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Arrow is one of the leading premium readymade brands in

India. This international brand has a rich history dating
back to 1851. Globally Arrow brand belonged to Cluett
Peabody & Company, Inc, but in 2004 it was acquired by
Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation in a $70 million deal. In India, the brand is manufactured
and marketed by Arvind Brands.

At Arrow, the roots are firmly established as a fashion leader in men¶s apparel. However,
today Arrow has been transformed into Gentleman lifestyle brand with a broad assortment of
men¶s, women¶s, and children¶s apparel and apparel related products available in over 90
countries worldwide. At Arrow, through research and development, everyone is constantly
addressing the changing needs and desires of the consumer, resulting in brand awareness and
consumer loyalty. The success of Arrow can be attributed to the brand¶s rich heritage and the
company¶s attention to detail over the years.
Arrow, a Gentleman icon, for over 150 years.

Arrow, predominantly a shirt brand, came to India in 1993. The brand which was known for
its American heritage was an instant success in India too. This premium brand thrives on the
international image and Arvind nurtured this brand by making the brand exclusive. The brand
is expensive and has excellent quality and finish. Arrow is famous for its ultra- formal shirts.
Consumers like to show-off the brand and the famous Arrow brand mark near the cuff. The
brand promotes itself using print media.

Arrow currently runs 62 stores (Exclusive Brand Outlets & Exclusive Store on Purchase) in
India and is geared up to expand its stores by opening 45 more stores pan-India. These outlets
will be a combination of both franchised and company-owned outlets.
 THE ARROW COLLAR MAN

The Arrow Collar Man was the name given to the various male models who appeared in
advertisements for shirts and detachable shirt collars manufactured by Cluett Peabody &
Company of Troy, New York. The original campaign ran from 1905-31 though the company
continued to refer to men in its ads and its consumers as "Arrow men" much later.

The Arrow Collar ads were a collaborative production of New York ad agency Calkins and
Holden; Cluett, Peabody advertising director Charles Connolly; and commercial illustrator J.
C. Leyendecker. Leyendecker's model was his live-in companion, a Canadian named Charles
Beach. Hundreds of printed advertisements were produced from 1907 to 1931 featuring the
Arrow Collar Man. The fictional Arrow collar man became an icon and by 1920 received fan
mail. President Theodore Roosevelt referred to him as a "superb portrait of the common
man". He inspired a Broadway musical Helen of Troy in 1923.

Arrow Collar ad by J. C. Leyendecker

 ARROW LEGEND


The 1850s was a period of great fashion consciousness in the United States of America.
Befitting their status and standing, men of society were called upon to wear formal attire
much of the time. To distinguish them from one another stylists spent enormous amounts of
time designing new cuts and accessories. It was easy to see that future beckoned those with
vision and craft. Arrow was born in this moment of history, searching for that one idea that
would distinguish it from all others. In the year of its launch it created the detachable collar.
This world¶s first, marked the company as one with a fine future.

The no-compromise policy it followed endeared it to people of wealth. It soon became an

iconic brand. As a symbol of American quality, Arrow was awarded a bronze medal in 1876,
struck by the US Mint. It was no coincidence that the year marked one century of American
independence.

By 1910 white shirts with high standing collars had become the only acceptable office attire.
It would seem impossible, but Arrow actually had more than 400 collar designs to choose
from. When World War II ended, soldiers wanted to return to an easier code of dress. It was
left to Arrow to develop the shrink-free cotton shirt. Impressed with its ingenuity, Broadway
paid it tribute in a song titled µMy Arrow Collar Man.¶

The next two decades were marked by the rise of Hollywood. Stars like Cary Grant
epitomised the new relaxed elegance and brands like Arrow evolved formal shirts that were
soft to the touch and flowing in their contours. At the same time, Arrow developed the Ivy
League collection to match the progression of the emerging Wall Street wizards.

The brand had moved so high in esteem that it actually formed part of the wardrobe of John
F. Kennedy, America¶s 35th President. The Woodstock generation of the 1970s returned to
the classical fold ± a trend heralded by the Great Gatsby.

By the 1980s and the 1990s there was a distinct laid-back attitude. Disco shirts had come and
gone; the fitness mania had swept the world; pinstripes, the jaspe effect, jacquards, birdseye,
basket weaves and piques had all made their mark. The sporty look had become the flavour
of the season. Arrow unshackled itself and arrived at the party in a new line called Arrow
Sport.




It all begins in a one-room workshop
in the town of Troy, New York, where Maullin and Blanchard,
the originators of the business of Cluett, Peabody & Co., start a
small business.

 
    ± Charles Connolly, the

advertising manager for Cluett, Peabody and Company hires a
fashion illustrator J.C.Leyendecker to create a new image for
Arrow. The Arrow Collar Man is born.


  c  ± The international demand for Arrow
collars begins with an order from Mexico. Soon, Arrow collars
are being sold everywhere from Cuba and Puerto Rico to
Scandinavia and Holland.




! "#$ % ± The Arrow Collar Man becomes a

subject of a Broadway musical. By the mid 1920¶s, 4 million
Arrow collars are being manufactured every week.

!  &' ± Arrow introduces loose-fitting shirts with

open collars and straight-cut bottoms. Slacks, shorts and tennis
shirts complete the sportswear look.

