MUMBAI: There are handbags, and then there are stories you carry around in leather and zippers. With a wink and a wisecrack, Twinkle Khanna, aka Mrs Funnybones, has now been roped in as the first-ever brand ambassador for Irth Bags, from the House of Titan. And true to form, she’s already got a bone to pick with the bag industry.
The brand’s latest campaign, shot under her Mrs Funnybones avatar, doesn’t just showcase handbags, it pokes fun at them. From zippers that betray you at the worst possible moment to totes that don’t understand how women actually move, the films flip the script with wit, sass, and design solutions that promise to make IRTH the everyday ally women didn’t know they needed.
“There’s a whole world that lives inside a woman’s handbag snacks, secrets, sanity, sometimes even a screwdriver!” Twinkle quipped. “This campaign felt like the perfect fit for me. It’s clever, it’s honest, and it treats bags not just as accessories, but as companions in the chaos and charm of everyday life.”
The campaign kicks off with a spotlight on Irth’s Initials collection, the brand’s first monogram line. In her trademark style, Mrs Funnybones reveals how perfect design isn’t just seen, it’s felt, making even a simple bag a conversation starter. From tall shoulder bags and sleek handhelds to backpacks and wide shoulders, the Initials range merges timeless elegance with Irth’s design-first philosophy.
Titan Company Ltd business head of women’s bag division Kanwalpreet Walia summed up the vibe: “A woman’s bag is far more than an accessory. It’s her constant companion, her secret keeper, her styling partner, and sometimes even her snack stash! With this campaign, we wanted to spark playful conversations around all the fabulous and not-so-fabulous moments women share with their bags. And who better to lead this dialogue than Twinkle Khanna with her sass and sparkle?”
The films, produced by Kondurkar Studio under the creative direction of Amrish Kondurkar, are designed to be bite-sized drops of fun each one highlighting a fresh handbag truth. “It’s a collaboration of shared sensibilities,” Kondurkar explained. “Mrs Funnybones brings her wit and joyful take on daily life, Irth brings thoughtful design that makes each of those moments a little better. Together, they elevate the everyday.”
Behind the scenes, the campaign brought together a powerhouse creative team: from director Afshan Hussain Shaikh and cinematographer Kartik Vijay, to music by Sanjay Das and production design by Daaku Aunties. The polished films are already live on Youtube and across Irth’s and Twinkle Khanna’s Instagram handles, giving audiences a first peek into a campaign that promises style with substance, and humour stitched right into the seams.
As India’s women’s accessories market grows, Irth is carving out its own niche by being design-led, insight-driven, and refreshingly honest. And with Twinkle Khanna at the helm, expect handbags to become less of a silent accessory and more of a sparkling conversation piece.
Because let’s be honest when it comes to bags, every woman has a story. Irth just made them a little funnier.
MUMBAI: Print media isn’t ready to hand over its crown just yet. Despite the digital surge, print advertising still ruled the jewellery sector in 2024, capturing 73 per cent of total ad spend, according to Excellent Publicity’s Jewellery Ad Spend Report. Released in collaboration with data from TAM Media Research, the report unpacks how jewellery brands distributed their ad budgets across print, TV, radio, and digital platforms.
Print remained the undisputed leader, with Titan Company claiming 11 per cent of print ad spend, followed by Malabar Group at 8 per cent and Kalyan Jewellers at 7 per cent. Regional publications were pivotal, with South Indian newspapers commanding 28 per cent of print investments. Eenadu topped the list, closely followed by The Times of India.
Television, another heavy hitter, accounted for 45 per cent of the total ad spend, with general entertainment channels (GECs) leading the charge. News and sports channels captured 36 per cent and nine per cent, respectively. Indian cinema stardom played a big role here, with Janhvi Kapoor and Alia Bhatt boosting Kalyan Jewellers to the top TV advertiser spot, contributing 20 per cent of TV ad spend.
Digital platforms made their presence felt, reflecting a shift in consumer behaviour. Display ads dominated with 87 per cent of digital ad volume, while video content contributed 13 per cent. Facebook led the digital pack, commanding 75 per cent of digital ad spend, followed by YouTube at 11 per cent. Notably, August Jewellery was the top digital advertiser, responsible for 34 per cent of the sector’s digital spend.
