4. Titan, a joint venture between Tamil Nadu Industrial
Development Corporation (TIDCO) and the renowned Indian
business group Tatas, entered the watch market in 1984.
Titan changed the watch market in India completely by making
quartz watch the centerpiece of its strategy.
Titan is one of the most powerful brands in the Indian market,
scoring very high on brand awareness, brand image and brand
preference.
Titan carefully segmented the market and developed different
sub brands for each segment. Sub brands like Edge, Steel,
Dash, Nebula, Classique, Royale, Fast Track, Raga ..etc
Titan has more than 60% share in organized sector
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 4
5. Sr. no. Year Net profit Net Sales* Growth %
1 2004 10.27 804.53 -
2 2005 24.95 1136.6 29.22%
3 2006 73.62 1483.15 23.37%
4 2007 94.13 2138.44 30.64%
5 2008 150.27 3042.72 29.72%
6 2010 291.65 4703.12 35.30%
7 2011 322.26 6570.86 28.42%
*Rs in Lacs. Net sales include watches, jewellery and others segments
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 5
6. Titan Ltd., began their operations with a
complex marketing challenge; how to make
Indian consumers switch over to quartz and
better designed watches from the then just
durable and quality electro-mechanical
watches made by the competitors. (HMT)
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 6
7.
8. Also Titan had to present its watches as a
credible Indian alternative to Japanese and
Swiss made watches, which were made
available to the Indian consumers from the
informal import routes.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 8
9.
10. The third part of the challenge was to seek a
behavioural modification among the watch-
owners whereby they start viewing Titan
quartz watches more as a fashion and lifestyle
accessory than a functional time-keeping
device that the watch had traditionally been.
The final part of the challenge was to make
people recall Titan as the first alternative
whenever any buying occasion arose
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 10
11.
12. How did the TITAN watches change consumers’ motivation in
the wrist watch market ? Examine the following statement : “
Marketer’s do not create needs : latent needs pre-exist
marketers.”
Answer: Earlier watches were considered to be one-time
purchase. They were also considered time-keeping pieces or
utilitarian products. Titan transcended them from the realms
of being utilitarian or functional units to stylish products. They
also encouraged customers to buy multiple varieties.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 12
13. • Advertising & heavily promoting the idea of watch being a style
statement.
• Introduction of multiple varieties
• Stressed on the need to have different watches for different
occasions
• Appointing Aamir Khan as a brand ambassador.
• Visual merchandising : The dingy, old stores were replaced by state-
of-art Titan stores called “ The World of Titan “
• Producing quality watches and by providing fast and excellent
service.
• Earlier none of the brands had a strong personality, Titan exploited
this weakness and positioned itself as a premium brand with a
global reach.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 13
14. The statement “ Marketer’s do not create needs : latent needs
pre-exist marketers “ can be verified from the case provided
“From the deep market research Titan conducted it found out that Indian
consumers preferred Foreign-made watches over their Indian conunterparts. It
found out that the reason for the same was that they were not only perceived
to have better quality but stylish also. In India, era of late 80’s was marked by
hedonism. People were becoming trendier and more fashion conscious. Even
customer’s desire of buying a durable, timeless watch shifted to buying a
classic and elegant timepiece. Titan sniffed this opportunity and brought out
”
stylish pieces in different varieties, features and price-range.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 14
15.
16.
17. How can a product manager of wrist watches use possible
research findings that the Indian market is willing to buy a high
priced Indian made watch when he hears that the same
company has a global reach ? The issue is that of convincing
the outer-directed consumers who are high on innovativeness
to acquire an Indian made watch with a low perceived risk.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 17
18. The product manager of wrist watches can convince such
customers in the following ways :
1) Appointing a brand ambassador having a global appeal.
2) Should emulate the superior foreign brands in quality and style. Go for
quality certifications.
3) Provide quick and excellent post-sale service.
4) Position yourself as premium brand with global reach.
5) Introduce various varieties with different features and different brand
name.
6) Showrooms and service centres should be made world-class that reflect an
air of luxury and quality.
7) Innovate continuously.
8) Staff should be well-dressed, conversant in English and well-trained.
9) Associate directly or indirectly with an international event and publicize
about this association through domestic media.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 18
19. What kind of emotional message will Titan choose to meet
consumer’s changing desire from durability to sophistication ?
Answer: Titan should choose one of these emotional
messages to meet consumer’s changing desires :
‘ Because you deserve it ‘ :
Advertisement should start by showing a girl (middle class), in
her 20’s, gifting her dad (teacher) a watch on his birthday.
When he opens the gift he finds it to be an expensive Titan
watch. He scolds his daughter for buying such an expensive
gift. Daughter calmly tell him “ Papa ! Because you deserve it .”
Man breaks into tears.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 19
20. During Festive season (Diwali, Onam, Chritmas) showcase
advertisements where their product is creating & sharing
happiness across faces.
Watches which Impresses everyone with its style and design.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 20
21. Titan now is trying to be more contemporary and more
relevant to the consumers by establishing more firmly in the
minds of the consumers. "Be more“ is the new concept of
Titan and it attempts to build a larger life connect between
the Titan brand and consumers.
Titan is changing its portfolio by shifting its focus from product
attributes to the earning, emotions, experiences and
aspirations. The Titan aviator is inspired by world war IInd
fighter plane, Titan Octave by cockpit of formula one car and
Titan Raga Diva by beauty and sensuousness.
Titan Watches - Case Study - N.L.Dalmia 21