( ) *+*# ± Arrow agents for Great Britain are

bombed during the London blitz of 1940, but reopen their office
immediately, restocking form Arrow Canadian factory. 


  ,- , - ± It¶s the decade of µI Love Lucy¶ and

µGunsmoke¶. Men get to kick back and shed their suits for bold
sports shirts and slacks. µSuch gorgeous plumage¶, a 1952
Arrow shirts ad declares, µwill put romance into a fella¶s loaf
life.¶

.   / ± Arrow¶s popular white shirts are

replaced by boldly striped shirts with white collars, vivid
colours and rich new patterns.

0   *# ± Cluett Peabody International is formed.

New licensees to join the Arrow family include France,
Ecuador, Indonesia and Pakistan. 


  1'  ± 1980 is a banner year internationally for

Arrow. Through licensing agreements, the label extends into
Yugoslavia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Brazil, Singapore, Egypt
and Korea.

  2* #* ± American clothes become the

global wardrobe. By the end of the decade international affiliates
include Portugal, India, the Middle East and Australia.
 ARROW IN INDIA

3 4 Nothing represents the changing face of time more accurately than clothes. If a
brand has then spanned 150 years it would have nearly fully covered that part of modern
history following the advent of steam locomotion.

Started in a small, one-room workshop in Troy, New York, in 1851, it would have hardly
seemed probable that one day this tiny operation would span 90 countries and lead a veritable
revolution in men¶s apparel ± a segment that¶s the biggest money-spinner in the entire
garment industry. A peek into its might is a stunning story in numbers: the top five emerging
countries of the world, for instance, contribute US$ 74.70 billion (Rs. 358,560 crore) to world
business clocking an impressive compounded growth of 6%. By 2012, this market is
expected to notch up revenues of US$ 94.50 billion (Rs. 453,600 crore) growing at 4.80%. If
this growth is stirring then the figures for the Indian garment sector are truly extraordinary.
The men¶s apparel industry alone is expected to boom at 14.90% between 2008 and 2010. It
currently accounts for 45% of the Rs. 89,000 crore (US$ 18.50 billion) business that
garments in India generate. In this heady scenario, Arrow, one of the leading premium
readymade brands in India, stands poised to draw maximum advantage2.

The brand continues to focus on its core markets. With a robust distribution spread among
flagship stores, key departmental stores and leading multibrand outlets, Arrow is present in
over 30 cities and Class I towns across the country. The company-owned stores in major high
streets and malls, is an attempt to build an unmatched retail experience for the consumer,
while delivering quality products.

Recent Developments 4 In 2008-09, in the Premium Menswear market, Arrow was the
growth leader with a sales growth of 18%, by far the highest in the segment affected the most
by the economic downturn. During the year, Arrow gained leadership in the departmental
store segment. The year also saw the opening of the Company flag ship store at Connaught
Place in Delhi.

Arrow has always been a leader when it comes to product innovation and perfection in
garmenting. Over the last decade, Arrow has multiple 'firsts' to its credit such as (
 
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Arvind has been betting big on Arrow in the international market. Having a large retail
presence in India, Arrow is also retailed through several departmental stores in West Asia,
Egypt, the Maldives, Nepal and Kenya. The departmental store format is highly evolved in
West Asia and offers the brand opportunities to be present across several doors. Arrow is
present in 30 Lulu stores and 55 Max stores (from the Landmark group). Arvind also operates
five exclusive Arrow showrooms in West Asia.

/+   Traditionally, Arrow was popular among the established business classes.
There was a need to reach out to the Indian youth market. The brand adopted a new tagline:
µWhen You Know¶. The target segment was identified as SEC A, male, aged 25 to 35 years.
It unleashed a countrywide print campaign stressing the new positioning. It was focused on
the young sophisticate, whose discerning taste leads him to choose Arrow. His preferences in
other aspects of life are no less ordinary. The photo sort profiling shows him to be a person
who never has to try too hard to achieve and his choices have timeless appeal.

An important aspect of Arrow¶s success is the authority it can lend to its communications.
The brand, as an acknowledged leader, has therefore taken it upon itself to show people how
formal attire is correctly worn. This has won the brand a large number of friends and
followers. In 2007, Arrow recognised the emergence of a new breed of young employees.
These were the trailblazers of the BPO and ITES industries. Keeping their profile in mind,
Arrow created the µcrossover look.¶ The styling merged two worlds and held an instant
appeal for this audience.

This quick-on-its-feet, out-of-the-box thinking is manifest in its retail promotions as well. Its
7th July 2007 offer ± a take on the calendar date of 07.07.07 ± for instance, revealed its
exclusive 777 scheme. For just that one day, all its merchandise was available in
denominations of 7: accessories at Rs. 77, shirts at Rs. 777 and suits starting at Rs. 7777.
Topping 777 was the µRace against Time¶ offer, designed for the shortest day of the year. The
offer gave discounts ranging from 100% to 25% and created a small stampede. Billings on
that one day touched 30% of the month¶s average sales.

? ?
 THE PRODUCTS

Arrow, simply put, is a lifestyle brand offering an extensive range of formal, relaxed and
fashion wear ± and its sub-variants such as relaxed luxury, urban, casual chic, sports et al.

