Click to play videoMumbai: Women comprise 20 per cent of India's workforce and it's growing. But marketers are still unable to tap this market. Because they are still not sure of what a girl what’s a girl needs.
One out of 10 Hyundai car buyers is a woman. So, for the first time, Hyundai is running women-only promotions on Santro and Getz models. And even though low interest rates and free ICICI credit cards aren't exactly women-specific offers, Hyundai says it has something different to offer to women.
“If such initiative is taken by the company, I think it brings in a focus at the down most level, that’s where people start looking at women customers differently, point is they've something to talk to them and something to offer to them,” said Hyundai Motor India Ltd VP (Marketing and Sales) Arvind Saxena.
But marketers haven't scripted success stories with segmentation. Industry insiders say women-only cards like Diva by Standrad Chartered offer little besides shopping and salon discounts as additional benefits.
Two years after launch, girlified cellphones from companies like Nokia and Samsung have all but disappeared.
While companies claim high pricing was a deterrent, experts say differently.
“They looked at features that accessories the product or patronise women by saying you need to keep track of menstrual cycle or biorhythm,” Technopak VP Preeti Reddy.
Yet, a genuine offering works. Hero Honda's refurbished pleasure scooter has exclusive outlets with female staff among other things. It's set to close its first year with sales of 1lakh units.
While there's a case for looking at women as a distinct target segment, just add-ons or frills won't work. Brands will need to focus on core design that will give women utilitarian benefits.
That might take a few years to come, as marketers discover what women really want.
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