The Hindu Business Line : Reynolds plans product line with Tendulkar

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Chennai Jan. 31 Six months into signing on Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador, G.M. Pens, marketer of Reynolds, says the superstar cricketer has achieved the goals the company hoped he would — that of cutting through the clutter and having Reynolds be perceived as a "big brand".

`To co-create value'

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Vishwadeep Kuila, Vice-President (Sales & Marketing) of G.M. Pens, said the company planned to "co-create value" with Tendulkar to extend their association further. Though plans are still fluid, it could mean a line of products planned by Tendulkar and jointly branded, he said. In any case, the company is looking at an association that "goes beyond his cricketing years", Mr Kuila said.

Retail expansion figures prominently in the company's plans for the year. G.M. Pens hopes to have 35-40 outlets of WriteSite, its branded stationery stores, operating by the end of 2007. It now has 10 outlets across the country, including two in Chennai and shops-in-shops.

"We plan to be present in all malls," said Mr Kuila, adding that the company has begun to franchise stores as well.

The stationery segment is estimated at Rs 1,800 crore, of which the ball pens and gel pens segment accounts for Rs 1,100 crore.

Most of the players are in the organised segment and G.M. Pens has 20 per cent share of this market.

The Rs 200-crore company recently launched pencils, sharpeners and erasers to build equity at an earlier age with children.

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