Excellent Publicity co-founder & director, Vaishal Dalal noted the evolution, “Television, radio, and print media have always been reliable mediums for the jewellery industry’s advertising. However, the technological revolution has brought about a remarkable change in people’s content-viewing habits. This behavioural change has opened up new avenues of online advertising formats for brands to connect with their audiences. The jewellery sector is no exception, embracing digital media to stay relevant and engage with its target consumers. With the endless possibilities digital offers, the future holds immense potential for growth and innovation in this space.”
The report highlighted regional nuances in advertising. South India contributed 28 per cent to the overall national ad spend, with North India leading at 30 per cent. Southern publications and Radio Mirchi emerged as key platforms for brands targeting specific demographics, especially in South India’s thriving jewellery market.
As the wedding season draws near, jewellery brands are expected to ramp up advertising across traditional and digital platforms. With a mix of celebrity endorsements, targeted regional campaigns, and innovative digital formats, the sector is poised to capitalise on increased consumer demand.
Mumbai: Titan Watches has launched its Stellar 2.0 collection for the festive season, building on last year’s successful cosmic-inspired timepieces. This new collection features 13 timepieces that reflect humanity’s fascination with the sky, showcasing intricate designs and innovative materials.
The collection sets new standards in Indian watchmaking, focusing on three key aspects: movements, materials, and functionality. Titan’s in-house automatic movements, including open heart, multi-function, sun-moon, and moon-phase, provide precision and complexity. The use of rare materials — Kambaba Jasper, Aventurine, Tiger Eye, and Muonionalusta meteorite adds a unique touch to each watch. The collection also includes features like moon-phase indicators and sun-moon displays, highlighting the changing phases of the moon and the interplay of light between day and night.
Speaking at the launch of the collection, Titan Company MD CK Venkataraman said “Over the years, Titan has embarked on a remarkable journey defined by premiumization, innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Stellar 2.0 embodies Titan’s evolution and unwavering dedication to horological excellence. With this collection, we sought to create unique timepieces using rare earth materials, alongside our in-house movements, including the first-ever multifunction calibre, which intends to set new benchmarks in Indian watchmaking. It also reflects our deep understanding of the discerning premium consumer who seeks not just functionality but also an elevated sense of style and novelty in their timepieces. The collection reaffirms our commitment to unparalleled quality and visionary design, drawing from the celestial wonders that inspire us to consistently, push the boundaries of watchmaking and elevate Indian horology to new horizons on the world stage.”
Stellar 2.0 features three distinct series: Caelum, Luna, and Astra.
. Caelum is inspired by the radiant patterns of the sky, showcasing the dynamic beauty of celestial changes.
. Luna draws inspiration from lunar and planetary surfaces, featuring dials made from materials like Aventurine, reflecting the starry sky, and Kambaba Jasper, reminiscent of galactic formations.
. Astra, the collection’s pinnacle, is crafted from 120,000-year-old Muonionalusta meteorite, symbolizing the cosmic lifecycle of meteorites and stars.
Titan Stellar 2.0 also includes three limited-edition pieces appealing to watch enthusiasts and collectors.
. Titan Astra Meteorite Automatic features a dial made from Muonionalusta meteorite, showcasing unique Widmanstätten patterns. It includes an open-heart window displaying the Titan in-house automatic movement, lume-filled hands, and is encased in sapphire crystal. This limited edition has 300 pieces priced at Rs 1,29,995.
. Titan Caelum Tiger Eye Automatic has a multilayered dial made from natural Tiger Eye stone. Priced at Rs 64,999, it is limited to 500 pieces and showcases a rich golden-brown color with lume hands for visibility and a knurled enamel crown. It is protected by sapphire glass and has luxurious croco leather straps.
. Titan Caelum Multifunction Automatic is made from grade 5 titanium and features Titan’s first in-house automatic multifunction movement. This limited edition is priced at Rs 84,995 and includes luminous hands and a sun-moon date disc, limited to 500 pieces, blending style and functionality.
The Stellar 2.0 collection starts at Rs 10,195, providing options for watch enthusiasts and cosmic dreamers. Experience Titan’s Stellar 2.0 journey through the cosmos, available at select Titan stores and on the official website, www.titan.co.in. Wearing these timepieces allows you to carry a piece of the universe, serving as a reminder of the beauty in the celestial dance of time and space.
