Brands
Blue & Blues aims to be a Rs 50 crore brand
KOLKATA: Blue & Blues, an Italian leather products brand, plans to expand its presence to other Asian and Middle East markets by the year 2015, apart from setting up new trends in leather accessories.
It aims to build Rs 50 crore brand within next one and a half year.
The brand was created by two Italian fashion visionaries – Francesco Lanzaratto and Fulvio Rovaris, but after the death of Lanzaratto, Kolkata headquartered leather good exporting company, Unique International, joined hands with Rovaris, to bring the brand to India.
“Our aim is to create a distinct mark of tradition in this lifestyle brand vertical. We are looking at tapping other Asian and Middle East, US and UK markets by the year 2015 for expansion. We aim to build Blue & Blues as a Rs 50 crore brand in the next one and half years,” says Blue & Blues Fashion (India) director Praveen Agarwal.
On the various marketing initiatives undertaken to promote the brand, he says, “The company undertakes various point-of-purchase activities to promote the brand and through different strategies they always highlight a factor which is ‘value proposition’.”
Highlighting some strategic campaigns like ‘coloured leather is all about coloured skin’, Agarwal informs that Ogilvy & Mather is the communication partner.
All Blue & Blues products are styled in Italy. Instead of the conventional black and brown leathers, it uses original leathers in vibrant colours like red, orange, yellow , blue, pink, golden, silver, just to name a few.
When asked about the availability of the leather products, he said that the brand is available at premium MBO’s like Shoppers Stop, Landmark, Central, Lifestyle, Ritu Wears, Witco and in select boutique stores apart from standalone showrooms in Kolkata and Gurgaon. “Internationally, it has its presence in countries like Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, and Belgium among other places,” says Agarwal.
The company also plans to open stores in Delhi followed by Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad within the next year, concludes Agarwal.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
