Mumbai: “I have enough jewellery,” said no woman ever. Launched in 2005, KISNA Diamond & Gold jewellery from the Hari Krishna Group has more than 3,500 outlets across 29 states in India. After awarding its creative duties to Contract Advertising, KISNA marked its restage with its new campaign ‘Teri Roshni Hun Main’ towards the end of last year.
In a confab with Indinatelevision.com, KISNA director Parag Shah chats about the evolution of the brand, the challenges that came the brand’s way, lessons and learnings that were picked up as part of the journey, the brand’s advertising and marketing strategies and more.
Putting things in perspective, the re-stage campaign for KISNA came hand in hand with a shift in distribution strategy to focus on retail franchise expansion. It consolidated its new positioning and philosophy to be more relevant to the progressive middle-India woman. The brand’s attempt was to re-frame the jewellery category narrative by putting the focus squarely on the woman as the 'Heera' and the brand as her confidant. Leading TV actor Nakuul Mehta who was a part of last year’s film and will be seen in the communication this year as well, commands massive appeal in middle India where the brand has a significant presence.
Edited excerpts:
On the evolution of brand KISNA since its inception in 2005 – the key landmarks in the brand’s journey since its launch
KISNA was established in 2005, back then, India was a very different country. KISNA was launched to focus on the woman, for whom her relationships and her family were the centre of her world. Designs that would appeal to her sensibilities were offered. Instead of setting up stores, it partnered with established retailers in multiple regions so that she could buy the jewellery whichever city she was in. The distribution model was industry-first and one amongst the many practices followed by KISNA.
It introduced a self-certification on the quality of diamonds. KISNA has grown from strength to strength and today has 3500 outlets in 29 states across the country. They offer a wide range of rings, earrings, pendants, mangalsutra, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, and nose pins and 10000+ designs in 14KT & 18KT diamond and gold jewellery which are 100 per cent certified and BIS hallmarked.
KISNA has always reflected prevalent social norms and women’s role in it. As the Indian woman has evolved and so has her relationship with jewellery, KISNA has restaged in July 2022 to reflect the sensibilities of this modern woman. The brand has undergone a changeover in its visual identity, and brand philosophy and this derives from its new communication and retail store identity.
On the challenges has the brand faced over the years and faces currently too, in a cluttered market
Evolving as per the changing trends and tastes of the consumers has been crucial in navigating challenges that have come our way in form of changing consumer preferences.
Maintaining the promise of quality and purity along with transparent and customer-friendly policies helps us navigate the challenges of the industry – keeping our consumer interest at heart.
On the learnings and lessons that you have gathered over the years to help shape KISNA as a brand
Consumer centricity – driving our efforts to fulfil our consumer’s demands and needs and being a successful consumer-centric brand
Domain innovation – to keep innovating and reaching newer horizons for better products
Building strong relationship – developing a strong relationship with all our stakeholders from our consumers to our retailers
Leadership and teamwork – having strong and skilled leadership and an efficient team to drive growth
Consistency – maintaining consistency in our quality, and customer service and delivering beyond standard expectations
On sustaining the brand narrative and navigating through a global slowdown
The pandemic has had an adverse impact on the jewellery industry. A massive drop in consumer demand was witnessed that affected businesses and sales overall. Last year was good given the wedding season which saw a boost in consumer demand.
Given that the bigger public celebration, festivities, and wedding season had restrictions there was a drop in consumer spends. However, with evolving consumers and changing market trends post-pandemic, the festive and wedding season has seen a good recovery for the industry with the diamond jewellery business seeing a rise in consumer spends.
On the differentiation strategy that you have had in mind and executed for KISNA over the years, as compared to other gold and diamond jewellery brands in the market
KISNA distinguishes itself from its competitors based on its products and offerings. State of the art diamond manufacturing unit sprawling over 65,000 square yard in Surat powered by the latest technology to meet consumer requirements in the shortest possible time. The company ethically sources diamonds from mines to market and hence offers an unmatched price. KISNA is the only one to source, cut, polish, and manufacture its own diamonds, turn them into jewellery and sell it.
