cities through the franchisee route and has signed six franchisees to set up Pink across the South. FitnessOne is also in talks with software companies for setting up captive gyms at their campuses.