Having been present in India for over 23 years, Triumph aims to help Indian women find their right fit. Bhavin Devpuria, Head of Marketing for Triumph International in India and Sri Lanka, tells us what it's like for an international brand to adapt its messaging for the local market so as to resonate with consumers.
Corsets to Couture
Triumph started as a small, six-employee-led corset factory in Germany. They soon ventured into manufacturing brassieres as a response to the declining demand for corsets. From the get-go, the brand championed adapting to change to stay ahead of the curve.
Through continuous innovation and product expansion, today, they enjoy their space as a dominant force in the lingerie market with a presence in over 120 countries around the world.
Lingerie has also evolved into a lifestyle product that is greatly influenced by seasons and trends in the way that mainstream fashion is. Every new season and trend demands a new collection.
Behind the Seams
Urbanisation, the availability of information, the increasing number of women office-goers and a higher purchasing power are factors that let the lingerie market enjoy its 9.9% CAGR in the Asia Pacific region.
Bhavin tells us that promoting lingerie is not so easy in Asia and India. In traditional above-the-line campaigns, there needs to be a coverup in the imagery for it to get approved. Often, even their Google campaigns get rejected.
“The digital-first strategy works best as the campaigns are much more targeted. It also helps us understand each market and the top products within that market.” The legacy brand has also found value in social media.
There was a point when the brand relied on celebrity endorsements, then moved to mega-influencers and now relies on micro and nano influencers. “As urbanisation hits smaller cities and towns, there is always a local influencer there that can drive brand awareness.”
Retail Underpinnings
With both franchise stores and retail outlets, Triumph counts over 1,000 retail touchpoints in India. One of the main reasons lingerie as a segment needs retail is because women need to get measured to know their size and also try on garments to find the right fit.
But Triumph also has a great growth story in e-commerce. “We’ve seen that products that are bestsellers offline are selling online as well. This shows that once women find their fit, they’re okay with buying online too.”
Triumph also leverages the platform to reach people in tier-2 and tier-3 markets where having many retail outlets isn’t viable. They focus on creating high-quality content and consumer experience. “With e-commerce, the goal is to marry the offline experience with the online world.” Their site offers fit charts and calculators for women to measure their own sizes accurately.
Delicate Discussions
While running their campaign called the Bra Fit Challenge, they found unique insight into how the conservativeness of the region affects what women know about their bodies. They found that approximately 30% of women in Mumbai and Delhi knew their sizes. In Kolkata, it was about 25%, and in regions in the south of India, it was only about 11-12%.
“We want to come in as a partner or a friend to women to help them get the right fit. And also give women information on when to buy, how to wash and store and when to say goodbye to their lingerie.” Triumph does campaigns to educate women on how their bust size changes every six months or so, owing to factors like weight, age, menstruation and childbirth.
Supporting Change
In their new campaigns in India, there has been a focus on using inclusive imagery. “India is a country where women come in all shapes and sizes, and we want them to feel represented.”
Triumph tries to tailor its marketing using a ‘one-to-one approach’, trying to represent the many different characteristics of women. “More than inclusive, I would say our communication has been about being bold and unapologetic.”
The brand has also been reducing the amount of plastic used in its packaging and tags. “Sustainability needs a lot of research, and we're taking one step at a time.”
Future Forward
While most brands claim comfort, Triumph aims to capitalise on people’s intuition. They bank on their 138 years of market experience and in-depth research into getting to know their customers. “We also depend on our community of women that enjoy the brand and advocate for it.” Evidently, word of mouth and repeat customers remain the mainstay of brands that hinge on quality.
Triumph is focused on retaining its existing consumers through membership programs and reaching the younger audience through a digital-first marketing approach. Bhavin also has a final word for women: “Get yourself fitted every six months!”
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)