MARKETING STRATEGIES WILL BE SOCIALLY ORIENTED, DIGITALLY FOCUSED IN COVID TIMES: CEO PEPE JEANS

Business strategies – both marketing and communication – are not conceived with disruptors like the coronavirus pandemic even remotely in mind. Responding to the challenges the pandemic has brought is something apparel and fashion businesses need to address urgently. Manish Kapoor, CEO, Pepe Jeans talks about his opinion on the changes in consumer behavior in this webinar organised by Retailers Association of India. He says that if serious efforts are not made, the whole foundation of brick-and-mortar stores, which is physical interaction, and which gives it an edge over online retail may fizzle out...

With the government partially lifting the lockdown with conditional relaxation in selected states, businesses are feeling optimistic. While essential items continue to remain a key priority, the purchase of non-essential items continues to be prohibited. The lockdown has resulted in financial suffering for a majority of fashion brands. Businesses are now hoping that there will be more relaxation in Unlock 1.0 and they can resume some semblance of operations – both offline and online. And both brands and retailers are prepared that things will not be the same ever again – that there is now a new normal.

While businesses are optimistic that active consumption will happen despite concerns for safety and social distancing norms, they are working towards increasing consumer confidence in their brands and also towards adapting to changed consumer behavior, giving the customer what s/he wants.