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Myntra’s Sunder Balasubramanian on marketing plans for summer

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Pranali Tawte
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Sunder Balasubramanian

Social Samosa speaks to Sunder Balasubramanian, CMO of Myntra to decode their marketing plans for the summer. Balasubramanian also gives insight into GenZ as a consumer cohort and how to communicate with them.

As consumers update their wardrobes for summer, Myntra amps up its marketing strategy, catering to this need. The brand has announced the expansion of their product portfolio for the summer and spring seasons.

In conversation with Sunder Balasubramanian, CMO of Myntra, Social Samosa discusses summer plans, overall marketing strategy, how the brand uses social media to connect with consumers, and more.

Summer Marketing Strategy

Looking at consumer trends, Balasubramanian said that some of the leading colours for the season include metallics and pastels, with the colour of the year – Viva Magenta, inspired by the metaverse, becoming increasingly popular.

These trends are also reflected in their social media strategy, wherein Myntra is seen collaborating with influencers flaunting floral and bright colours. 

Speaking about the summer plans, Balasubramanian said, "The Spring Summer’23 will see a total of 2500+ brands encapsulating 80+ key brands, 70+ D2C brands, and 50+ omni brands participating, allowing shoppers access to this season’s most on-trend fashion and lifestyle offerings.” 

The brand is going to amplify the new season drops by collaborating with 350+ content creators, including leading influencers, Style Squad, and their StyleCast creators. These creators will form the new season’s lookbooks, which will showcase looks and outfits, using trending fashion transitions, while implementing reels, statics, and stories to amplify the visibility of Myntra's spring-summer collection. 

Marketing Footprint

Speaking about their Instagram handle, Balasubramanian said, “We have one of the largest handles that I can think of on Instagram with engagement that is really strong.”

The brand has been focusing on the content to commerce model, thus investing time and budgets in original content creation. The fashion ecommerce brand also has content IPs within the app.

“Myntra will continue to be the voice of fashion on all social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Moj, and Josh, and will expand presence and share of voice exponentially across multiple social media channels,” said Balasubramanian. 

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Gen-Z is one of the important cohorts for Myntra, with widespread adoption and footprint, making them critical perception drivers. This makes digital an important medium for them. 

Giving insights on Myntra’s overall marketing strategy, Balasubramanian said, “Influencer marketing and social commerce become crucial components of Myntra's marketing strategy, especially given that the majority of social media users are Gen-Z. Myntra's cutting-edge social commerce offerings, Myntra Studio, and M-Live, have been critical in effectively engaging Gen-Z and millennial consumers.”

Apart from influencers and social commerce, Myntra also relies heavily on celebrity associations. Myntra has partnered with Hrithik Roshan, Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, and more in the past.

“Our association with India’s most-loved celebs and cricketers allows us to leverage and tap into their fandom and thus cater to India's diverse needs with a stronger emphasis on geo-relevant offerings,” said Balasubramanian.

In one of their recent campaigns, ‘Be Extraordinary Everyday,’ Myntra featured Ranbir Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Vijay Devarakonda.

Just like digital creators, consumers also look up to celebrities for their fashion sense. Balasubramanian told Social Samosa that this is one of the reasons why the brand associates with specific movie stars. In the foreseeable future, the brand will continue to associate with celebrities, he added.

Media Mix

The brand builds its programs and budgeting according to the cohort it wants to target. Myntra wants to be able to talk to different parts of India and to every possible cohort through marketing, whether the consumer is in a metro city or beyond, a Gen Z or a millennial, a style seeker or not.

Balasubramanian said, “We look at implementing a 360-degree approach, leveraging TV, Digital and traditional media, and social platforms to deliver the various campaigns across the nation. I may not even spend a rupee on TV for Gen Z,  but if I look at someone in a non-metro city, then that becomes an important medium. When you look at a Gen-Z type cohort, you will automatically build it more for social and social commerce and put your investments over there.”

He further said that over 20% of Myntra’s user base currently interacts with social media influencers, via M-Live and Studio, and thus, the social commerce proposition will continue to play a pivotal role in furthering the brand’s reach. 

Connect With The Younger Demographic

Balasubramanian shared a few pointers that marketers should make a note of while communicating with young audiences.

-Authenticity is essential when engaging with young audiences. Today’s consumer is highly attuned to inauthentic messaging and can quickly disengage from brands that do not represent themselves honestly. 

-Purpose-driven messaging is also crucial, as young consumers are increasingly looking to align themselves with brands that share their values and contribute to a larger societal goal.

-Inclusivity is another critical factor to consider, as audiences have evolved to value diversity and are more likely to support brands that reflect and celebrate their differences.

-Sustainability and value are key considerations when communicating with young consumers, as they are environmentally and socially conscious and are looking for brands that prioritize these issues.

-When communicating with young audiences, marketers should keep these in mind. By doing so, a more trusted and meaningful connection with this demographic can be created.

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