One of the many things I fondly remember while growing up is those exciting visits with my parents to footwear stores and looking for nothing but shiny black school shoes by Bata. Also, its white canvas shoes that I would often whiten using the chalk I used to usually stock for mindless eating. 😀
There is definitely something super special with this footwear major that ventured into the Indian market back in the 1930s. Bata has been a household name and a symbol of trust, quality and reliability. Initially, I thought it is a home-grown company and not “foreign-rooted”; the company is actually of Czech origin and now headquartered in Switzerland. Probably, the comfort and the affordability aspect of the brand made me presume that it is all Indian with ultra-deep connect with the masses as a go-to brand for school shoes. My mother too had a bias for seemingly “desi” Bata footwear and trusted the quality with dependability.
Sadly, there is a perception that I have mostly heard in my personal experience about the brand being just basic and regular in its offerings. Further, the rock-solid imagery of Bata school shoes has always cast a shadow over its other range of products. Nonetheless, Bata has over the years not just evolved as a company facing turbulent times but has managed to emerge as a promising brand for India’s ever-expanding market and appetite for luxury.
The company’s products have undergone a complete overhaul with collections becoming trendier yet comfortable and retail stores serving as a modern marketplace. Thanks to new-age marketing strategies, popular advertising and unleashing of e-commerce, the company has tried to reposition itself in the Indian market with focus on catering to the youth with affordable products including accessories.
Another USP that Bata has successfully banked upon is its support for women empowerment by targeting modern urban women with #ComfortableWithIt, #FindYourPower and #Bata9to9. #ComeAndBeSurprised and #SurprisinglyBata have also been used recently to re-engineer the brand’s story to much more than a reliable school shoes trademark. Thus, Bata is not just about fashion but speaks more of style and comfort and offers great value to its customers.
Going ahead, I strongly feel that Bata has the potential to continue its growth journey in India to reach out to as many customers as it can and significantly expand its footprint within Asia. The brainwork to reconnect with the country’s millennials would surely help Bata to transform into a fashion-forward and contemporary brand.