Shopping is just the beginning

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There's a lot more, promises Shoppers' Stop's new campaign

There is a books corner, first citizen lounge, salon, cafe and apparel, all under one roof. And no, this is not a mall. This is the new-look of Shoppers' Stop, India's second-largest retail chain. And to ensure that people know about it, the retail giant recently launched a new campaign "" its first in two years.

The print and outdoor campaign has been designed by Stop's long-standing agency Contract Advertising, and will run all through January next year. It tom-toms the chain's value-added services as well as its new merchandise for the season, set against a black and white background, with a baseline that reads, Shopping.

And beyond.

"Shoppers' Stop as a brand has always been about shopping experience for consumers. However, with the entry of many other players like malls and book stores, which also offer experience in their own capacity, it was essential to redefine ourselves to stay relevant to our constantly evolving customers," explains B S Nagesh, MD and CEO, Shoppers' Stop.

Shoppers' Stop has a 2 per cent share of the Rs 35,000-crore organised retail market, behind market leader Pantaloons Retail India: its 19 stores across the country generated more than 14.6 million footfalls last year.

All its stores now offer a combination of services that include lounge areas, salons, a designer pret line (Buzz), and books under the Crossword brand. While the hoardings focus on the merchandise mix available in the stores, the print campaign further explains the new facilities.

The emphasis now is on creating a complete shopping experience, points out Raj Nair, vice president and creative head, Contract Advertising, Shoppers' Stop's creative agency, which has created all its campaigns. "This is a clutter-breaking communication that demonstrates and underlines fashion and style," he adds.

The retail chain's last campaign focused on the merchandise mix, with a tag line that read, If it's on your mind, it's on our stores. That worked up to a point, but now it needed to do more. "Shoppers' Stop has positioned itself well from the start. But to continue its connect with the consumers it needed to reinvent itself while maintaining the width and depth of product distinction," says Ravi Sankar, a Mumbai-based market analyst.

This time round, the store needed to focus on the shopping needs and experience of the consumer. Points out Nair, "Consumers are now looking beyond the functionality of the product. They are also interested in style, outlook and attitude towards the product."

The tone of the campaign underlines Shoppers' Stop's image makeover. But what prompted the chain's facelift? Shoppers' Stop came into existence when retail in India was largely unorganised (it still is, but organised retail is slowly making its presence felt). Customers were satisfied with what was then an innovative concept "" a one-stop shop format. Now, points out Nagesh, "with increased exposure, consumers are evolving".

The tone of the campaign recognises the change. The accent is on being trendy and punch lines ooze attitude: "The future is so bright, you will need shades", for instance, and "Let him know who wears the pants". The company and agency both point out that communication is being redefined to make it more relevant to the globally aware consumer.

The average consumer at Shoppers' Stop falls in the 20- to 40-year age group and has a high disposable income. While the new campaign has been made more youthful, the consumer profile hasn't changed. "We are trying to reach out to everyone who is young at heart," declares Sheetal Choksi, general manager, marketing and communications, Shoppers' Stop.

A brand tracking study is conducted every year by Shoppers' Stop to understand consumer perception of and expectations from the brand as well as their general shopping behaviour. The key takeaway from the research was that, for large-format stores, consumers expect quality service and merchandise, easy aisle movement and no interference from the sales staff.

It was based on these findings that many of the changes were incorporated "" including a special lounge area for First Citizens, its loyalty programme, disabled-friendly steps and a coffee shop. "Shopping is a day-out experience. So all our stores are being designed keeping in mind customers' comfort," says Choksi.

The campaign also took its theme based on the premium look and feel of the store. Confirms Nair, "We tried to redefine the basic expression by making the premium style in sync with the global brands available in the store, which takes shopping to a new level. Thus, the whole idea of Shopping. And beyond."

To break away from the clutter, the company has kept all its campaigns in sync with its signature black and white look. "Internationally black and white reflects premium style. So, keeping in mind the global standards of our product offering and our target audience, we opted for that classic look," says Choksi. "It underlines a superior style and fashion, plus it stands out from other brands," adds Nair. Which is what any store wants, isn't it?