Over the years, sartorial tastes have gradually veered towards the informal with the young,
sporty look making the fashion statement today. In recognising this trend, Arrow paid tribute
to it in its after-hours collection, made especially for the man who desires comfort and style ±
both in the board room and out of it. The seeds sown by this range were reincarnated in 2000
as Arrow Sport. This exceptional collection, revitalised each season, now embraces even T-
shirts, sweaters and accessories besides shirts, trousers and jackets. The immense success of
the Sports collection can be gauged from the fact that it now comprises nearly 25% of
Arrow¶s turnover.

The turn of the century saw the market getting even more youthful with a discernible bias
towards health and physical fitness. V-shaped bodies were increasingly getting in vogue.
Arrow developed the trendy, slim-fit µUrban¶ range to cater to these young needs.
Fashionable, formal workplace and evening wear comprising shirts, trousers, T-shirts,
sweaters and jackets in a range of fabrics, cuts and washes were rolled out and struck an
instant chord with the audience.

Arrow continues to develop a range each season that picks colours and styles from the
fashion capitals of the world and lays them for its consumers in this country. Initially the
garments were designed by the Italian designer Renato Grande, but today it is all done in the
Bangalore head office by an elite team of skilled designers.
Arrow¶s collection comprises of:


5/ #6%%  ± Made from superfine 100% cotton fabric, with detailing like
Mother of Pearl buttons, 1851 & President¶s collection are Arrow¶s signature ranges that
define comfort and style.

7# %%   This collection is inspired by the personal dressing style of the
American legend ü      @    


  
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  ,*? ± Synonymous with timeless elegance, Arrow¶s premium formal-wear range
combines stylish cuts and subtle designs. This is a collection that truly meets the modern
gentleman¶s sense of individuality and style.

$' ± The    

as Arrow states it. 100% cotton and 100% wrinkle-free.
"$,*This is an exclusive range of formal work-wear in an array of colours and sharp
styles.

&$ ± Arrow¶s Italian suits are made from fine blends of silk, cashmere and wool. All suits
and jackets are internationally styled with details like hand-stitched lapels and fashionably cut
side vents that add a touch of elegance to these slim-cut suits.

* ± Slim fits and sharp cuts give Arrow Urban a fashionable yet elegant form. This
collection is specially made to fit a fast-paced, metropolitan lifestyle.

&' ± Elegant leisure-wear made from washed and structured fabrics, Arrow sports
celebrates the coming together of a casual attitude Arrow¶s signature style.

+6  ± A mix of trendy ensembles and classic 
 @
. The highlights of SS
¶10 were ± finely crafted apparel in shades of red purple and green.

c ± Includes a range of briefs, boxers and vests in premium, classic and sports style.

%%  ± A range of finely crafted accessories including bags, belts, cufflinks, ties and
wallets

The Arrow Spring-Summer collection, 2010

 ACHIEVEMENTS

Arrow¶s continued success has emanated from its unrelenting adherence to quality, premium
values and exclusivity. With readymade brands entering the country in droves, Arrow has
weathered the competition through keeping pace with the latest styles and technology, even
while continuing to inspire brand loyalty. It can hardly be a surprise to know that Arrow is
often called µThe Voice of Authority¶ that has defined the way men¶s dressing has evolved
over the years.

The company has several sartorially inspiring firsts to its credit: Ultimos the country¶s
lightest, wrinkle-free chinos was introduced when the market was still stuffed with heavy stiff
fabrics; Unstainables, was a trailblazing stain-repellent fabric used for the first time in shirts
and trousers in India; the brand also created adjustable waist band trousers and shirt collars as
well as 2-ply fabrics with state-of-the-art finishes. In addition if stripes, washed formals and
linens became fashion statements in corridors of power it was in great measure to the fact that
Arrow pioneered their introduction.

The brand has been duly recognised for these efforts. For three consecutive years ± 2001,
2002 and 2003 ± it was conferred the Most Admired Menswear Shirt Brand by Images
Fashion Awards (IFA) ± and acknowledged as the Most Admired Menswear Fashion Brand
at CENTRAL in 2008/09. Most recently Arrow was selected as a Superbrand in India for the
year 2009-10.

Arrow, Superbrands and Most Admired Menswear Fashion Brand

 ARROW ARISTOCRACY

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- Thomas Jefferson

Aristocracy is a Greek word where Aristo means excellent, and Kratos stands for power.

A word well suited and picked out for Arrow customers; this loyalty program by Arrow has a
database of more than 72,000 customers or as the organisation faithfully calls them,
µMembers¶.

To enroll into this program, a person has to make a minimum purchase of Rs. 3,000 at any of
the exclusive Arrow stores. The membership is valid for a period of 1 year and the same is
automatically renewed by another year once a second purchase is made during the first year
of the membership. During the membership period a person receives µpoints¶ linked to the
value of purchases made, and to the membership tier. Once 500 points are accumulated, they
can be redeemed for any merchandise at a store as discount against the bill value.

