Brands
Oppo to go full steam ahead this festive season
MUMBAI: Chinese smart phone maker Oppo Mobiles is getting into overdrive mode this festive season.
The brand, which has tapped into the tendency of Indian youth (18-35 years) to take selfies and positioned itself as the selfie expert, commands a 24.2 per cent market share of the Rs 15,000 – Rs 30,000 segment category (as per Counterpoint Q2 2017 data). And, it is hoping to up that share further in Q3 2017.
It is introducing a new phone, dropping prices of an earlier version, launching a new TVC featuring Indian cricketers, and continuing its massive media investment in Colors marquee shows like Big Boss and Kaun Banega Crorepati in its latest season.
First the launch. In an Amazon online exclusive, Oppo is unveiling a Oppo F3 Diwali limited edition phone in festive red color with a sticker price of Rs 18,990 on 29 September. The phone will also be available on all Oppo offline stores across India and comes preloaded with festive themes and wallpapers.
Says Oppo India brand director Will Yang: “This customised red phone, a colour that signifies the auspicious festivities, aims to help our consumers click perfect moments with their families and make this a preferred Diwali gift.”
The brand has positioned the product as the best Diwali gift one can gift or buy. In order to lure more consumers into snapping up the new handset, Oppo will give away exclusive cricket bats signed by the Indian cricket team with each purchase of the F3. Oppo says it will also be announcing a price cut for its earlier model F3 Plus in the coming weeks.
Yang believes that the new offering very much resonates with Oppo’s target audience: young people who are always looking for a fashionable smartphone. Says he: “In order to connect with today’s digital savvy generation or millennials as we call them, we continue to invest heavily in non-fiction shows, web series and cricket which is a religion in India.”
The new TVC features Team India cricket players – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and R. Ashwin, along with a Bollywood Diva – Elli AvrRam. It shows the festivities that surround the festival and the importance of the perfect gift which helps you capture your memorable Diwali moments.
Oppo, says it, leverages all platforms to connect with its consumers and uses a 360-degree marketing campaign for all its products and service but television continues to command the highest advertising investment.
About 350 million people out of the country’s 1.2 billion population currently own a smartphone. To expand its presence to tier II and tier III cities, which are still relatively untapped regions in the country, Oppo is looking to tie up with local merchants to rebrand their stores as Oppo stores. Although the brand enjoys a healthy mix of sales from urban and rural areas, 55-60 per cent of its offtake comes from mini metros and rural.
The company at present has 25,000 point of sales in India and aims to open 550 plus after sales service centres by the end of 2017. “Our key focus is on offline sales and that is why we are constantly exploring more retailers to get on board,” Yang concluded.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
