A big celebrity as a brand ambassador hasn’t deterred several brands from roping in influencers too for increasing their reach and market. Case in point - Samsonite India has Virat Kohli as its brand ambassador since 2017 and has featured him in their various campaigns. However, the brand also banks heavily on influencer marketing as it allows them to play around with the content and have a two-way communication with the audience.

We spoke to Anushree Tainwala, Executive Director, Samsonite South Asia, about why Kohli was the right choice for the brand, working with influencers and expanding in tier cities.

“We were looking for a local ambassador for the Indian market who could live up to the international ambassadors and we chose Virat Kohli in 2017. The reason still very much holds today as he represents someone who is best in his class and best at what he does. He is not ashamed of his success, is a huge icon and an idol for the younger generation. Sports also cuts across geographies. We will go on and continue with Kohli.”

Samsonite India also banks heavily on influencer marketing as it liberates them to play around with the content and have two-way communication with the audience. “The reason why we work with influencers is due to the reach they provide. Picking the right influencers is also very important, they have to fit in and gel with the brand and have some synergy with the brand. The beauty of the digital space is that it helps us to explore the idea more deeply,” Tainwala said.

Samsonite recently did a campaign in collaboration with influencers and celebrities.

Tainwla also said that they have worked with South celebrities and will continue to do so.

On the share of online vs offline, she said that while 15% of their business comes from online, 85% of it comes from offline retail.

Tainwala also shared the brand’s expansion plans in tier 2 and 3 cities. “We are growing in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. One big focus is on distribution. The product needs to be different as well as specialized for the regions.”

On the marketing budget, Tainwala revealed, “A third of our budget is on TV, a third will be on print, cinema, OOH, and a third will be in digital.”

Speaking on the marketing mantra followed to cater to a diverse audience, Tainwala said, “We’re a consumer-obsessed company. The product and the pricing have the consumer at the heart.”