Benefits:

? Arrow aristocracy is a mobile-based program which means one need not bring any
card along
? Points equal to 10% value of Enrollment purchase
? Instant update via SMS
? Earns points up to 9+20%
? Special offers on personal occasions
There are three membership tiers: Gold, Silver and Blue. The tier enrolled is linked to the
value of purchase made.

Irrespective to the tier enrolled into, for the first purchase, one will earn points equal to 10%
of the purchase value. Thereafter, the points earned are linked to the tier one belongs to.

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& 8 10000-19999 3% 100% 6%
2# Above 20000 3% 200% 9%

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-? www.arrowlife.com

Arrow tries very well to keep associated with its customers. They are wished by the Arrow
customer care desk on their birthdays and anniversaries. Before the start of any End Of
Season Sale (EOSS) there is an Exclusive Members Preview held especially for the
Aristocracy members for which the members are invited 2-3 weeks ahead of time by tele-
calling and e-mails; and then regular reminders are sent to them via SMSs. The purpose of an
Exclusive Members Preview is to give a privilege to the patrons of Arrow to avail discounts
before the sale is publically announced.

The members are also sent a brand catalogue before the next season¶s collection is launched
displaying the collection in exotic locations of South Africa with a lifestyle feel. This
approach is unique in India. Each catalogue costs Arrow around Rs 250-350, including cost
of production and handling charges and is available for the members in both e-copy and hard
copy format. About 5 per cent of Arrow's advertising budget (8 per cent of the brand's
revenue) is earmarked for catalogues. The soft copy can be found at:

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Catalogues take over free coffee-table space and as people tend to keep them, have a much
higher shelf life than newspaper ads. They also have multiple viewership and are discussed.
The prices and code numbers are deliberately kept out of the catalogue as Arrow wants its
customers µto romance with the product¶.

Arrow Aristocracy today has evolved to a new and much popular dimension ± social
networking. It has a group on facebook where the members can view the latest happenings in
and by Arrow.

Arrow Aristocracy on Facebook

$+, &+:%

? A brand¶s 80% of the revenue is made up by the 20% of its customers (the loyal ones)

? A good customer experience is told to 8 other people

? A bad customer experience is told to 22 other people

? It takes 10 good experiences to make up for one bad one

? 70% buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated

? A typical brand receive around 65% of its business from existing customers

? 7 out of 10 customers who switch to a competitor do so because of poor service

? Customers who rate a brand 5 on a scale from 1 to 5 are six times more likely to buy
from that brand again, as to if they µonly' gave a 4 8. Around 90% of unhappy
customers will not buy again from a brand that disappointed them

? A 5% reduction in the customer defection rate can increase profits by 25% to 80%

? Satisfying and retaining current customers is 3 to 10 times cheaper than acquiring new
customers

? An average brand loses between 10 and 30% of its customers each year

? 92% of all customer interactions happen via the phone

? 85% of consumers are dissatisfied with their phone experience

 ARROW: SOME FACTS

? John F. Kennedy wore Arrow shirts

? Arrow is the only brand to have a song in a Broadway musical ± My Arrow collared
man ± named after it
? The adjustable waist bands in trousers were introduced by Arrow
? The detachable collars of 1851 were an Arrow innovation
? At the US 100 th Independence Day celebrations, Arrow was awarded a bronze medal,
struck by the US mint as a symbol of American quality
? In the early 1900s when shirts with high standing collars were the only acceptable
office attire, Arrow had on offer more than 400 collar designs
? All Arrow garments are styled by an Italian designer
? Wrinkle-free, stain-free and super crease trousers have all been introduced by Arrow

Currently, the international market accounts for around six per cent of Arrow¶s total turnover
(the brand clocked Rs 170 crore last year). Arvind hopes Arrow¶s international business will
rise to 10 per cent this financial year.

Arvind also has the licence to retail Arrow in South Africa and will start distribution in
September.

? ?
  & 
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&)4It has been learnt from customer¶s experiences that an Arrow shirt lasts for
around 5 years and some have even lasted for 7 years if the wash care instructions are
properly followed. This, the quality promise, is the major strength that Arrow has. Holdinga
high prestige on the minds of its target audience the strengths of Arrow are:

? A history of more than 150 years

? Has stuck to its quality first promise
? Still maintains an exclusive status in customers¶ minds
? Always bringing new innovations in the market (Anti-wrinkle, stain resistance)
? One of India¶s first lifestyle brands
? Lower prices of Anti-wrinkle range than the competitors
? Soon to start retailing in South Africa

3 ± Like most of the brands catering to a niche market Arrow also has developed
certain weaknesses in India in the process of appealing to its target audience. The younger
population might conceive Arrow wrongly as µtoo expensive¶. The main problem here is that
they do not understand what Arrow stands for. A short lived advertisement campaign would
prove to be beneficial in such a case. Some of the weaknesses of Arrow are:

? Low top-of-the-mind recall in the market

? Relies heavily on word of mouth marketing
? Passive marketer in terms of using television as a medium

''$  Day by day people are moving into cities looking for better standards of
living. In this endeavour they get exposed the trends in fashion and are then attracted towards
adapting to it. Also, with the improvement in per capita income and a fast paced
westernisation of India lifestyle brands have a good future here.
 ? Increasing rate of urbanisation of India
? Increasing preference of lifestyle brands by the population
? Increasing percentage of working women class

4It is said that Indian market has a great potential for foreign brands. Following this
most of the international brands have landed in the markets today promising to be better than
the others. Hence the market has today become very competitive where each and every brand
is introducing sub-brands to cater to different niches. This has led to negligible switching
costs for customers and hence experimentation has increased.

