Max is a considerable brand name in the world of retail fashion across the world. Often known to have brought the concept of affordable fashion into the lives of middle class and upper middle class, the brand boasts of mainly using on ground campaigns and the experiential route to market itself.
Very recently the brand has associated with Elite, a renowned modeling agency and launched Max Elite Model Look in India. MEML is a competition that aspires to create a strong foothold for the modeling industry in the country, one that stands beyond the conventional bollywood dream.
In an exclusive interview with Everything Experiential
Vasanth Kumar, Executive Director Max fashion talks about the marketing strategy of the brand and the plans down the road.
Q-What drove you to associate with Elite and start Max Elite Model Look India?
A-As a brand, Max represents fashion which is very closely associated with Modeling and Bollywood. Now, bollywood has its own fashion style and trends existing however, there is not a strong platform existing for anyone who wants to become a model. It is preconceived notion that if someone is a model today then they will become a actor which is not true. We wanted to create a strong foothold for modeling in India.
Elite is a modeling agency that is always scouting for the best talent in this field and they used to do that in India too every year. But, 10 years back as they were not getting strong support from anyone in India they went back. This is how we came into the picture and this is our second association with Elite Model Look.
Q- What is the marketing strategy for Max retail?
A- We follow a different marketing strategy all together as we have never used ATL mediums to promote ourselves. We have used outdoor but that is it. For us experiential and on ground campaigns are embedded in philosophy as shopping is an experiential concept in its own self. Hence, a major focus of our is to engage consumers through contests and competitions in cinemas, colleges, movie screens etc.
Q- What has been your spent in Max Elite Model Look 2015 and what is the overall marketing budget for Max?
A- On this particular competition we have invested 6 cr which is apart from the barter deals made. 1500 cr is the overall valuation of our brand today and 4% of that is allocated for our marketing initiatives. Out of the same, we make sure that at least 50% is spent on experiential initiatives.
Q-Most international fashion brands have also went on to create their intellectual properties in the genre of fashion and modeling. Is that somewhere down the line for Max too?
A-Well no, simply because that is something we are not good at. However, we would certainly like to associate if something interesting comes up.
Q-What is the current market share of Max retail in the market today and how do you plan to increase it?
A-The retail market in the country is valued somewhere around 50000 cr and 1/3 of that which amounts to 20000 is organized retail. Since we fall in the organized retail category our market share is somewhere around 7% and to increase we will continue to associate with such events and come out with more engaging initiatives for our customers.