Mumbai: With a robust presence across categories such as jewellery, eyewear, fragrances, accessories and Indian wear, Titan Company, which owns the famed watch brand under the same name, recently forayed into a new lifestyle category – handbags – with Irth.
The handbag market is home to various popular brands such as Lavie, Baggit, Peperone, Hidesign, Lino Perros, Da Milano, Ladida, Caprese, Esbeda, The House of Tara, Calvin Klein, Aldo, LVMH Moet Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, Guess etc.
Based on the company’s research, the women’s bag category is approximately Rs 4,500 crore, whereas the organised market size is about Rs 1,600 crore. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the organised market is estimated to be around 13 per cent.
Close to 70 per cent of the organised women’s bag market in India is dominated by masstige brands catering to a price point of up to Rs 4,000; this is then followed by premium and luxury brands with a market share of about 30 per cent.
Priced economically between Rs 2,495 – Rs 5,995 to suit every pocket, Irth bags straddle the upper end of the masstige and premium segments.
Delving into Irth’s assortment, the brand has a product portfolio ranging from work bags, tall totes, shoulder bags, handhelds, slings, cross-body bags, clutches, and wallets. Delights and organisers are the categories unique to Irth.
Delights is a line of special bags. Many specific need-based bags today carry solutions but are not the most stylish. The Delights range is an evolving cluster starting with mom bags. Mom bags come with insulated milk bottle slots, changing mats, water repellent slots for soiled clothes, and can be hands-free with detachable straps to be hooked onto the stroller. There are many more little pockets to organise the little things of both the mom and the baby.
The detachable organisers cluster is here to make mobility styling organised. The launch pack comes in four different sizes, S, M, L and XL, based on the carrying needs.
The delight in Irth bags is the little features: padded shoulders, key holders, wire organisers, detachable sanitizer pouches, detachable pouches, etc., to keep your secret things secret and precious things safe.
The launch pack of Irth has a wide choice of 90 bags and four organisers in two colorways to choose from, each bag crafted with a deeper understanding of women’s journeys.
In a confab with Indiantelevision.com, Titan Company marketing head of fragrance and fashion accessories division Kanwalpreet Walia discusses the nuances of the brand, its future plans, and more.
Excerpts:
On the reason for coining a brand name such as Irth and the significance behind it
Irth intends to create long, meaningful relationships with its consumers, making their purchase process exciting and special. Suggestive of the brand’s name, Irth symbolises the care and attention applied to the product design and exemplifies the sense of wonder and emotion inherent in the brand.
On the opportunities that are waiting to be tapped in this category, and which Irth looks at catering to
Every woman today carries a bag and owns multiples. However, for this huge potential market, the existing solutions today are largely geared toward vanity. Titan sees potential in organised styling as a space that is unoccupied by anyone. Typically, a woman’s fancy-looking bag is a big jumble inside. Our concept is to provide a practical solution in which a woman organises her world inside a stylish bag.
Given the large loyal base of women consumers that Titan caters to, Irth is yet another endeavour to enhance her every day. A thoughtfully designed women’s handbag brand with a deep understanding of the consumer.
On positioning Irth as a brand designed with a deeper understanding of women and to elevate their every day
Irth’s positioning is to offer a thoughtfully designed bag with great Titan quality at a very affordable price range of Rs 2,500–6,000. So the customer value proposition is to get international-like premium quality that is very well designed at a far lower ticket price.
On the kind of revenues the brand is aiming for in the initial 5 years
We want to be experts in the women’s bag market in India while optimising all aspects of the value chain, from design to manufacturing, the supply chain, etc.
For now, we are following the right processes and building the brand from scratch, but our vision is to reach a milestone of Rs 1000 crores with the ladies’ handbag portfolio of two brands, Fastrack and Irth.
On the plans for retail and expansion of the brand
Right now we are present in irth.in, Shoppers Stop and Tata Cliq. We will soon have many more marketplace partners and also open exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) by the end of March 2024.
Our channel mix will be offline and online, both substantially penetrated, as bags as a category are an impulse and joyful purchase for many women, and we want to be with them wherever they shop.
On the kind of target group the brand is aimed at
We are hoping a lot of consumers sitting at mass and economy levels would upgrade to this. From a consumer segment point of view, we want to be a part of women who are on an active journey, women following their passion and pursuing their journey and seeking a solution. We also have different organisers depending on different bags. We have a delight range for mothers, and we are identifying other special needs with great functions and great looks.