? Increasing competition in the lifestyle market

? Reliance on word of mouth marketing (one bad experience is told to ten others)

? ?
 , -"#


A lifestyle brand is a brand that attempts to embody the values and aspirations of a group or
culture for purposes of marketing. A successful lifestyle brand speaks to the core identity of
its customers. Individuals each have their own sense of self, based on their background (e.g.
ethnicity, social class, subculture, nationality, etc.). A lifestyle brand provides a powerful
supplement to this core identity, by allowing the individual to publicly associate themselves
with the brand.

Successful lifestyle brands are relevant brands. 8 *# #  81#  
*# --; *$   %)    +3  - +  +  
#- $# %. They don't try too hard to be fun, but they do keep fun at the core of
their business. While it is easier for the more nimble, entrepreneurial start-up brands to
incorporate a lifestyle ethos at the heart of their philosophy, larger, more established global
brands can do this too, but they have to make a serious commitment to understanding and
ultimately satisfying the needs of the 21st-century player.

Lifestyle brands bring freedom to the player in all of us because they exist dynamically in
real time in multiple places. They are more purposeful and meaningful than just being a
commodity because they exist in culture on all levels, and are therefore truly relevant to their
audience.

The loyal customers purchase lifestyle brands not for what they are (their functional utility),
but rather for what they represent. This representation transcends the product and adds
significant value to these goods. E.g., a Quiksilver t-shirt isn't just a piece of clothing. It's a
powerful symbol of surf culture. Bob McKnight, founder of the $1.4 billion-a-year surfwear
brand Quiksilver, states that his brand Î

 @ @  @ 
 
 
Î This
brand philosophy is comparable to that of the iconic brand Starbucks. The coffee giant has
successfully transformed a simple coffee beverage into a high-end espresso drink that
millions across the globe are willing to pay a premium price for1.

The unique ability to transcend the product-only customer relationship is achieved because
lifestyle brands don't sell functional benefits (e.g., The Arrow Autopress shirts: wrinkle-free)
or benefits such as performance and achievement. Rather, they sell the emotional attachment
to the desirable lifestyle and multiple core values inherent in this lifestyle.
The values include freedom, creativity, self-expression, independence, empowerment, and
more. These values drive loyalty because they meet the deep-rooted emotional needs of
consumers. Consider the successful branding for the city of Las Vegas. Las Vegas doesn't sell
gambling or entertainment. It sells freedom and a Î @ @ 
  
@
  Î attitude,
which is highly desired by the target audience of young and middle-aged adults who want an
escape from their normal everyday lives.

What sets lifestyle brands apart from even the most successful brands is their ability to give
customers an identity. This identity is delivered through the self-expressive benefits of the
brand, which include the highly coveted identities and personality traits linked to the
lifestyles.

By delivering both self-expressive and emotional benefits, lifestyle brands make their
common apparel goods more meaningful and valuable. Hence it gives an ability to command
a premium price for apparel that private label department store brands sell at half the price.

Arrow presents to its customers an unmatched lifestyle experience. From Visual

Merchandising (VM) to customer services everything has an exclusive status tagged to it.
 Feel of an Arrow store

% 8 -*#4&'

Active lifestyle brands, the widely popular apparel brands associated with the lifestyle of
active sports such as surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding, own a unique position in the
mind of consumers. They represent the attractive lifestyle and values linked to active sports.

While these brands don't receive the same respect and adulation from the marketing
community as Apple, Coca-Cola, and other universally known "mega-brands," they should be
held in the same esteem. Active lifestyle brands transcend the product-only customer
relationship and have developed emotional and long-term bonds with an entire generation of
young consumers.
In particular, these brands offer excellent lessons for brand builders outside the youth market
who want to take advantage of consumers' ever-increasing desire for lifestyle-oriented brands
and brands that deliver self-expressive benefits.

If one digs deeper then it is learnt that many adults admit that they connect with active
lifestyle brands on an emotional level and use them to express their aspirations of
individuality and non-conformance as a lifestyle.

The success of a brand is not determined by how many people are aware of it, but how
positive they feel about it. Or more specifically, a brand's success is determined by its ability
to move consumers from rational purchase behaviour, Î"   
   



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@
 Î In this respect, active lifestyle brands are on par with
today's most successful brands.

A lifestyle brand has to evolve with its customers. It has to take decisions and change itself as
the customers are doing. Each season Arrow launches its collection with a new theme. The
theme for SS ¶10 (Spring-Summer 2010) was GO GREEN. An effort by Arrow to protect the
environment, under this theme all the shopping bags used were made out of 100% recyclable
paper and ways of going green was explained by visual merchandising.

Go Green theme for SS µ10

 
 TARGET GROUP

A target group, or target audience is the primary group of people that, usually in an
advertising campaign, is aimed at appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain
age group, gender, marital status, etc. (ex: teenagers, females, single people, etc.)
Discovering the appropriate target market(s) to market a product or service to is one of the
most important stages involved with market research. Without knowing the target audience, a
company's advertising and the selling efforts can become difficult and very expensive.

