AD SPLURGE

Navratra's started yesterday and with that came a splurge of ads from all urban retailers. From bringing in the New to an Exchange Offer to Sports Fitness - it's all there.  The first to break out was Big Bazaar with a double front page spread in the Times of India - the ad loudly welcoming the new with a wide range of products. Does the ad mean New Products or New Season ?? Anything new in the products being offered ? Couldn't find any  - wonder if customers that the ad is targeting would !

The Big Bazaar Ad

Home Town ( Another future group retail format) is focusing on an exchange programme on furniture. Could be a great success if the offers are good and exchange offer's value. The Value offered in exchange for old items - Rs 15000 for an old sofa set to Rs 75 per Kg of old plastics. The caveat is that the purchase values is to be 4 times the exchange voucher value.

Exchange Offer of Home Town

Vishal too has released a half page ad with a somewhat Bizarre message - 'Sports and Fitness Rationing' and then talks about a flat 40% off. Products offered range from food to Kurtis to LCD TVs to Mobile phones. The connection to Heath and fitness was difficult to spot.

The Sports & Fitness Rationing ad of Vishal

Reliance retail with it's Reliance Fresh, Super & Mart formats is focusing on 'Lowest Prices on Fruits & Vegetables' in it's full page ad. The lowermost portion of the ad talks about '1000's of products below MRP at our stores'. Does this statement really carry any weight with customers ? All stores today sell these products below MRP.

 Reliance & Lowest Prices

With the onset of the festive season, this frenzy is bound to increase  as the countdown to Diwali begins. It would be interesting to see the approaches and the offerings of the main players in Indian Retail during this season.