From a communication target group point of view, we are thinking about 23 years and above, urban women.
On the advertising, marketing activities, and media mix planned for the brand
The launch campaign celebrates this live-and-let-live ethos, using warm language and nuanced, open-ended communication to drive home the brand idea. We respect the intelligence of the audience we are speaking to, and our bags are thoughtfully designed and filled with possibilities. It will always be theirs to define.
With the tagline “Yours To Define,” the brand adds meaning and value to every woman’s journey without any stereotypes. Irth bags are meant for the women of today to elevate their everyday. Irth bags are focused on both design and functionality.
Irth’s brand film brings alive the “Yours To Define” brand world. The beautiful frames capture the premium Irth bags in the best way, showing the many possibilities any active woman has with Irth bags.
The brand will also be launching feature films that will highlight the many nuances of functionality built into each Irth bag in the most stylish manner.
The aim at the moment is to create awareness while bringing alive the space of organised styling in the women’s bag industry. All the advertising and marketing efforts will be aligned to achieve this.
On the trends noticed in the handbag category
Women of today are doing a lot more, and there are countless possibilities packed into their days, thereby increasing demand for practical bags that are high on ergonomics and offer organising possibilities paired with great looks. Irth bags provide for this need! Irth bags organise her every day and make her journey joyful.
Mumbai: Women’s handbag IRTH from the House of Titan has partnered with DesignStudio for the brand presentation and visual architecture. The launch advertising work for IRTH has been developed by Wieden+Kennedy, New Delhi. Leading with the motto of “Yours to Define,” the W+K team took a visibly subversive approach to the brand.
“From the first moment we spoke with the team at Titan, we began to understand the frustration with women’s handbags in Indian life today-they are beautiful to look at, but entirely impractical to use,” said DesignStudio principal for Asia Pacific David Storey.
“So we created a brand rooted in the idea that IRTH is “Made to Delight,” added DesignStudio Asia Pacific executive creative director James Duru. “A brand that has a sense of joy at the heart of it—as can be seen through the entire visual expression, from the logo to the colour palette to the photography style. A brand that’s not just seen, it’s felt.”
The campaign celebrates the live-and-let-live ethos, using warm language and nuanced, open-ended communication to drive home the brand idea.
With its tagline “Yours To Define,” the brand adds meaning and value to every woman’s journey without any stereotype. IRTH bags are meant for the women of today to elevate their everyday lives. IRTH bags are centred on both design and functionality. Hence, the brand has launched a film, bringing to life the “Yours To Define” brand world. The beautiful frames capture the premium bags in the best way, showing the many possibilities any active woman has with IRTH bags. The brand will also be launching feature films that will highlight the many nuances of functionality built into each IRTH bag in the most stylish manner.
“We were happy when we were given the creative mandate from the House of Titan to launch this wonderful product line up under the brand IRTH. With creative directors Amrish Kondurkar & Sunayna Sabharwal at the helm along with their team, we’ve tried to create a world that forever stays delightful to work on. The campaign traverses touchpoints, in a way that celebrates the product range and user in a casual candid way,” added Wieden+Kennedy India chief creative officer Santosh Padhi (Paddy).
Talking about the launch campaign, Titan’s IRTH head of business Ruchika Khanna said, “It’s always a pleasure to work with clients who bring clarity and thought to a creative brief. For us, the challenge really was to give life to a new brand, to find a fresh voice in a category that already has many expressions. And to find a balance between the functionality of the product and the beauty of the brand.”
Mumbai: Titan Company, one of the leaders in consumer categories, has announced the launch of its latest handbag brand, IRTH. IRTH from the House of Titan is a thoughtfully designed women’s handbag brand. Every woman carries a bag and owns multiple.
However, to this huge potential market, the existing solutions today are largely catering to the vanity. Hence, Titan sees potential in organised styling as a space that is unoccupied by anyone. Also given the large loyal base of women consumers that Titan caters to, this is yet another endeavour to enhance her every day.
These bags are thoughtfully designed with deeper understanding for women of today to elevate their everyday, delivering premium quality at an affordable price. IRTH, the next big venture from Titan, addresses its consumers’ evolving ambitions by presenting a trusted, women’s bag brand that responds to all their requirements.