Target Audiences are set to focus on different groups: Adults, teens and children. It is
essential to become familiar with the target market, their habits, behaviours, likes, and
dislikes. Markets differ in size, assortment, geographic scale, locality, types of communities,
and in the different types of merchandise sold and because of the many variations included in
a market it is essential, since one cannot accommodate everyone¶s preferences, to know
exactly whom we are marketing to and the specific fondness of that market. To better become
acquainted with the ins and outs of the designated target market legend a market analysis
must be completed. A market analysis is a documented examination of a market that is used
to enlighten a business¶s preparation activities surrounding decisions of inventory, purchase,
work force expansion/contraction, facility expansion, purchases of capital equipment,
promotional activities, and to improve daily operations and many other aspects.

The target Group for Arrow is successful professionals around the age of 28+. These are the
people who have experienced their share of satisfactions, delights, dissatisfactions, switch-
overs while buying apparel suited to their lifestyles and now have found a brand that fulfils
all their apparel demands. These are the people from the urban sector of our society and don¶t
mind paying a premium for their desired clothes.

To them quality, comfort and appeal supersedes the price. They are the ones who, when
younger, saw their bosses wearing a shirt with an µA¶ logo near the cuffs and made it a point
to one day wear the same shirt. They are the ones who easily associate themselves with the
Arrow heritage and have a trust on the brand. They follow the adage µlike father, like son¶
and recommend Arrow to their next generation.

They know, what they want, why they want it, and Arrow delivers it!
 
2
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c  5  ,&c& ± Target group
identification is the process of determining groups of people who have similar perceptions for
Arrow and therefore similar needs for information and communication.

2/ <
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 %% High brand stickiness; Feeling of privilege Telecall and e-mails;

++* ! good word of mouth privileged access to
+34   marketers special offer/scheme


 %% Good stickiness; capable Brand¶s facts and e-mails and

++*  of becoming influencers latest happenings newsletters; Offers to
34   increase influence


 %% Buy when required Details about member e-mails; hard-copy

++* )# previews and new catalogues
 #34  collection


1  )%$+; Buy only 1 or 2 Details of the Face to face by the

*$ %% garments per visit; don¶t programme store staff
++* know the programme¶s
value

/'% 8 Satisfies the Information about Print media; word of

%$+ demographic Arrow and its mouth
characteristics for offerings
Arrow & on a look-out
for a good brand
 &
9c 

+ Dhinakaran P

=  #$ 8>

A: HSR layout.

=  #$8 $-+ >$ -3+> 

A: My wife is a housewife and I have a kid.

=  #$3>

A: I work for Airtel.

=  #*#' #-  )+6 $#>

A: A brand will play a role definitely in making you feel comfortable. A brand maybe the
best in the world, but if it is uncomfortable then it makes no sense. On the other hand, if you
have a brand that is unknown but is comfortable then it is good. If the comfort is extremely
great then you can pay a premium for that. It should have that WOW factor in it.

=  #$ -'  -$% )$-# )> 

A: I only pick out my clothes.

=  #$ 3)+>

A: First of all the shirts are a perfect stitch for me. Then somewhere there is definitely some
value for me. In the last 2 years I must have spent at least Rs. 80 thousand on Arrow.

= <)8$* )>

A: It has been 7 years now.

 
=  # #$- *$)+> $#$++*$- 
1' %>

A: I remember when I first bought an Arrow shirt I paid a much higher premium than what I
used to pay for getting shirts stitched or an economical shirt. Since then I haven¶t bought
any other shirt than Arrow. Pants, you don¶t offer much variety so I go for Blackberrys.
Their pants are extremely comfortable and I don¶t need to iron them. I don¶t think Arrow
has that quality of pants. In shirts I think Arrow has the best collection. Even the president
collection which is worth around Rs 7 thousand, I have 7-8 of them. Most of my rack,
around 98%, is Arrow only. The rest 2% might be the ones gifted or something like that.
The ones that I have bought are completely Arrow.

=  #+$)) $$+#$- '$%> + 8#

$# >

A: There was a sale going on and I was browsing through it and trying to find something in
my budget. Then I bought a shirt to try. It was Rs 200-250 more than what I usually pay.

= <+%+' +8$))+>$++*
 % #>

A: Most of the people say that it is good. People in my office call me Arrow-Man. I always
buy it and I also recommend it to others.

= <8$) -#'#$%>

A: Yea, for my wedding I must have gifted at least 10 shirts to 10 different people. During
my wedding I bought at least 15-20 shirts and all of them I gifted.

=  + +' )$%$ 3-> 

A: The most important thing is the fabric. It is good. Most of my shirts till today I don¶t feel
like throwing them away because they look new even though they are 3-4 years old. Other
branded items, after 2 years they start looking old and dull. With stitches I haven¶t had
even 1 problem. I haven¶t ever seen even 1 stitch ripping. Even the collars don¶t have any
problems. Usually when you brush on the collars you see small bubbles forming, but I
don¶t find it in these shirts. The shirts are well stitched and it is the fitting that gives me
values for money.
(Says that usually nobody lifts up your cuffs to look at the Arrow logo. If somebody notices it
then it is ok)

= $)-+ -- %>

A: I only wear formals to office. Mon-Fri it is compulsory formals.

