core sector communique

Vodafone and Shoppers Stop launch Zoozoo Merchandise

 

Authentic Zoozoo merchandise is exclusively available across all

Shoppers Stop stores in the country

 

Delhi, October 26, 2009: Retail Major Shopper’s Stop Limited and Vodafone Essar, one of India’s leading cellular services providers, today announced the launch of merchandise featuring the immensely popular Zoozoos – the lovable characters from a recent Vodafone Essar advertising campaign. In a first of its kind arrangement, Shoppers Stop has gained the exclusive rights to manufacture and retail official Zoozoo merchandise in specified categories across all Shoppers Stop stores in the country. The specified categories include t-shirts, Kidswear, Mugs, Bed and Bath accessories.

 

This deal arises in the wake of the immense popularity of Zoozoos generated during Vodafone Essar’s advertisement campaign and  marks a new era in the Indian context of character based marketing.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kumar Ramanathan (Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Essar) said, “Zoozoos have amassed a devout fan-following and this compelled us to bring them even closer to fans in the form of merchandise. Shoppers Stop was a natural choice as our merchandising partner given its attributes of credibility, reach and quality which are in line with the expectations of an offering from Vodafone.”

 

Also speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vinay Bhatia, Customer Care Associate & VP Marketing & Loyalty, added, “Carrying forward our new brand philosophy of ‘Start Something New’ we are delighted to partner with Vodafone Essar in setting an exclusive retail arrangement of brand mascot merchandising. This is a first-of-its-kind arrangement in the history of India’s advertising that a Brand mascot is being licensed for merchandising. Character merchandising is a new emerging trend in India targeted the Youth, and we are adding a whole new dimension to this. Given the increasing size of the Youth Audience at Shoppers Stop, this merchandising line fits well in our merchandise offering. We are sure this new merchandise line will be well received by both, Shoppers Stop First Citizen Members & Vodafone Subscribers.”

 

The various moods of the perky Zoozoos are aptly captured in the trendy T-shirts that are available at Rs. 299 onwards. The Zoozoo merchandise extends to kids wear, mugs, bed furnishings and many more products that will be introduced shortly. Further, Vodafone customers can enjoy a 10% off on their purchases of Zoozoo merchandise.

 

About Vodafone Essar

Vodafone Essar is the Indian subsidiary of Vodafone Group and commenced operations in 1994 when its predecessor Hutchison Telecom acquired the cellular license for Mumbai. The company now has operations across the country with over 82.84 million customers**.

 

Over the years, Vodafone Essar, under the Hutch brand, has been named the ‘Most Respected Telecom Company’, the ‘Best Mobile Service in the country’ and the ‘Most Creative and Most Effective Advertiser of the Year’.

 

Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications group with approximately 315 million proportionate customers as on 30 June 2009. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 31 countries across five continents and around 40 partner networks worldwide.   

 

The Essar Group is a diversified business corporation with a balanced portfolio of assets in the manufacturing and services sectors of Steel, Energy, Power, Communications, Shipping Ports & Logistics, and Projects. Essar employs more than 50,000 people across offices in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

 

**Figures from Cellular Operators Association of India, September 30, 2009

 

About Shoppers Stop

Shoppers Stop is a leader in the Indian Retail Sector and one of the pioneers in setting up large format department stores chain in India. Shopper’s Stop Ltd has a national presence, with over 1.6 million square feet area across 28 stores in 12 cities viz. Mumbai (8 stores), Delhi (3 stores), Kolkata (3 stores), Bangalore (2 stores), Hyderabad (3 stores), Jaipur (2 stores), Pune (2 stores), Gurgaon, Chennai, Ghaziabad, Lucknow and Noida.

 

Shoppers Stop is the only Indian member of IGDS (Intercontinental Group of Departmental stores) along with 29 other experienced retailers from all over the world. Mr. B.S. Nagesh, Customer Care Associate & Vice Chairman, Shopper’s Stop Ltd, has been recognised as an iconic retailer and was inducted into the World Retail Hall of Fame 2008. Mr. Nagesh is the only Indian retailer to take a significant place alongside more than 100 stalwarts of the global retail industry, which includes veterans like Sam Walton of Wal-Mart, Giorgio Armani, Jack Cohen of Tesco, Simon Marks and Israel Sieff of Marks & Spencer; Ingvar Kamprad of Ikea, amongst others. CMAI felicitated the ‘Golden Scale Trophy’ to Mr. Nagesh in honour of this achievement.              

 

Shoppers Stop has been awarded the “Emerging market retailer of the Year” at the World Retail congress in April 2008. It has also been awarded The ‘Golden Scale Trophy’ for the ‘Brand of the Year’ for its STOP Ladies ethnic wear by CMAI in 2008. It has been a recipient of the 2008 CIO 100 Award as well as ‘The Storage Award’ at the CIO Awards held in 2008. It has been awarded ‘Most Admired Retailer of the Year –CRM’ at the IRF in 2008, ‘Department Store of the Year’ at the Star Retailer Awards in 2008, ‘The Most Admired Fashion Retail Destination of the Year’ at Images Fashion Forum held in 2009, ‘Retailer of the Year –Fashion & Lifestyle’ at the Asia Retail Congress in 2009, amongst others.                                                                                                                                                                      

Shoppers Stop has also introduced new formats in the market viz HomeStop – the exclusive home furnishings, décor as well as furniture store and Arcelia – a premium shopping destination for accessories, cosmetics fragrances and jewellery.