Eco-Drive is a light-powered watch. Its battery runs purely on light produced from any source, be it candle light or direct rays from the sun. When fully charged, the watch can run on this energy for approximately six months or longer, depending on the model. Such advanced technology in using light, both natural and artificial, has really captivated watch enthusiasts and made Citizen’s Eco-Drive a big hit.
Katsusuke Tokura, managing director, Citizen Watches India, talks about the technology and the aesthetic elements of the Eco-Drive timepieces.
In a growing market like India, competition is fierce, not just from local players but also global players. What strategies do you have in place to tackle your competitors?
Citizen set up operations in India in 1997. It has a 15-year-old brand history in the subcontinent. So the marketing and sales strategies are also unique for India. We are very clear about the demographics of the customers that we want to target. Our typical customer is the emerging upper middle class working in the IT or ITES segment. They are young, willing to try out innovations in watches, most of all, they are discerning customers who know the tasteful fusion of technology and beauty.
Citizen is a Japanese brand. The name is easy to remember and anybody in any country can relate to the brand. While that works for India too, the attitude of Indian customers customers does differ, as they are more price conscious. How are you tackling this challenge?
It’s not just in India that customers are price-conscious. Even in Japan, people are. That’s precisely why we have placed Citizen watches in the affordable luxury segment. The price range is nominal for our target audience. They range between `10,000 and `50,000. We make sure that we give our customers value-for money watches. The watch would truly represent their personality and status. By blending cutting-edge technology like super titanium and innovative designs, we have managed to capture the hearts of our customers. In fact, the world’s first Altimeter Depth meter Titanium professional diving watch is from Citizen.
Citizen has been in the country for over 15 years now. How has the customer evolved? Have you noticed any interesting trends in the past few years?
A lot of Swiss watches have made inroads into the Indian market and there are more takers in India these days for such brands. People have begun to appreciate and understand technology, so it becomes a lot more easier for them to pick and choose the watch they want. A few years ago, watches were primarily timekeeping devices, but today they are a style statement.
When compared to the rest of the country, how different are customers in Bangalore?
Bangalore customers are more intelligent and they are aware of the recent technological advancements. Moreover, when they see a good product, they are willing to spend on it.
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