Women's Day: Marketers celebrate fairer sex

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
Certain segments, such as fast moving consumer goods, have always kept the woman consumer in mind. And now the 'sheconomy' trend is catching up in other sectors too, in India.

With women increasingly taking the lead in making purchase related decisions, Indian advertisers are realising the importance of the fairer sex. No wonder then, that International Women's Day is being seen as a platform for brands such as Sisley, Art d'inox and Skin Essentials.

"Gone are the days when women were making decision mainly for sarees, jewellery and cosmetics. The new age women has a say in the type of house, car or laptop a family buys," says Harish Bijoor, a brand strategy specialist.

According to industry figures, almost 85% decisions in purchasing FMCG products are taken by women, in durables purchase, women have 71% say. Even in auto purchase, that has traditionally been a male bastion, the woman's say has gone up to 32%. In banking and financial products, almost 65% of decision making is by women.

"There are advertisements of financial products using sindoor, which again is a sign of femininity and security," says Bijoor, who adds that the reason behind this shift in the decision making power in the household is the emergence of the independent woman.

"Modern women desire to own new brands , have the capability to spend more and aspire for a better quality of life. The advertisers will now have to make their products attractive to women," says brand guru, Jagdish Kapoor.

Companies, too, have realised the power of the fairer sex and are leaving no stone unturned to woo them on this Women's Day. For most companies, this has acted as a win-win as they have registered at least 20-30% boost in sales with innovative incentives.

Take the case of Sisley, the Benetton group's premium brand which is offering 10% discount for women on purchases of above Rs 3,000. "We are running exclusive offers for women. The theme is built around woman power," says Ekta Saran, brand manager, Sisley.

The walk-ins due to special sale days goes up by around 40-50% for the brand whereas the actual sales are up by about 30-35% depending on the offers. Mumbai-based Skin Essentials, a clinic specialising in skin treatments, has some novel initiatives in store this year. They have a week-long 'Buddy Offer,' under which all ladies who walk in with a friend get a 40% discount on any single treatment.

Says Dr Rohini Wadhwani, medical director and cosmetologist, Skin Essentials, "Ladies deserve to pamper themselves. With this Women's Day offer, all ladies get a chance to pamper themselves and not feel guilty about spending. We generally witness a 10% increase in footfalls during these offers."

They also offer a 20% discount for existing clients on their birthdays. Spas are not far behind. A Mumbai based spa has a special package designed by Shilpa Shetty for women's day.

Kiran Bawa, cosmetologist and MD, Iosis Medi Spa feels that such promotional activities make the client more aware of facilities available with the brand. Sales for them increase by 40% during this time with many male clients buying this package as gifts for women.

Even leading home and lifestyle brands such as Art d'inox are promoting specific designs targeting the woman customer. Their new collections show off champa flower motifs and charming ranges that can appeal to the woman buyer.