Two-wheeler and women’s empowerment

I work in the scooters category. What must a marketer do to make the segment more popular among women?

Mumbai

Pavan, women are an excellent target segment to approach for scooters and mopeds, for sure. Two-wheelers of this kind actually empower women: they can be the riders with power to decide where to go, when to go and whom to go with. I do believe this is a great psychographic opportunity. It is just about being used.

The scooter is a symbol of mobility, power in the hand of a woman. Now, women do not need to depend on anyone to take care of their mobility needs.

In addition to this, I do believe that most scooters thus far, have been either male or neutered in their gender. The scooter that has a neuter gender is not good for men, neither is it good for a woman. Women in particular have been forced to pick such scooters. There is therefore a definite need for manufacturers and marketers to design and position the scooter as a device that is essentially feminine. This can be a huge USP. While physically, many are looking progressively very close to men in terms of attitude, dressing pattern, language and behaviour, at the same time, women are progressively wanting the soft cues of femininity in everything. In everything they eat, drink, drive and ride equally. Scooter-design is therefore an arena to pay attention to. In addition, small-town women spell an opportunity.

Two-wheelers would make eminent sense in Tier-2 towns, and more importantly in our villages where mobility is a hurdle. Mobility in such terrain means empowerment. And empowerment is something all women are seeking, whether it be in the big city, in a small town or a village.

The opportunity for scooters and women lies in all segments. Particularly those below the age of 40.

It must target women who want to educate themselves in our villages.

Those that want to do a business that demands mobility. Those that want to sell insurance and credit cards alike. The scooter can be positioned as a vehicle that is low-cost, convenient and very, very manoeuvrable.

Tea is yet to be marketed aggressively in our country. Is there value here in terms of price premiums?

Kolkata

Shampa, yes and no. We remain value-conscious. Anything can cost the earth, except tea on the streets. The price of a cup of tea is the barometer of inflation at large, just as the price of an idli in a restaurant in south India tells us all how expensive the world has gotten to be. Just as in the US and Europe we have the McDonald's Burger index, I do believe India is all about the Tea index. The price of tea on the streets.

A very small niche that visits Cha Bars is willing to fork out more. But this is a very small segment. Almost inconsequential to the tea economy in India.

The tea market has ,however, matured over the years at the niche top end. Branded tea took off and packet teas have made inroads into the remotest corners of the country. It is largely led by the revolution that seeks freshness in tea. In the mid-eighties, Tata Tea led the way in this freshness movement by bringing teas in poly-packs. This has now become the norm.

Tea brands percolate into rural India the most in terms of all other branded products sold in the hinterland.

The market has surely matured. Instead of the current 310 cups per year average of the Indian, this can be deepened to 500. That is where the volumes lie.

Centres closer to the growing origins will remain with loose tea. This includes the North-East, Kolkata, and many parts of South India which include areas in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

(Harish Bijoor is a brand strategy expert and CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. Send your questions and comments to >cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in )

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