People worldwide have different takes on what’s stylish, what is chic, and what is trendy, and many have blind faith in brands. In India, this phenomenon is especially more heightened. Here the mass market knows that something branded is valuable but don’t really know why, or even the roots of the particular company. Here, what’s made to look polished and uber cool, is blindly followed as the ‘it’ thing.
Malls are becoming a staple trend for hangouts and bring many new design labels into the mainstream consumer market. Advertisements add to all the glitter and glamor. This attracts the attention of the earning strata of society and the budgeted pocket money teenagers.
The ones who are enjoying it the most are these companies; they are wise enough to understand the naivety of the Indian consumer and cashing in on it. A small-time brand will enter the Indian market with a big launch and party and appeal to the customer as something really high-end. How come?; this is major because of the currency exchange. Secondly, the target market is unaware of the brand’s actual status.
When a drugstore brand like Maybelline airs advertisements on the TV and is stocked not in supermarkets but glossy malls, it’s looked at as something of a luxury; you will never find a brand like Maybelline Revlon in the same category as YSL or Dior anywhere else in the world. But in India!, everything goes and sells!
Ditto for clothing stores like Zara and Mango (which are actually not designer labels) in high-street malls like the DLF Emporium. This is mainly because of the lack of many brands in the market right now. We have a few, so all of them have a very high value.
Because it is a rarity and still a new trend to be shopping at malls in India, the ones who come from outside the city will understand this pattern. When visiting from Dubai or elsewhere in the world where everything is super commercialized anyway, one will notice a lack of choice rather than be overwhelmed by these brands.
This doesn’t apply to clothing and fashion only; even in the fast-food industry, India is far behind; someone who has eaten New York Fries, Kebabs from 10 different Lebanese restaurants, and Hardees’ burgers, and Burger King, will be disappointed by the McDonald life. But then again, these competitive brands are all making money and being the best because they’re the only ones enjoying a monopoly of sorts.
How will this phenomenon change? Any businessman will say it shouldn’t because it’s easier for him to make money while the customer is in the dark. The entrepreneur would like for it to develop to feel the competitive spirit. However, the consumer will enjoy, either way, increase their knowledge if they care, or remain the way they are and believe that they are spoilt for choice!
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