“Converse is a ‘youth’ brand and we believe that the Converse TG cannot be defined by age, it’s a youthful brand and Youth is not an age – it’s an attitude, it’s a mindset. Relaxed and comfortable in your own skin.”-Said Rachna Aggarwal, CEO – Indus League, a division of Future Lifestyle Fashions Limited.
In an interaction with MediAvataar India Rachna talked about their brand Converse and how this iconic brand is making its noise heard!
Here’s the complete Q&A…..
MediAvataar: What does the brand ‘Converse’ stand for in the Indian Market?
Rachna: Converse is an American sneaker brand which believes that unleashing the creative spirit will change the world. Our mission is to unleash the Creative Spirit through products and experiences that inspire and enable each of our consumers to be his or her true, authentic self. It’s not a product, but a mindset, Relaxed, and comfortable in your own skin. Every new pair carries a powerful message: This is your blank canvas waiting to be filled. Ultimately becoming a unique celebration of your true, authentic self
MediAvataar: With a flurry of other international shoe/apparel brands entering the market via various touch points, how do you plan to stand out?
Rachna: Converse is not about just selling the products, it is more about identifying and creating opportunities to unleash creative spirit in different fields be it music, arts, skate boarding etc which resonates well with our TG and inspire them to be their own true, authentic self.
MediAvataar: How do you see the e-commerce space in India? Where do you see it heading?
Rachna: I think it’s an interesting platform but we need to give it some time and see how this space develops.
MediAvataar: How do you mange the counterfeit aspect of doing business in India?
Rachna: Counterfeits are a big menace across the world and we have a team dedicated to identifying factories and individuals promoting counterfeiting to take corrective action. The International Converse Team too is extremely proactive and supportive in this area.
MediAvataar: Tell us about The Road to Converse Rubber Tracks event.
Rachna: ‘Converse Rubber Tracks’ is a state-of-the-art studio located in Brooklyn with the very best of music professionals. Since its inception in July 2011, Converse Rubber Tracks has been providing artists across the globe the incredible opportunity to record there at no cost plus retain all the rights to their music as well. While there were a lot of International artists recording at Rubber Tracks we felt that there was a lot of hidden talent in India too that needed to be noticed and that had the potential to make a huge mark in the International Music scene.
Hence, we introduced Road to Converse Rubber Tracks in India (RTCRT in India) last year and the response was overwhelming. As RTCRT Season I winners, the F’16s won themselves an all-expense paid trip to Brooklyn where they recorded a couple of tracks alongside the professional crew. The experience we believe was very enriching for both the artists as well as for us. Post their return from Brooklyn the F’16s has gone on to play some of the largest music events and their trajectory is only on the upswing. Moreover this event was so well accepted by the music industry Season II is even stronger in terms of band registrations as well as quality of talent. We just can’t wait for the FINALE in Mumbai on 1st April at Blue Frog!
MediAvataar: How would it be different from the first edition?
Rachna: This year for RTCRT Season II, we are focusing on RAW STARS. The Underground Heroes who are not the hyped pretty boys, but the gritty talented workhorses who’ve not got the credit and recognition they deserve.
MediAvataar: What was the response like and what are your expectations this time?
Rachna: The response this season has been phenomenal in terms of band registrations as well as quality of raw talent. This year more than 375 bands have registered for RTCRT Season II (which in itself is like a 75% jump over last year) and we have discovered some real cool, raw talent which we are sure the Indian audiences will be crazy about in times to come
MediAvataar: Do you ever plan to broaden the TG from youth to older consumers?
Rachna: Converse is a ‘youth’ brand and we believe that the Converse TG cannot be defined by age, it’s a youthful brand and Youth is not an age – it’s an attitude, it’s a mindset. Relaxed and comfortable in your own skin.
MediAvataar: Do you think that virtual space will ever get bigger and better than brick and mortar?
Rachna: It would be too early to comment on it but from the brand’s perspective our focus is on improving customer’s shopping experience be it brick and mortar or virtual space.
MediAvataar: Tell us more about the latest marketing campaigns that you are running and how is it helping the brand?
Rachna: On 3rd March, we have launched the ‘Chuck II Reflective Collection’ in India on the same day as the Global Launch Date. We have been promoting this campaign aggressively on the digital platform because that is where the youth primarily is. We are also creating NEW stores in line with the International Store Designs with the sole ambition of delivering the best Consumer Experience possible. All of these efforts are definitely helping us in being better connected and involved with our customers.
MediAvataar: What do we expect in the future for the brand?
Rachna: Lots of excitement in terms of New Product launches, technology adapts, events etc.