On the product offerings that you're planning to work on and new launches in 2023
With multiple new showrooms, KISNA has been on a steady growth trajectory and is looking forward to expanding our brand in order to make diamond jewellery accessible to women across the country. We believe in consistent delivery in terms of quality and innovation.
This year we launched a Valentine’s Day special collection called Sparkling Love that had a perfect blend of contemporary and minimalist pieces for your loved ones
Akshay Tritiya is an important festival and people buy gold as a mark of prosperity, as part of the jewellery community we look forward to revealing a new collection on this auspicious day.
We launched the platinum collection in March.
We also have a range of impeccably designed gold pieces that Indian consumers love and regularly purchase.
Our solitaire collection – RARE adds value to our collection portfolio.
1. Sparkling range of Rings, Earrings, Pendants and Nose pins.
2. Extensive range of gold purity and finish married to superior diamond quality.
3. First ever interactive display system featuring inventory worth 2,500 cr.
4. Exceptional customization opportunity basis selection and budget.
On the trends observed in international markets when it comes to the gold and diamond jewellery category and the way these are different from the Indian market
According to the changing trends, lightweight classic designs are preferred for jewellery. The wave of new fashion is going to be the trend for the coming years, it has spurred interest in solitaire diamonds and everyday wear jewellery. As industry trends evolve, the preferred designs by consumers will also be different. The jewellery that is in demand presently is simple and conventional. There is a perceptible shift in the way jewellery is being worn nowadays. Earlier heavy sets of jewellery were bought, only to be worn on special occasions and marriages. Today, the usage has drastically shifted to one wearing light-wear fashion jewellery at work and for parties.
Consumer preferences are evolving and we foresee a shift from investing in “locker jewellery” to wearing lightweight “drawer jewellery” that compliments and elevates her everyday look. This represents a significant change in the category as diamond jewellery is outpacing gold in popularity. Multi-wear jewellery is also gaining momentum since it can be styled differently for all occasions.
On planning to make KISNA a household jewellery name in India
KISNA from Hari Krishna Group has always been catering to the evolving sensibilities, tastes and preferences of Indian women.
Our aim is to bring affordable jewellery accessible to every Indian woman across the country along with a variety of options.
We also have jewellery for all kinds of occasions – whether it is a simple pendant to wear to your workplace, a ring to show your affection or a heavy necklace for a wedding function making it a one-stop destination for all kinds of jewellery
Along with the variety of options and making diamonds accessible, we also ensure our products are the best in quality with the correct certification
On expanding your footprint in India – digitally and retail expansion too - selling through standalone brand stores, franchise stores and even the marketplace model
Consumers, today, are becoming more conscious when purchasing jewellery. Diamond jewellery has gained a richness appeal and adds elegance to a women’s ensemble. With reference to consumer demand, alongside offline, online jewellery purchase, too, is making a big headway. We aim to cater to these evolving trends and consumer demand through innovation and offering assortment. We aim to further strengthen associations with new and existing retailers through rapid franchise expansion across India in the near future and take them together in this journey of growth for the entire industry. Our offline expansion plans through the adoption of the franchise model are in line with KISNA’s business approach and long-term vision to make diamonds accessible to modern Indian women.
KISNA wants to penetrate across the country and franchisees offer the fastest penetration with local intelligence. With the exclusive franchise branded stores, KISNA will bring to the consumer an integrated brand experience along with standardized customer service. This backed by a wide assortment of 10,000+ designs as per the local taste and sensibilities will help accelerate consumer preference.
On the advertising and marketing strategy have you adopted for KISNA, and your plans for 2023
The brand has focused on hyper-local marketing activities. We drive footfalls through localized marketing campaigns in line with the brand’s new identity and renewed philosophy to speak to modern Indian women. Our main focus is to build trust, as we believe that we are here for a long-term period and not for a short-term period. We want to create a brand with a lasting legacy and we believe trust is the key. Apart from this, targeting the right consumers and understanding their requirements is highly important. Thus, all the above factors are extremely essential to be competitive in the market.
