Victorinox engages consumers

The Swiss Army Knife is an icon and one of the leading players in this segment, is Victorinox. This brand has also extended its presence to other product categories like travel gear, cutlery and fragrances, over the past few years.  In a candid interview, Anish Goel, MD, Victorinox, shares his insights on the growth opportunity here and their expansion plans.

Baibhab Das (BD): Kindly share the journey of Victorinox in the Indian market?

Anish Goel (AG): We have been present in the Indian market for the past 16 years and our brand is not only synonymous as a Swiss Army Knife, but also for travel gear, watches and lifestyle products.

We do not have exclusive stores in India and we are present through modern trade outlets (MTOs) like Basecamp, Shoppers Stop and Central, amongst others.  And, our products have been well accepted by high-end consumers, both male and female, aged 18-55 years.

(BD): Any localisation strategy to ensure relevance with Indian consumers?

(AG):  For the Indian market, we have customised the Swiss Army Knife with imprints of Qutub Minar and Taj Mahal, on the handle. And, they have been especially popular with foreign tourists. Apart from that, for corporate gifts, we work jointly with the customer.

(BD): You have recently launched the Swiss Army Knife in collaboration with YouWeCan, Yuvraj Singh’s cancer foundation. Can you share more on this tie up?

(AG): The limited edition Victorinox YouWeCan Swiss Army Knife is the result of an association between Victorinox and Yuvraj Singh
Foundation. And, every ‘YouWeCan’ knife has an autograph of Yuvraj Singh etched on the blade.  Part of the proceeds from the sale of these knives goes to the Yuvraj Singh Foundation, to help conduct cancer check-up camps across India and spread awareness about the disease.

(BD): Kindly elaborate on your marketing strategy?

(AG): We have launched the Victorinox Global Brand Campaign in 2012, and as part of that, we are promoting Victorinox as an umbrella brand. This campaign is based on Victorinox stories received from consumers worldwide, and they highlight experiences with the products, amongst other aspects.

(BD): Your web retailing strategy for India?

(AG): At present, Victorinox India does not have an exclusive e-retail platform, but we have tied up with portals such as Flipkart and
Jabong, amongst others.

(BD): Your annual turnover and the growth rate you expect for the current fiscal?

(AG): Our annual turnover for the financial year that just ended was Rs 35 crore and we are targeting a growth of nearly 30 per cent for
the current fiscal year.