Commenting on the launch, Titan Company Ltd managing director CK Venkataraman said, “Titan has continuously pushed the boundaries to offer elevating experiences with our products. We saw a huge potential in the women’s bags category and are delighted to explore the opportunity with the launch of IRTH. The brand IRTH represents the values and trust of Titan and our understanding of the women consumer and their evolving needs. We are proud to present a brand that is centred on design and functionality.”
Sharing his thoughts on the launch, Titan Company Ltd CEO & vice president -fragrance and fashion accessories division Manish Gupta said, “IRTH intends to create long meaningful relationships with its consumers, making their purchase process exciting and special. Suggestive of the brand’s name, IRTH symbolises the care and attention applied to the product design and exemplifies the sense of wonder and emotion inherent in the brand.”
IRTH has a product portfolio ranging from workbags, tall totes, shoulder bags, handhelds, slings, cross body, clutches and wallets. Delights and organisers are the categories unique to IRTH. Delights is a range of special bags. Many specific need based bags today are carrying solutions but are not the most stylish. The Delights range is an evolving cluster starting with Mom Bags. Mom bags come with insulated milk bottle slots, changing mats, water repellent slots for soiled clothes, and can be hands free with detachable straps to be hooked on to the stroller. There are many more little pockets to organise the little things of both mom and the baby.
Detachable organisers cluster is here to make mobility styling organised. The launch pack comes in four different sizes, S, M, L and XL, based on the carrying needs. The delight in IRTH bags are the little features: padded shoulders, key holders, wire organisers, detachable sanitiser pouch, detachable pouches etc. to keep your secret things secret and precious things safe.
These packed IRTH bags are priced economically to suit every pocket, Rs2595 – Rs 5995.The launch pack of IRTH has a wide choice of 90 bags + 4 organisers in two colour ways to choose from. IRTH bags come with a 9 months warranty policy against manufacturing defects.
NEW DELHI: Titan Company reported an 89 per cent recovery in sales in Q2 of FY 2020-21 led by sharp recovery in the jewellery division post the significant disruption caused by the Covid 19 pandemic in India in the first quarter of the fiscal.
The total income for the quarter was Rs 4,389 crore, including sale of gold bullion to the extent of Rs 391 crore, resulting in a decline of less than 2 per cent compared to the income of Rs 4,466 crore for the same quarter in the previous year.
The decline in total income excluding bullion sale was close to 11 per cent. The total income for the first half of the fiscal (Hl) was Rs 6,290 crore (including bullion sale of Rs 992 crore), a decline of 34 per cent against the income of Rs 9,461 crore in the corresponding period last year. The decline without considering the bullion sale was 44 per cent.
With the lockdowns being lifted in most parts of the country, the company was able to operate most of its stores across all its divisions. Customer walk-ins have started improving even as social distancing norms remain. The recovery rate of revenue improved substantially in the quarter, with the rate being 55 per cent for the watches and wearables division, 98 per cent for the jewellery division and 61 per cent for the eyewear division.
While the customer sentiment improved substantially in the quarter, there was greater willingness to spend on plain gold jewellery and gold coins rather than pure discretionary items, explaining the reason why the recovery rates in watches and eyewear and even studded jewellery within the jewellery division were lower.
The jewellery division recorded an income of Rs 3,446 crore for the quarter (excluding gold bullion sales) as compared to Rs 3,528 crore last year, a decline of 2 per cent. The watches and wearables business recovered well in the quarter to record an income of Rs 400 crore against Rs 719 crore in the previous year, a decline of 44 per cent.
The eyewear business also improved with revenues declining by 39 per cent in the quarter, recording an income of Rs 94 crore as against Rs 154 crore last year.
Other segments of the company comprising Indian dress wear and accessories recorded an income of Rs 23 crore compared to Rs 44 crore in the previous year, a decline of 48 per cent. Consequent to the recovery, the company declared a profit before tax of Rs 238 crore, compared to Rs 429 crore in the previous year, a decline of 45 per cent for the quarter. The result is after a provision of Rs 34 crore for dues from a broker relating to commodity hedging. Despite the profit in the quarter, the company has recorded a loss of Rs 97 crore in Hl compared to a profit before tax of Rs 952 crore in the previous year.