=   %-- )##$%  $> 

A: Expert, Quality, Comfort, Formal, Classic, (I don¶t believe in American or anything for
that matter. All I believe in is quality), Heritage, Evolved (Definitely! You people have spent
so much time in understanding so you know what do you talk about), Successful (the measure
of success can¶t be measured. In my office there are three more people who buy only Arrow.
They used to buy LP, JM, Park Avenue, VH, but now they have chucked everything out.
They usually buy during sale but it doesn¶t matter. It is the respect that they have for the
brand), Impression-making, Relaxed, Intelligent, Best in class (definitely), Mature,
Gentleman, Corporate-dressing

= & %$8* *#-% ' #;8$$

%)>

A: When I first bought my shirt then at that time it was a little expensive for me because my
earning was not that good. There are different varieties of clothes coming in now. The
customer service has been great. I don¶t know how delighted I am. The design and fabric
keeps changing. The last time I went to a store this guy treated me very good. I needed a size
30 pant and it wasn¶t in that store so that guy called up the other store and sent a guy over
there. He made me wait for some time, but he did bring that piece for me. I think it was a
world-class experience. He did not know who I am. He did not know who I am if I am a
regular customer or not, but still for just one pant he took that pain. He could¶ve said to me
that sir I¶m helpless, I don¶t have it and you can go to the other store, but still he sent one guy
by auto. It was a good experience.

= c-+;3 #-'$#*> );$#

 8;$#3;  - $#%>

A: He will definitely be a good entrepreneur because as long as it is a good thing the person
will also be good. Around 30-35 years of age.
= ny other feedback that you would like to add. ?

The Aristocracy membership is really pathetic because everything they call and say that there
will be a sale only for members, but you then see that everyone takes it. Then why do you
need a membership for that. Every time this is a problem since I became a member. I have
been observing and all this time I have been giving my feedback, but I don¶t think anywhere
this feedback is taken.

When I went in the last time I said to the guys there that you opened the shop at 9 am and 10
am I¶m here, but they replied that no sir the HO ordered to give it to everyone. I went to
Indiranagar store and there also the same thing was happening. In that case don¶t say that the
sale is only for members. All I¶m saying is that you said something and you are not
honouring it. When you say that sale is only for members then members only should get the
discount and nobody else should get it.

Also when the sale starts you see the entire stock getting changed. Probably if you go on first
and second day of the sale you see the entire stock getting changed. It seems like you¶re
doing something just for the sake of doing it. This is only related to the membership
experience and is nowhere related to the brand. I think that the membership rewards also are
extremely rubbish. My credit card gives me better experience of points. If I use my HSBC
Platinum card for every Rs 150 it gives me points and 2 points are equivalent to Rs 2. I don¶t
think till today I have earned more than 300 points. I think that by the time I retire I¶ll have
around 1000 points. This time for my brother¶s marriage I said no for Arrow. I said to move
to a different shop because I don¶t like your suits. My spend on suits is like 5% of my entire
spend. I don¶t think you have good collection in suits; shirts you have an excellent collection
no doubt about that.

I say close this membership. You are sending me books and stuff, but how does it matter to
me? I¶m not a fan of receiving books and then throwing them. The club members just see
some pictures and throw it out. What is the need for it? Yes you are sending me letters, but
what is the need for it? Ok you have given me the value-add that someone is concerned about
me being a part of their organisation. I don¶t find any other value-add other than that. Not
even one sale was for members, but every time they purposely call and say that sir these 2
days it is only for members and after that it will be open. When we question that last time
also something like this happen then the tele-caller gives stupid responses like this time it
won¶t happen.
Customer coming in or not coming in is immaterial. What is it that you are trying to do?
Somebody is not coming so you are trying to make him come. See, I¶m also in branding. So
what do you do? You have 10 people who are very loyal, but you see that they are not
spending; so how do you increase their spend? You give them some offer. So out of 10 2 may
come, but in the end what happens? He comes for Rs 2 and he makes business for Rs 10. So
on one hand you have made business and you have also ensured that the customer thinks that
someone cares for him. Those 10 people will have different intentions to take. If not this time
then the next time they definitely will take. All this you want to do is just for the sake of
doing it and make the customer µbakra¶. This is exactly what is happening. You are just
fooling around.

I am only commenting only on membership. I guess there is just some stupid fellow sitting
there and thinking that if others are doing then I also have to do it. You whole objective is
that ok we are starting a sale and before we open it to all we will open it for 2 days specially
our members. All that it conveys is that you are treating the members better. This makes the
members think that instead of buying it tomorrow, I¶ll buy it today because I feel privileged.
You should not bother for it if you can¶t. You just open it for all. That also the customer will
appreciate. You may not bring any value-add to your customer, but then how do you bring
value-add to your customer? Shopper¶s Stop also has got this and I¶m a member of lifestyle
also. They also send me notices like this, but they follow it then.