On the campaign – Teri Roshni Hun Main –and on the plans and focus to carry this campaign forward this year
Last year taking a step forward in our endeavour, we launched a new campaign ‘Teri Roshni Hun Main’. The campaign, an extension of our brand strategy, is a representation of KISNA’s new identity and recent transformation. The campaign speaks to the progressive Indian woman who often finds herself being questioned about her choices in life and uses her own resourcefulness to overcome any doubts. The campaign features popular actor Nakuul Mehta who represents KISNA as a confidant to this modern woman. It builds on the brand’s new identity and philosophy of enabling women to shine through every step of the way. We have also received many recognitions from prominent platforms for the best ad.
This year, taking our messaging forward, KISNA will be collaborating with athlete Sudha Singh and bringing back actor Nakuul Mehta for their campaign for International Women’s Day titled ‘As Strong As Diamonds’. The campaign focuses on a woman’s strength similar to that of a diamond, which is often overlooked. The campaign focuses on the inspiring stories of these strong women and how they bring light into the lives of those around them. Tying back into the narrative of KISNA being a confidant to the modern Indian woman and showcasing their strengths, ‘As Strong As Diamonds’ ties back into #TeriRoshniHunMain.
On the revamp of the brand identity and restage leading up to a better consumer connect
To mark its 18th anniversary and to keep up with the trends and evolving consumer tastes the brand unveiled its new identity in 2022 encapsulating its vision of making real diamond jewellery accessible to all Indian women. The new logo symbolizes the trust that the brand commands while the flourish represents the new codes of feminine grace and strength. The identity changeover incorporates not just the change in the logo but stands for a philosophy refresh so that the brand is reflective of the desires and aspirations of the new Indian woman.
To highlight the shift last year taking a step forward in our endeavour, we launched a new campaign ‘Teri Roshni Hun Main’ featuring popular actor, Nakuul Mehta. The campaign, an extension of our brand strategy, is a representation of KISNA’s new identity and recent transformation. With rising affluence and international exposure, the Indian woman is ready to upgrade from traditional gold to more wearable diamonds. KISNA is best positioned to be a diamond-first brand given its Hari Krishna Group legacy. The re-stage campaign comes hand in hand to strengthen KISNA’s presence through exclusive brand outlets.
On the influencer marketing route for the brand KISNA
Influencers are game-changers, particularly in the lifestyle and high-engagement categories. In addition to the mainline creatives, jewellery brands are also engaging with influencers to speak to certain consumer groups, with regional content. KISNA has also been collaborating with various influencers to strengthen its consumer base across various cities in India.
On the trends and innovations that would disrupt the Indian gold and diamond jewellery market in India (organised, and overall gold and diamond jewellery segment, both) in 2023 and the near future
The online jewellery market will see rapid growth. More consumers will move from discovery to conversion as brands will use data to learn their preferences and establish more convenience-driven practices to win consumer trust.
Consumer preferences are evolving and we foresee a shift from investing in “locker jewellery” to wearing lightweight “drawer jewellery” that compliments and elevates her everyday look.
Multi-wear jewellery is also gaining momentum since it can be styled differently for all occasions
On your vision and way forward for KISNA in 2023
As part of our rapid exclusive brand outlet expansion plans, we envision KISNA to continue to be a partner and confidant to every woman on all the occasions that she chooses to celebrate. The brand recently launched four franchise showrooms namely in Hyderabad, Hisar, Bareilly and Ayodhya and also launched a store in Raipur. We are on the path to paving new grounds through rapid franchise expansion across India soon. Keeping up with the momentum, we are positive that with the support of our existing retailers and new partners, we will contribute to the growth of the jewellery industry in India.
