In Conversation With Cereno Simoes, Marketing Head, Superdry India
In our interaction with Cereno Simoes, he tells us how Superdry is a loud and bold brand that is not afraid to make its presence known, anywhere it goes
Q. Superdry entered India in 2012, placing itself in the premium segment. What insights did you have and how has the response been from the Indian market?
A. Superdry has been present in the market for 6 years and has only been growing stronger as a brand. Even though the target audience is 25-35 years, we see customers of all ages boldly wear our products in India. Our products depict an attitude rather than an age. We have a very specific customer base who love their individuality and are confident in who they are, which they reflect by what they wear. Superdry is a loud and bold brand that is not afraid to make its presence known. In India, we have managed to attract customers who fit the brand perfectly.
Q. You have recently launched the Superdry Sports stores in India. What are your observations on the athleisure apparel segment witnessing strong traction in the country? What was the rationale behind venturing into this segment?
A. Athleisure has become a growing trend in India and every individual is very keen on fitness and self-improvement by leading a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, it is the best time for us to have introduced Superdry Sport standalone stores in India. We already have a sport section in our Superdry stores but we feel the standalone stores will have a better impact and very specific audience, introducing more customers outside our target group. We have seen that more women prefer to wear Superdry Sport over Superdry casual wear. Being an 80% menswear brand, it has been amazing to see the response that Superdry Sport has got from women and men in India.
Q. Besides apparel, these sports stores will also offer personal-care items. How does the brand intend to compete against the already existing sports giants like Adidas, Nike, etc.?
A. We will be launching Superdry Fragrances in India this year. It is a very exciting journey for us. There is a lot of scope for personal care products in India as most people are very dedicated to taking care of themselves. We aren’t worried about the competition at this point. This is a new avenue for us and we believe our loyal customers will gravitate to it naturally, as the product truly speaks for itself.
Q. You are a popular name amongst Gen Y & Z. How are your capitalizing on your youth-centric marketing approach?
A. As mentioned previously, our products are not limited to an age group, it is not just a product but a personality. You will see all generations wearing Superdry. A major chunk of our marketing happens through digital platforms as that is where our target group is most present these days. Additionally, we associate with a large number of music festivals and live gigs across major Indian cities.
Q. The brand has never done TV ads. However, it has really grown up organically with its digital presence and limited outdoor campaigns. What’s the current marketing strategy for Superdry? Also, what is the rationale behind not choosing a brand ambassador?
A. Internationally, we do not wish to have a brand ambassador as we feel the brand should be an independent entity. In India, we follow the same but do occasionally bring on board celebrities to launch a specific season collection or product category. Digital media is growing at a fast pace and will continue to be an important point of marketing for Superdry. In addition to this, we are always open to associate with cool events happening across the city that we feel connects with the brand.
Q. Not just Tier 1 cities, but Superdry is present in smaller cities like Guwahati, Surat, Vadodara, etc. as well. What are your expansion plans and how do you see 2019 shaping up for you?
A. In 6 years, we have over 60 stores counting EBO’s and SIS shops. We are pretty much present and key cities across India and will continue to expand to smaller cities as well. This year, we plan to launch more Superdry stores as well as SuperdrySport stores. We will also be launching Superdry Fragrances. Currently, we are present across popular e-commerce websites but this year we will be launching the official Superdry.in website for customers to have direct access to the brand.