If you want to be unique; if your product is highly above average, then what is the value-add
that you bring in? If you have to do this then you should better scrap this Aristocracy. I don¶t
find a single reason why I should come. Credit cards also do that. For every purchase you
make, they give points and for points you get rewards. All I¶m saying is that if a customer is
buying something worth Rs 100 then you give him Rs 5 as reward. Are you saying that you
don¶t have even that margin? In garment industry a company operates at least at a 200%
margin. They guys who stitch shirts in the Arrow factory I know them. The same shirt I can
get for Rs 200. It may not come from such a glorified store; it may come from where it is
stitched. I know a lot of people who do it. In the store you are selling the same shirt for Rs
1200, so can¶t you give your customer 5%? Somewhere you will have to reward, otherwise
over a period of time some companies will come. In fact brands are there that offer the same
quality, if not same then somewhere near to this they give. If they give me better convenience
then I¶ll switch to them. If everybody starts to switch then what have you achieved?
When you are creating this kind of a membership scheme then there should definitely be a
value-add to it or don¶t give value at all. If you go to a gold shop then he won¶t offer you a
membership because the margin is low. He¶ll say that whatever is the best price that I offer
you. If you are personally inviting me, sending me notices then it is all good. But what is the
value-add that I get? If it is only for me then its fine, but you are offering it to everybody. The
moment you take out value then I may not come only to buy quality. Maybe if I browse more
in the market then I may find something better. If I get better value there then I will switch.

There is no ethics in this. Take Wangs or any other telecom company. Retention is a very big
thing for them. The rewards they offer is great. If you say reward then it should mean reward.
It should be something like ³WOW, I¶m getting something that other aren¶t´. Airlines
companies give rewards. You keep on travelling by them and they give you additional
baggage options. There I¶m buying a Rs 3000 ticket and here also I¶m paying Rs 3000 for a
shirt. There the margin is less, but here it is higher. If they can give me some kind of a benefit
then why can¶t you? In that sense it is not worth anything.

+ Ck Subramanaim

In his 50s ; wearing an Arrow shirt and jeans. Polite; successful; advices his son to buy
Arrow too; jovial nature; experienced

I normally wear only Arrow shirts. I¶ve not worn this since I had to come here (laughs, points
to the Arrow logo near the cuffs). See at that time the quality was the best, even abroad also
you wouldn¶t get as good a shirt as Arrow was giving; wonderful colours, range, economic,
excellent no doubt about that.

=  #$3>

A: I work for a Chinese company.

=  #$ -3>

A: My wife works as a teacher in Delhi Public School. She was unable to come today.

=  #*#' #-  )+6 $#>

A: A brand does play a role (asks his son to join in) (Starts telling about his son)
=  # #$- *$)+> $#$++*$- 
1' %>

A: I bought it for Diwali in Mumbai. Since 24 years I was in Mumbai. It has been just 1 year
since I moved to Bangalore. My son and wife have been living here since 5 years now. I did
my schooling from Bishop Cotton School and did my management from Bajaj in Mumbai
and have been working there since. When I first bought an Arrow shirt I remember there was
an offer going on µBuy 1 shirt, get 5 free¶. It was a wonderful experience. The price was
around Rs 600-650.

=  #+$)) $$+#$- '$%> + 8#

$# >

A: I went into this shop in Mumbai in Chembur where they were selling formal Arrow shirts.
Then I started to visit then shop whenever I needed. I was working for an MNC so attire was
very important. Also I used to travel a lot and I found your shirts wearable in those cases.

= <8$) -#'#$%>

A: Yea surely! I asked my son to start wearing Arrow too. Right now he wears it to his
college.

=   %-- )##$%  $> 

A: Quality, Comfort, Variety, Trust, Pioneer, Formal, Evolved, Smart, Successful, Lifestyle,
Impression-making, International, Aggressive (to an extent), Best in class, Gentleman,
Mature, Achiever, Corporate dressing

= & %$8* *#-% ' #;8$$

%)>

A: You have more colours now. They are much more vibrant now. There is a problem in
sizes. Some of the colours that we like don¶t have our sizes (problem stated by both father &
son). See like the shirt that guy has picked up, the double-coloured one; you don¶t have
enough sizes in that one. I have almost all your shirts in double-colours.

 
= c-+;3 #-'$#*> );$#
 8;$#3;  - $#%>

A: I think he should be Indian. I think even when you campaign then you should start looking
at the Indian Ideal because Indians have arrived internationally. You should start promoting
the Indian brand much louder than currently. Indians are being looked up today in Europe and
UK. We are intelligent and we have arrived, no doubt about that. The age should be around
30-35. I find that Arrow campaigns using International models. I think they should start
showing Indian models. I am sure we are far better than them. See it is going to be only India
and China 5 years from now.

? ?
 , c 2&


The following is the outcome of our study of Arrow¶s:

? The first thing to do with every business is to identify the objectives and the target
customers
? A business should stick to its core competencies in order to keep itself differentiated
? In our pursuit of understanding the marketing strategy adopted by Arrow we acquired
a thorough understanding of Customer Loyalty
? Word Of Mouth (WOM) marketing when handled properly is a very strong marketing
communication tool
? Customers¶ feedbacks should be analysed by keeping in mind the sub-conscious
thought process in order to get the best understanding
? Brand building is not a one day job. It takes years to develop firm roots in the market