Mumbai: A well-dressed man – well, that speaks volumes about his personality and character. And Arrow has been holding the premium menswear market in India strongly, since its launch in 1993. It was one of the first few premium international brands that were launched in the country.
Launched in India in 1993, Arrow currently has over 200 exclusive stores and is available in over 1000 multi-brand outlets in 109 cities across the country. The brand has consistently been churning out innovative products like the auto flex trousers, auto press wrinkle-resistant shirts, and novel blends along with elegant, premium new concepts such as their ‘1851’ capsule collection. Arrow has also strengthened its omnichannel capability as well as its customer relationship management programs which deliver strong consumer insights to the business.
Giving an overview, the menswear market is projected to expand on the fact that men desire to be more fashionable nowadays. The demand for menswear is expanding not only in India but globally as well, because of the innate desire for men to dress and present themselves better in society. Many menswear brands are concentrating on diversifying their product offerings by providing variable collections that are suitable for every occasion. Especially after the pandemic, as people are returning to normalcy, the demand has greatly increased for both formal and casual wear. We have seen an encouraging demand for more versatile looks as men prefer to traverse through various occasions looking stylish while not breaking their heads on styling. The premium menswear market will continue to grow rapidly with this shift for versatile wear.
In a confab with Indiantelevision.com, Arrow head of marketing Soumali Chakraborty talks about the brand’s journey, the brand’s extended association with Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan and more.
Edited excerpts:
On the evolution of the brand in India. What has the journey been like?
Arrow was launched in India in 1993 and is known for its innovations in menswear. The brand continuously works on innovating their products, which can be seen from the various collections. In the new collection, there is a range of polo shirts called premium polos that are made from mercerized cotton which gives them a seamless finish. This collection also entails Autopress shirts that are known for their wrinkle-free properties and Autoflex trousers with a flexible waistband that cater to a wide target audience, providing them with formal wear that is comfortable as well as stylish. The brand also currently caters to all occasions in menswear, whether it be professional or personal occasions.
On extending the association with Hrithik Roshan as your brand ambassador, last year. How has bringing him on board helped the brand?
Bollywood royalty, Hrithik Rohan, has been the brand ambassador for Arrow since 2020. His sense of style and elegance makes him the perfect embodiment of the brand. This association has been an exciting journey for the brand and we are looking forward to the journey ahead. As the brand ambassador, he has also created awareness among his highly rising followers regarding the brand and its various collections and has opened our door to a whole new audience.
On being an avid supporter of influencer marketing and digital & social media. How do we expect to see the presence of Arrow through these mediums of communication?
There is a lot of emphasis put on prompting the videos on social media because these are native platforms that cater to the brand’s customer base. In addition to this, influencer marketing helps to take it to the next step and target more followers engaging with us on our social media platforms. We also have influencers that act as our endorsers and showcase the array of collections that we bring forth from a perspective of looks and the functionality level of the brand. These influencers help us reach a whole new audience.
On the focus of the campaigns which are in the pipeline. Please elaborate on the advertising and marketing strategies that you wish to take up this year in order to make the brand’s presence felt.
The new campaign we are curating, it is going to showcase Arrow as the go-to brand that caters to all occasions in menswear. Additionally, it is important to celebrate the different occasions in our customers’ life, where Arrow is a support pillar in all these activities and making these memories more cherishable. In terms of advertising, we look at print, cinemas, and digital platforms, as well as 360-degree integrated marketing campaigns.
On advertising on the IPL, digital and linear. Digital and social media are the way forward. What kind of media mix have you planned to utilise for the brand?
We have been very digital-first in our approach while we continue print, in- cinema ads, among many more activities. Cricket is the most followed sport in India, so while planning our marketing content, IPL is a vital subject. We would plan to go both digitally and linearly, as IPL is one of the popular cricket tournaments in India and a topic that engages our audience greatly.
On the significant markets for the brand in India?
The significant markets for Arrow in India would be the metro cities along with a few significant cities like Cochin, Surat and Coimbatore.
On the change in shopping habits – how are online sales today as compared to people coming to shops now? What kind of retail expansion is expected for the brand – boosting online and offline (through in-store) presence?
We are looking at steady growth for the brand both online and offline. We have a strong retail presence, which is also steadily growing with the planned addition of 50-plus stores this year. With regard to shopping habit, we aim to provide a seamless experience to the customers both online and offline and have products that would interest them both functionality-wise and also brand image-wise.
On the way the premium menswear industry taking shape in India? What are the latest trends and innovations in the premium menswear segment which are expected to disrupt the market in India?
Nowadays, men are taking serious consideration to their appearances and the way they choose to dress which is why the premium menswear segment is bound to grow. In terms of the latest trends, we have seen an increased demand for versatile wear, people want to traverse through various occasions without worrying about styling various looks, so with our latest collection, we have business-casual wear that is classy and embraces the latest trends, so that the consumer can go from office to a casual outing with the same look.
On the vision and way forward for the brand Arrow
In this case, our main vision for Arrow is to be the go-to brand for the menswear segment in India, by embracing the latest trends and providing the consumers with products that are both premium and elegant.
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