Gini & Jony: (S)cool Experience

Gini & Jony created ripples in the market, recently, by launching products based on Shahid Kapoor’s recent release, to attract kids. Anil Lakhani, Executive Director, Gini & Jony shares the tid-bits about the brand with Neha Malhotra.

 Neha Malhotra (NM): Gini & Jony recently had a tie-up with the movie Paathshaala'. Can you brief us about this tie- up?

Anil Lakhani (AL): The TG of the movie and our brand is the same. The name of the movie “Paatshaaala” and our “Bag to School” offer gels well. With new teachers, new classroom, new friends kids want a new Bag to school kit and that’s what we are trying to promote through this tie up. This tie up has been very fruitful for the brand as well as for the movie and we are hoping to get a very good response from parents and kids.

NM: Tell us about the growth of Gini & Jony over the years, since its inception?

AL: Sensing the dearth of kidswear brands in the market, Gini & Jony was launched. The company during that period was a small time manufacturing unit that sold through a distributor-dealer network. The transition came when Shoppers Stop lent us space at their Andheri outlet in Mumbai. It’s been three decades now and together with my brothers Jay and Prakash; I have led the brand to be a lading brand in the kidswear category. Today, Gini & Jony Limited claims a number one position in its segment with more than a thousand selling points.

NM: What is the stature of Gini & Jony's presence? Are MBO's or EBO's the centre of attention?

AL: We are very well known in MBO’s and are majorly present in all the large  format outlets and stores.  If we generally compare MBO’s and EBO’s they are both different kinds of formats and concepts of stores, which cannot be compared in terms of their sale and offerings. In an EBO special attention and care is given to each and every customer with the wide range and variety of merchandise to offer. The entire        shopping experience in an EBO, considering the offerings and ambience is different   from that in an MBO.

NM: Children are your primary target. How do you reach out to them?

AL: We believe in touching each and every Childs’s heart and so every move of ours to reach them are personalised. We make them feel special and greeted with each addressing and greetings while we communicate with them.

NM: Pester-power in kids is growingly influencing parents’ decisions in buying. What marketing initiatives are you taking to catch their eye?

AL: We sketch a very good Brand Mix to offer with a planned marketing strategy each season and occasion to reach out to our little champs. These include right ATL, BTL, and PR strategies planned, well in advance.

NM: The significance of loyalty programmes is on an upswing. Are you following the trend?

AL: We have also given an aggressive drive for our loyalty programme- Wonder world Club. The membership has gone up by 60,000-65,000. We now have over one lakh kid members in our wonder world family. And believe me, this loyalty programme, special offers and association with the movie are paying off in terms of improving our top line.

NM: What are the company's future plans?

AL: Gini & Jony, currently has nearly 280 retail outlets across 65 cities and sells its products through about 500 MBOs. We, now, have devised plans to expand our retail presence in different formats.