In the series of interviews with market leaders, change-makers and innovators, we bring our next interview with Entrepernuer & Leader Mr. Avneet Singh Marwah, Director & CEO, SPPL (Kodak India).
Avneet Singh Marwah is the Director and CEO of Super Plastronics Pvt. Ltd. based out of Noida. SPPL is the brand licensee of Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester USA in India.
SPPL is a 30-year-old manufacturing firm, incorporated in 1997 before which it was known as Super Plast. The business was started by the Chairman of the company, Mr. Amarjeet Singh Marwah, from a small shed which mainly consisted of plastic injection molding. As on date, SPPL is one of the foremost OEM’s in the LED industry and runs successful brands of its own. SPPL has manufacturing units in Noida, Una, and Jammu and over 28 company-owned branch offices, PAN India.
- According to you, how important is brand value for any brand in the market?
Brand Value is one of the top priorities for any brand especially for the Indian Market, where the brand plays a very important role. People in India still feel that brand image works well for them. The consumer always wants brand which they can showcase at their homes or office.
- How has been the transformation for a brand like Kodak which is ever-present?
Kodak has a nostalgic feeling attached to it and the kind brand recall value it has, the transformation has not been that difficult. The nostalgia of the brand was high and people knew Kodak due to its cameras. Whenever a customer hears of Kodak, the first thing that comes to his mind is ‘Kodak Moments’. All those beautiful moments are associated with Kodak and this has helped us in growing in times of Digital Media.
- Recently, You have launched Kodak Android TV which faces competition from giants such as Xiaomi, OnePlus & RealMe. How do you think your product has fared in the market?
We are launching more advanced technology. When you start with something you don’t get the best of technologies since you are a newcomer. When we started we have very limited sources & resources, all the big companies restricted themselves from sharing their technology with us. The names you have mentioned are already in the market for a long time, that is why the fight was against the technology. We launched Kodak Android TV and it is already a hit in the market. It is one of the technologically advanced products in the Indian market with Chromecast, Dolby Digital, Netflix & Amazon. With such specifications and affordable prices, the TV has performed very well and it has competed well with the above brands.
- Will Kodak Moments Come back in Era of Digital Media?
Kodak Moments has already been launched in the USA and UK. We are playing on the new Kodak Moment. The new Kodak moment is for the millennials where we have partnered with brands such as Jack & Jones, H&M, Zara to promote it among the youngsters and we will be bringing to India very soon.
- Which mode of marketing do you prefer- Traditional & Digital?
Digital Media. Digital has disrupted the market and it has completely outnumbered the traditional media. One of the major reasons is that the complete ecosystem is now defined by Digital. You know everything what people are watching, where they are clicking, what is your impression on them, you have all the analytics. In terms of marketing and Return of Investment (ROI), Digital Media is better than traditional media. You can’t make many mistakes on Digital Media. Recently during Diwali two major electronic brands used the same image for their ads in a newspaper. Both media forms are important for your brand image, but I will prefer Digital Media.
- How has Coronavirus impacted the Indian TV Market?
Honestly, there has been a negative impact of the Coronavirus on Indian TV & electronic market. The reason being 60 percent of components are made in countries such as China, Korea & Taiwan, and these countries are affected very badly. March saw huge production cuts and April- May will face the same probably and it will result in business loss and revenue depreciation.
- How about expansion to the II-tier & III-tier cities?
We are already present in close to 18,000 pin codes via offline and online modes. We are strategic partners of Flipkart & Amazon. We have a service network of more than 350 company-owned service centers. We are entering all these 2nd and 3rd tier cities and we are selling in more than 2300 cities and towns in India. We are also planning our retail expansions through cash and carry stores such as Walmart, Spencer’s, Croma and Metro Cash n’ Carry. Although we are taking steps cautiously in terms of retail expansion due to stock issues.
- Since Kodak has existed for such a long time and has seen generations. How do manage brand trust across generations?
There was a shortage of affordable premium brands in India. In smartphone also, A lot of companies lost market such as Nokia, LG, Ericcson, Motorola. The same happened in the television sector, there was a huge gap and there was nobody. Old Indian brands also vanished from markets. In such a time we maintained our credibility and brand value with constant innovations. I hope we continue to do this.
Team Next Big Brand extends heartiest wishes to Avneet Singh Marwah and Kodak. Kudos to him for such an amazing and fun interview.
You can check our other interviews here.
