Steve McPherson, Brand Director, Reebok Asia Pacific GTM Hub & Reebok India talks about the brand’s positioning as a promoter of fitness, and also the impending launch of the fully integrated marketing campaign –Live With Fire.
Q] Has there been significant growth in the fitness products segment in India? How does Reebok spread awareness within this segment?
Over the past few years, fitness consciousness in India has grown multifold and the fitness business per se is expected to grow at around 30% annually. Through focus group discussions conducted across Delhi and Bangalore recently, we found the key drivers of fitness for Indian consumers are increased stamina, inner well-being, building body strength, weight control and the quest to look younger. People are more conscious about how they look, what they eat and more importantly, how fit they feel. With the fitness index on the rise, globally and in India, Reebok realizes that consumers are looking for avenues to fulfill their fitness needs. With our new brand campaign which inspires people to move, be active and bring about a lifestyle change, Reebok is extending the brand in the fitness space and with such strong influencers of fitness in India, the business is bound to grow by leaps and bounds.
Q] What is the go-to-market strategy used for the brand in India?
The main channel through which we will deliver our products will be retail. Reebok is introducing a brand new concept in the retail space called ‘Fit Hub’, where stores are transformed to resemble a CrossFit gym and are staffed with fitness experts to help you find the right gear. With ‘Fit Hub’, our main aim is to provide the consumer with an experience that encourages one to get fit. Along with that, we will also be present in e-commerce through our online shop www.shop4reebok.com.
Q] What is the biggest challenge you face in the India market?
The challenge and the opportunity lie in encouraging people to take up ‘fitness’ as a passion. From being just a fan to embracing fitness as a life mantra, and in occupying the mind-space with consumers opting for fitness and living a healthy life. We are a brand that is encouraging you to stay fit and healthy for the whole arc of your life. We need to get that messaging through.
Q] The butt revolution created waves in India, post which we haven’t seen a movement that big from the brand. Is Real Flex Transition 2.0 the next big thing?
RealFlex Transition 2.0 is most definitely the next big thing. It is a technology-driven shoe that compliments the movements of an athlete. RealFlex Transition 2.0 shoes are armed with 53 sensors which allow for natural motion. Created by a team of passionate designers, these shoes are fitted with 53 multi-directional flex nodes that will respond to your moves and help your feet to flex naturally and land on the ground. It is bio-mechanically correct and safer than running in any other shoes. With its minimalist construction on the upper side, RealFlex 2.0 delivers a ‘sock like’ feel to the athlete and is truly the next big thing for fitness enthusiasts.
Q] Do you find a growing sports culture in India?
There is a lot of passive participation in sports, seeing the craze around soccer and specially cricket in India. More so, the culture of celebrating sport by specially screening matches and games is also on the rise. However, from merely being a spectator, we are shifting our focus on getting people moving.
Q] The Indian consumer is price-sensitive and value-conscious. How does the brand Reebok cater to consumers, keeping these factors in mind?
Price is always relative to value. While Reebok has always been very dedicated to innovation in all aspects, we obviously keep in mind the share of the wallet that we can address. Refreshing the consumer palette with new technologies and products regularly builds the authenticity and leaves consumers asking what the brand has to offer next. We provide value to a consumer by providing him with a quality product that is technologically advanced and relevant to his/her fitness needs.
Q] The brand is present in several sports categories. In which category is it doing the best?
Indians have always idolized athletes and there is no sport that can come close to cricket here. That is why we have chosen MS Dhoni as the face of the ‘Live with Fire’ campaign. He is also a tremendously fit athlete who has sustained his fitness over a long span of time, and hence his credibility in choosing RealFlex shoes as his preferred training gear was obvious.
Q] Where do you see the sports category in India five years from now?
India is well-poised to pace the percentage growth of Reebok in the 2-billion-euro 2015 target plan. Reebok will follow a three-pronged approach in India – continuous innovation, a strong marketing campaign wedded to the ‘Live with Fire’ theme, and a whole new retail environment where consumers will get experiential fulfilment of their fitness needs. In India, we are going to open 50 of our Fit Hubs in 2013 alone.
Q] How is the marketing strategy in India different from the strategy used in the global market?
The marketing strategy used in India is very similar to the global market in terms of the media channels used. However, in terms of approach, the messaging is made relevant to the local consumers. For our ongoing RealFlex campaign, in order to appeal to the local market, star cricketer MS Dhoni appears in OOH, retail and print. Similarly in the digital space, we customize our channels of communication to reach out to the right TG.
Q] What is the media mix used in India?
Being a large-scale retail brand, Reebok is pretty much present across all media vehicles. However, depending on the campaign and TG requirements, we choose the right mix accordingly.
Q] Can you share some key trends and consumer insights in the India market?
• In a recent study conducted across India by Reebok to understand the fitness trends among consumers, we realized that women use forms of dance, yoga, aerobics and walking to address their fitness needs whereas men lean towards running and in-gym training.
• CrossFit, Fusion Fitness and Dance emerged amongst the top 3 fitness trends to watch out for in 2013
• Bollywood’s fitness icons, dedicated Fitness TV shows and media hype on fitness, increased focus on looking young/fit/healthy are the game changers for the industry – leading to significant awareness and action in recent times
• Tremendous scope for growth: About 16% of the US population has fitness club memberships in contrast to 0.4% for Indian markets in top seven cities
Q] What can we expect from Brand Reebok in 2013, what are the areas of key focus?
In 2013, Reebok will launch its fully integrated marketing campaign –Live With Fire. We will announce it through the vehicle of our training footwear, RealFlex transition 2.0. We will be showcasing our brand ambassador and star cricketer MS Dhoni in our OOH, retail and print executions. We have an exciting start to our RealFlex campaign with an innovative application called ‘Ignite your Fire’in our digital space. It inspires people to move out of their comfort zone and embrace fitness. Post RealFlex, we will enter the fitness arena through our studio apparel comprising yoga and dance apparel. We will align with fitness centres, gyms and take forward exciting partnerships. We will also be announcing a very exciting partnership in Bollywood in the second half of the year. This year, we are also back with a new and technologically advanced ZigTech footwear range. We also look forward to introducing the Reebok One footwear. This series of footwear across training, running, studio and walking represents our pinnacle offering, delivering the very best in activity-specific functionality through soft cushioning in the bottom, seamless support structure that locks the foot to the ground and a lightweight upper side allowing breathability.
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