This case explores how an Indian firm breaks into a product category dominated by international players. Titan, a Tata Group subsidiary and leading jewellery firm, wants to enter the fragrance category and challenge established foreign brands. To do so requires a branding strategy that encompasses evolving economic, social, cultural and psychological trends in the vast emerging market, and a strategic approach to compete with the incumbents’ heritage and cachet. Titan must first identify its target customer segment(s) and develop a positioning that can accommodate a portfolio of products and sub-brands, and then devise an implementation plan for product development, advertising/promotion, pricing and distribution.
This case can be taught in a broad range of courses in undergraduate, MBA, EMBA, and executive education programmes. It fits well with courses such as Principles of Marketing, Marketing Management, Marketing Strategy, Brand Management, Branding Strategy, Emerging Markets Strategy, and other strategy-, marketing- and branding-related courses. The case can be used to illustrate: - How strategy flows from insights about customers—how economic, social and cultural changes shape customer psychology and behavior and how brand strategies should fulfil target customers’ needs. - How to craft effective brand positioning and translate this into concrete marketing mix actions. - How a new entrant can successfully compete with existing dominant players by leveraging its strengths and circumventing its weaknesses. - How domestic incumbents can effectively rival major multinationals (and vice versa. - How firms address challenges in rapidly changing emerging market contexts.
- branding
- perfume
- fragrance
- India
- emerging market
- marketing strategy
- branding strategy
- strategy
- marketing management
- brand management
- market entry
- luxury
- consumer psychology
- consumer behaviour
- Q41819