Page 294 - International Marketing

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296 International Marketing BRILLIANT’S

a separate set of strategies like the superior product design, established
brand name and the ability to offer variety. Sourabh Sharam, General
Manager (Marketing), incharge of footwear started planning for the new
venture.

Product Design
In the full shoes, design was important. To come up with unique
designs, TSI established an in-house design department as well as ap-
pointed freelance designers abroad who would design products for them.
Alongwith this, the foreign agents provided the company with informa-
tion about latest style, trends and designs regularly. This ensured that
TSI had sufficient information about the design expectations of its cus-
tomers. They also attended trade fairs and participated in fashion ac-
cessory shows.
Brand

It was increasingly felt that to gain success in the international
market, TSI needed to sell its products under its own brand name.
Building brand internationally was an expensive proposition, as TSI did
not have a history in shoe making as compared to the other branded
manufacturers. Secondly, Indian products did not enjoy good brand equity
in the international market. The company was thinking of acquiring an
established international brand, which would provide an easy and quick
access to the branded market. They were also contemplating as to how
selling under their own brand would affect their relationship with the
existing buyers of the shoe uppers and full shoes. To gain a foothold in
the export market, TSI entered into a manufacturing as well as marketing
joint venture with a major.
Italian brand at Banglore. Italy is the hub of fashion and is a
trendsetter. It was felt that this association with the Italians would provide
TSI with some additional leverage and they would be able to fetch a
premium price.
Large volume (facilitating economics of scale) were a necessary
prerequisite for success in the shoe industry. As TSI had a limited
capacity, it hoped to achieve large volumes through its supply chain. It
would be outsourcing eighty percent of its exported volume through
supply chain expansion. To ensure that the quality was not compromised,
the company laid down strict quality norms. TSI created a SSMG (Star
Strategic Management Group), which was entrusted with the job of
formulating guidelines for sourcing of the products. They would maintain