How Amazon is gearing up for its biggest-ever Diwali blitzkrieg

Online retail giant Amazon expects this Diwali to be the biggest ever for the brand, banking on its largest-ever marketing splash around the widest range of the products on the platform, the newly launched Hindi app and Amazon Pay.

Ravi Desai

Talking about the key differentiators that amazon.in is bringing this festive season, Ravi Desai, Director Mass and Brand Marketing, Amazon India, told BestMediaInfo.com, “The Hindi app is clearly one of them. Till now, most of India would have needed a credit card to avail of EMI. For the first time, we have made EMI available on debit cards. In fact, you need not have a card at all to avail of the EMI facility. If you are an Amazon Pay customer, you will have a no-card EMI facility.”

Amazon has been aggressive with its media strategy as rival Flipkart is also launching its festive sales.

Flush with funds from the US retail giant Walmart, Flipkart has launched an elaborated media campaign along with lucrative deals on its products.

“We don’t know how well prepared they (rivals) are, but we are well prepared as far as this season is concerned. This is a critical part of the year for India from the shopping perspective, so it is a critical part for our calendar as well. Preparations start months in advance. Products are built keeping the need of the season in mind. The team has been working on the Hindi app for more than a year now,” Desai said.

During the special festive sales, both companies are expecting a gross merchandise volume (GMV) of around Rs 10,000 crore. Last year, Amazon had raked in Rs 2,700 crore during the five-day Diwali sale period.

“With the Hindi app and the kind of offers we have this Diwali, we are looking at amplifying that to all of India in the most impactful manner possible. This is why the whole campaign has a 360-degree element to it,” Desai said.

Desai refused to comment on the marketing budget for the festive season. The e-tailer plans to use print as a major part of its outreach strategy in Hindi and regional belts.

“We are looking at deploying media in a way that we are able to create awareness around the Hindi app with far greater reach in Hindi-speaking markets than what we have done ever in the past. We literally work with what our business objectives are and create the right level of awareness and anticipation,” said Desai.

The company recently kicked off its festive campaign titled ‘Ab India ki khushiyon ke beech budget nahin ayega’ and showcased a unique Amazon Festive Home as a part of the campaign to build up to its Great Indian Festival sale from October 10 to 15. An Amazon Home, which brought all products through the platform, was showcased in Delhi last week.

Talking about the Amazon Home, Desai said, “The idea was really to bring alive the selections that we are bringing to India this season. We have our largest-ever selection, which is about 170 million plus products now accessible to India. Specially, as we open up for Diwali sale from October 10 to 15, customers will get great offers on this wide range. The reason why we wanted to put it together is to show that if you want to set up your entire home with products from amazon.in, it is possible."

The creatives and the language would differ in different regions of the country though.

For the on-going Khushiyon ke beech budget nahin aayega campaign, the company has the band as the face of the brand, with different looks for the North and the South Indian markets.

“The campaign thought has very core Indian insight. A lot of people have a list of wishes that they want to fulfil this Diwali, which is the ‘Khushiyon ki list’, and often families work with a certain budget. With all that we have to offer in terms of affordability, range of pricing, deals, offers and lots of other surprises, you will keep seeing over the next 10 days or so, we believe that we have got the right to say to India that budget will not come in your way of happiness (Iss Diwali khushiyon ke beech budget nahin aayega),” added Desai.

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