The face of a giant Asiatic lion has become synonymous with LAVA mobiles. The latest entrant to the ever growing Indian mobile handset market is a hit with customers who want more features in a phone for less money. LAVA International Limited, the Indian firm based in Uttar Pradesh claims to have already ratcheted up over a million customers. With established foreign brands like Nokia and Samsung already having captured the Indian market, it is a challenge for local players to compete with them. The growing market is the trigger for the wave of new companies to enter the market.
The Indian market added a record 20 million new users in March according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The sale of mobile handsets has also been growing rapidly making it a big enough opportunity for new serious players to enter. LAVA is poised to launch a number of mid-range phones with attractive pricing structure and features to cater to the ever-increasing aspirations of the Indian masses.
Here S.N. Rai, Co Founder & Director, Lava Mobile, in an interview shares his views with Bureaucracy Today on the development of his company’s brand. Excerpts:
What is the significance of LAVA?
LAVA means to come up with a power. The punch line of LAVA mobiles- Power in your hands & Power to attract sums it up well. The power with which that LAVA comes out denotes our vision (to make it a power that would rule in everyone’s hands).
What was the idea behind introducing LAVA mobiles in India, when already other brands have captured the market?
We envisioned LAVA Mobile phones not just a mobile handset but a tool of communication and infotainment for a common man of India who have limited income source and can’t afford expensive brands.
The historic journey of Lava mobile phones have been flagged of with a passion to revolutionist the mobile market in India with the clear mantra to entice each and every target group and providing products that would satisfy customer’s aspirations and desires. With this clear attitude, LAVA has been successful in ratcheting up over a million consumers in such a short span of time.In the initial ten months since its launch in April 2009, it has embarked its presence everywhere in huge Indian market for mobile phones if compared with the market leaders or other rivals but the unique features itself has ruled the minds of millions of satisfied customers using lava mobile handsets named as LAVA brand ambassadors.
How do you judge Indian market to popularise your brand?
India has a huge potential in the telecom market. The rate at which it’s growing makes us see a huge business prospect in this sector. We always wanted to gift “technology empowerment to the people” and hence we launched LAVA here with a very competitive price solely with the idea of giving our consumers the value for money.
What is so unique about LAVA that one would prefer it over other brands?
LAVA mobile phones are power-packed with a combination of great features and capabilities. The phones are powered with a dual SIM feature, long-lasting battery back-up, dual LED powerful torch, camera, games, Bluetooth, support upto 8 GB memory, FM radio & recording, one-touch music player, dual-stereo speakers, dual-charging point, GPRS and speakerphone.
The phones are also equipped with lithium-ion batteries and promise a standby of 30 days and talk time of 12 hours. And most importantly it is pocket-friendly with 64 poliphonic ring tones and pre-loaded phones which are surely going to be a hit among the youngsters.
What kind of marketing and promotional strategies you have planned?
We have adhered very balanced approach towards marketing. We have spent around 60 crores in the television commercial and right now, we are primarily focusing on the messaging and product development. We have various plans for digital and print media also.
Being a new entrant in the telecom sector what challenges you see ahead? And what measures you have planned to overcome them?We don’t have any big problems in the Indian telecom sector except few small irritants, which come and promise big to the customers and finally do nothing. Through our mobile business, we are trying to provide empowerment to the people and generating localised rural level employment for the youth.
I must say, it is very difficult to make money in metros. Real aspirants are lying in the rural market. Rural markets have their own unique needs that vary from region to region. Hence, understanding at the grassroots level is important for success. On the ground level, we are trying to market ourselves through various panchayats in the rural areas. Knowing the rural consumers’ touchiness with value for their hard earned money, LAVA tried to deliver value, and experience at affordable prices, with features like Dual SIM, Torch, Battery backup and introduction of local language capabilities.
What exclusive are you offering to the niche and urban segment of the society?
We have LAVA A9, which is exclusively designed for style conscious consumers who are active on social networks. LAVA A9 is a small mobile computer with silver cues featuring a 2.4 inches TFT display. The product gives the user a truly personal internet experience in a compact handset.
LAVA A9 is packed with applications like high speed web access facility, media player, games, will create a buzz in the market with its astonishing features that will take the company to newer heights. The Java embedded games, 3.2 mega pixel camera and advanced connectivity options with utility applications like nimbuzz and opera mini are the standard features of this handset. A9 is a small, sleek gadget compliments new style segment.
Lava A9, an elegant phone at Rs5999 is drawing everyone whether it is young college going or a professional with features like social networking and web chat applications. Sporting a distinctly youthful design and mid range functionality, LAVA A9 has lucrative features which makes it stand out of the Urban clientele.
Seeing the trend of brand ambassadors of various mobile companies who is going to be the brand ambassador of LAVA?
I am still looking for someone who can represent our brand powerfully. As LAVA signifies power and integrity with a dash of simplicity, hence I am looking for someone who is powerful yet simple.
What are your plans for the near future?
By the end of 2010, we are looking forward to have double digit market share and five years down the line we have plans to tap the market of South-West Asia, North America, Africa, Eastern Europe and Middle East.