The jewellery division declared earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of Rs 285 crore for the quarter compared to Rs 384 crore in the previous year and Rs 231 crore for Hl compared to Rs 826 crore in the previous year. The watch division reported a loss of Rs 4 crore for the quarter (EBIT of Rs 113 crore in the previous year) and loss of Rs 168 crore for Hl (EBIT of Rs 241 crore in the previous year). The Eyewear division turned around remarkably in the quarter with EBIT of Rs 9 crore (loss of Rs 31 crore in the previous year) and a loss of Rs 22 crore for Hl (loss of Rs 10 crore in the previous year).
Titan Company MD C K Venkataraman said, "The recovery that the company has witnessed in the quarter has been very satisfying and the positive consumer sentiment witnessed gives rise to hope that the festive period could be good for all the divisions. The company continues to gain market share in its key businesses. The focus on cost and capital employed has helped manage our bottom line and cash flows very well."
The principal subsidiaries of the company also performed well. Titan Engineering and Automation Ltd (TEAL) recorded revenues of Rs 167 crore (decline of 16 per cent) and profit before tax of Rs 25 crore (decline of 19 per cent) for Hl FY 2020-21.
CaratLane clocked a growth of 10 per cent and a positive EBIT in the quarter and ended with a revenue of Rs 194 crore (decline of 28 per cent) during Hl and a net loss of Rs 24 crore.
MUMBAI: Titan Eyeplus has launched their latest marketing campaign featuring an array of specialized prescription lenses from the Titan portfolio – specifically designed to meet the lifestyle needs of varied consumer groups.
Conceptualized by Ogilvy, India and produced by Thinkpot, the first-of-its-kind lens TVC by Titan Eyeplus takes us to different locales from foggy mountain ranges to choppy seas.
Titan eyewear division marketing head Vandana Bhalla said, “We are cognizant of the changing lifestyles of consumers today and the various needs that arise for different consumers who lead multifaceted and experiential lives. We are constantly working to innovate and come up with new offerings that meet these changing needs. This campaign is also in line with our brand philosophy- Live the New, and has an exciting visual language that’s sure to appeal to our audience.”
“While our earlier films have upped the style quotient for the brand and positioned it as the go-to brand for diverse lifestyle needs, this film focuses on pitching different kinds of lenses that are adapted to the needs to different consumers. The new TVC embodies all the values the brand represents – boldness, spontaneity and audacity of youth and reinforces the brand’s proposition ‘Live the New’,” said Ogilvy Bangalore SVP and head of advertising Tithi Ghosh.
Titan Eyeplus has developed specialized lenses with different coatings which help to provide solutions to everyday problems that spectacle users face due to their lifestyles. These lenses include: Ozone Lenses, Fog-Free lenses and Water repellent Lenses. The Ozone Lenses help filter out the harmful blue rays emitted from all gadgets with screens. The Fog-free lenses, as the name suggests, will stay fog-free irrespective of changes in temperature and humidity. Water repellent lenses help repel water, giving clear vision even in wet conditions.
MUMBAI: Titan Eyeplus has launched their latest marketing campaign featuring an array of specialized prescription lenses from the Titan portfolio – specifically designed to meet the lifestyle needs of varied consumer groups.
Conceptualized by Ogilvy, India and produced by Thinkpot, the first-of-its-kind lens TVC by Titan Eyeplus takes us to different locales from foggy mountain ranges to choppy seas.
Titan eyewear division marketing head Vandana Bhalla said, “We are cognizant of the changing lifestyles of consumers today and the various needs that arise for different consumers who lead multifaceted and experiential lives. We are constantly working to innovate and come up with new offerings that meet these changing needs. This campaign is also in line with our brand philosophy- Live the New, and has an exciting visual language that’s sure to appeal to our audience.”
“While our earlier films have upped the style quotient for the brand and positioned it as the go-to brand for diverse lifestyle needs, this film focuses on pitching different kinds of lenses that are adapted to the needs to different consumers. The new TVC embodies all the values the brand represents – boldness, spontaneity and audacity of youth and reinforces the brand’s proposition ‘Live the New’,” said Ogilvy Bangalore SVP and head of advertising Tithi Ghosh.
Titan Eyeplus has developed specialized lenses with different coatings which help to provide solutions to everyday problems that spectacle users face due to their lifestyles. These lenses include: Ozone Lenses, Fog-Free lenses and Water repellent Lenses. The Ozone Lenses help filter out the harmful blue rays emitted from all gadgets with screens. The Fog-free lenses, as the name suggests, will stay fog-free irrespective of changes in temperature and humidity. Water repellent lenses help repel water, giving clear vision even in wet conditions.
