Brands
Emami q-o-q ad and sales promo spend down 44 per cent in Q4-2014
BENGALURU: In keeping with its norms, Indian personal and healthcare company Emami Limited (Emami) Advertisement and Sales Promotion (Ad & SP) spend during the last quarter of FY-2014 was the lowest during the year. In Q4-2014, Emami Ad & SP at Rs 49.53 crore was down (–43.64) per cent as compared to the Rs 87.85 crore in the immediate trailing quarter Q3-2014 and just a meagre 1.18 per cent more than the Rs 48.95 crore in the year ago quarter – Q4-2013.
Notes: (1) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 1 crore = 10 million.
(2) All trends mentioned in this report are linear trends based on data across nine quarters starting Q4-2012 and ending Q4-2014 and across FY-2012 to FY-2014.
At 11.11 per cent of net sales, Emami’s Q4-2014 Ad & SP percentage of net sales was the third lowest over a nine month period starting Q4-2012 and ending Q4-2014. The lowest corresponding figure over the nine quarters was in Q4-2012 at 9.19 per cent of net sales (Rs 36.60 crore). During Q3-2014, Ad & SP as percentage of net sales was 15.03 per cent and during Q4-2013 it was 10.85 per cent (second lowest).
In terms of absolute rupee value terms, Emami’s Ad & SP Exp trends upwards, while in terms of percentage of net sales, it shows a downward trend. Also, in Q1-2013, and Q1-2014, Emami’s Ad& SP Exp was 18.72 per cent (second highest over nine quarters) and 18.85 per cent (highest over nine quarters) respectively of net sales. If the company follows these norms, Q1-2015 should see a substantial increase in Ad & SP Exp as percentage of net sales. Please refer to Fig 1 and Fig 1A below.
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Emami’s PAT and net sales across the quarters under consideration and the three financial years FY-2012 to FY-2014 trends upwards as per Fig 2 and Fig 2A below.
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Among the brands in the company’s portfolio are Zandu, Zandu Balm, Himani Navratna, BoroPlus, Fair and Handsome, Emami Vasocare, Emami Mentho Plus, Himani Fast Relief, Zandu Sona Chandi Chyawnprash Plus, Zandu Kesari Jivan, etc.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches accessories brand Maejoy
The Bollywood star’s lifestyle brand, built with Myntra and Exceed Entertainment, promises aspirational fashion without the high price tag
MUMBAI: Malaika Arora is not the first Bollywood star to put her name on a brand, and she will not be the last. But Maejoy, the accessories label she has launched in partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL) and talent outfit Exceed Entertainment, at least has a sharper pitch than most. The brand drops with 250-plus styles spanning handbags and lab-grown diamond jewellery, two categories that sit squarely in the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability, and lands on Myntra’s platform from day one, putting it in front of millions of shoppers without breaking a sweat.
The handbag range covers the full gamut: crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, workwear classics, backpacks and clutches, rendered in synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestone and metallic finishes. The jewellery line runs to rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets in silver, gold and rose-gold tones, set in 925 sterling silver with IGI and GCI certified lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s guiding philosophy, “The Joy of Being Me,” stakes its claim on individuality and self-expression; its three brand pillars, Authentic, Empowering, Accessible, are the usual suspects, though the lab-grown diamond bet is savvier than it sounds. Lab-grown stones now sell at a fraction of the price of mined ones, and the category is growing fast in India as younger buyers wise up to the arbitrage.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business, or through my personal style, I’ve championed the idea that fashion should be empowering yet effortless. The brand aims to democratise global fashion trends while offering women something that extends the feeling of luxury every day, be it a lab-grown diamond or a perfectly crafted handbag,” said Malaika Arora, founder of Maejoy
MJIPL, the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra, is putting its design and brand-building muscle behind the venture. Suman Saha, chief experience officer and head of house of brands at MJIPL, was bullish on the tie-up.
“Maejoy brings together Malaika Arora’s distinctive style perspective with a strong proposition in the accessible yet elevated accessories space. We believe the brand’s fashion-forward designs and thoughtful positioning will connect strongly with discerning consumers.”
Suman Saha, chief experience officer, head of house of brands, MJIPL
Afsar Zaidi, chief executive of Exceed Entertainment, the talent management firm that helped broker the deal, has worked with MJIPL before and was characteristically direct about what makes Arora an unusually bankable partner.
“Building celebrity-led brands requires a delicate balance of authenticity and market viability. Malaika is a rare talent who commands equal respect as a fashion icon and a savvy businesswoman. We are proud to facilitate this partnership that brings together her creative clout and Myntra’s brand-building excellence,” said Zaidi
Celebrity fashion brands live or die on one question: does the star actually wear it, or is the cheque the only thing they signed? Arora, who has spent three decades as one of Bollywood’s most-watched style references, has at least built a plausible case. Maejoy is live now on www.myntra.com and the Myntra app. The real test, whether shoppers buy the handbag or just the hype, starts today.
