MAM
Levi Strauss re-launch Dockers with ‘Never Iron’, high pressure ad-campaign
BANGALORE: Aiming for an aggressive growth in the urban retail market, Levi Strauss’ Dockers has launched its newest offering ‘Never Iron’ – the 100 per cent cotton trousers.
The trousers have been engineered with a proprietary fabric and finish that is meant to give the trousers a straight from dry cleaner look.
This launch will be backed by the release of the ‘Dress to Live’ television commercial that has been recently released in the US. India is the only country outside of the US to launch Dockers ‘Never Iron’ pants and release the ‘Dress to Live’ commercial simultaneously with the US.
The launch of the ‘Never Iron’ pants and the commercial will be supported in retail with a seamless experience for the consumers. Point of purchase will play a key role in highlighting the product features and new news from Dockers.
The company plans to kickstart the ‘Never Iron’ campaign in Bangalore first primarily focussing on outdoors.
The theme of the ‘Never Iron’ TVC captures the need to look good, but does so in the context of one’s own individual worth. It is a clothing specific version of ‘you at your very best’. ‘Feel Good Look good’ is the spirit that Dockers ‘Dress to Live’ tries to capture.
A web advertising campaign is also on the anvil and ads will feature on portals such as Yahoo.co.in, Rediff.com, Moneycontrol.com, and Ciol.com . A brand new look to the Dockers section in exclusive stores in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore is also in the offing.
The creatives for the TVC has been done in the US, the media is to be handled by Mindshare. The ad budgets for Dockers are Rs.15 million for June 2005, of which 60-70 per cent would be spent on television. Ad budgets for a Diwali campaign are yet to be finalised.
The total ad-spends for Levis brand is pegged at Rs.120 million. The third brand in the Levi Strauss stable is the recently launched Signature brand.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