BENGALURU: India’s largest specialty retailer, Titan Company (Titan), formerly known as Titan Industries, reported a 25.11 per cent increase in ad spends to Rs 118.04 crore in Q3-2014 as compared to the Rs 94.35 crore during the immediate trailing quarter that resulted in a 15.74 per cent jump in operating income to Rs 2650.46 crore as compared to the Rs 2290.02 crore in Q2-2014.
Titan has three revenue segments – watches with five major brands – Titan, Xylus, Nebula, Sonata and Fastrack; Jewellery (the largest segment in terms of revenue and consequently profits) with Tanishq, Zoya, Gold Plus from Tata, Mia and Fq teen diamonds; and ‘Others’ that include eyewear under the Titan EYE+ brand, apparel and eyewear also under Fastrack brand and precision engineering among others.
Facing a slowdown in the economy along with inflation resulted in weak consumer demand. Titan says that its jewellery segment witnessed a sharp decline in demand. The other factors that affected the jewellery segment’s performance included: average gold price during the quarter was 10 per cent lower than previous year level; RBI’s ban on gold-on-lease facility continues even today; Issues with gold supply in the market persist – premium on gold was above 10 per cent of gold rate in the quarter; Sale of gold coins was discontinued to help the government’s efforts to reduce CAD.
During the nine month period that ended December 31, 2013, Titan’s ad spend was up by 2.13 per cent at Rs 317.06 crore as compared to the Rs 310.46 crore during the corresponding period of last year. Operating revenue for the current nine month period was 8.26 per cent higher at Rs 8028.77 crore as compared to the Rs 7415.92 crore during the corresponding period of last year. Titan had spent Rs 377.09 crore during FY2013.
However, the company’s Q3-2014 operating revenue was 13.64 per cent lower than the Rs 2962.89 crore in Q3-2013. PAT for Q3-2014 at Rs 165.57 crore too was 11.29 per cent lower than the Rs 186.65 crore in Q2-2014 and lower by 18.81 per cent than the Rs 203.92 crore during the corresponding quarter of last year. Its nine month PAT for the current period at Rs 534.70 crore was 1.2 per cent lower than the Rs 540.21 crore during the corresponding period of last year.
Let us look at the percentages of total revenues spent towards advertising by Titan…
Last fiscal (FY2013) Titan spent Rs 377.09 crore or 3.73 per cent of its total revenue of Rs 10112.67 crore.
During the nine month period in the current fiscal, Titan’s ad spend was 3.91 per cent of total revenue of Rs 8112.41 crore, while during the nine month period of the previous fiscal, its ad spend was 4.14 per cent of revenue of Rs 7415.92 crore.
During Q3-2014, Titan spent 4.41 per cent of its total revenue of Rs 2675.77 crore; in Q2-2014, ad spend was 4.05 per cent of total revenue of Rs 2328.97 crore, while in Q3-2013 it spent 3.6 per cent of total revenue of Rs 3017.8 crore.
The watch segment revenue during Q3-2014 at Rs 455.58 crore grew by 2.97 per cent as compared to the Rs 442.36 crore during the immediate trailing quarter and 7.54 per cent more than the Rs 423.53 crore in Q3-2013. The result from this segment at Rs 51.3 crore was 10.49 per cent more than the Rs 46.43 crore from Q2-2014 and 0.29 per cent more than the Rs 51.15 crore in Q3-2013.
Titan’s jewellery segment had revenue of Rs 2126.67 crore for Q3-2014 which was 18.28 per cent higher than the Rs 1798.07 crore in Q2-2014, but 15.45 per cent lower than the Rs 2515.24 crore in Q3-2013. Its result for Q3-2014 at Rs 216.9 crore was 9.96 per cent lower than the Rs 240.89 crore in Q2-2014 and 12.03 per cent lower than the Rs 246.57 crore in Q3-2013.
The ‘Others’ segment of the brand reported revenue of Rs 116.52 crore during Q3-2014 which was 2.15 per cent more than the Rs 114.07 crore in Q2-2014 and 18.58 per cent more than the Rs 98.26 crore in Q3-2013. This segment returned a loss of Rs (-1.68) crore in Q3-2014; loss of Rs (-0.25) crore is Q2-2014 and a profit of Rs 1.7 crore during Q3-2013.
