Regal, local & digital: Tanishq's strategy to win over Indian women

The festive season, which is quickly followed by the wedding season in India, means a surge in consumption in the Indian jewellery market. Therefore, brands in this category often pull all the stops during this marketing season to stay at the top of consumers' minds and make some money in the process. 

Tanishq, a jewellery brand from the house of Titan, has been fairly active this year, especially now with the ongoing festive season. The brand recently launched its latest festive campaign, 'Nav-Raani', positioning modern Indian women as present-day queens. An all-female team notably crafted the campaign, directed by Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair in her ad debut, from conception to execution.

As the gems and jewellery market in India continues to grow, with industry estimates predicting it will reach $127 billion by 2027, brands are increasingly focussing on their target audiences to ensure their advertising efforts resonate effectively. For Tanishq, the focus is on the modern Indian woman who is both tradition-conscious and style-forward. 

Developed in partnership with the brand's long-standing advertising partner Lowe Lintas, the latest campaign highlights the multifaceted roles of women, from nurturing family bonds to excelling in their careers, showcasing their ability to effortlessly balance boardrooms and living rooms. The splendour of royal courts, palaces, and storied heritage inspires the collection, around which the campaign is based.

The film opens on a Diwali evening and centres on four 'Nav-Raanis', each of whom embodies the grace and strength of today's women in various scenes. The idea is this: While they may not live like queens every day, Diwali allows them to embrace a regal look with jewellery.

Speaking about the campaign's conceptualisation, Pelki Tshering, the chief marketing officer at Tanishq, reveals the dual considerations that shaped their approach.

"When we approached this festive campaign, we had two key elements to consider. First, our deep design story and current consumer preferences in jewellery. Second is the brand's historic commitment to celebrating the modern Indian woman," she explains.

"We realised that whilst royalty might be behind us in India, today's women are truly the modern-day queens through their multiple roles and the grace with which they handle them."

Pelki Tshering

The campaign specifically targets modern Indian women aged 30 and above. However, Tshering notes that Tanishq's festive season strategy extends beyond this demographic.

"For the festive season overall, we're also targeting the wedding segment, given the numerous wedding dates this quarter. The larger (jewellery) pieces are particularly relevant for both styling and design-forward preferences," she elaborates.

The brand has invested in an omnichannel presence, especially since it operates in the luxury and premium segments, implementing a comprehensive 360-degree approach, with an 18–20% increase in advertising spend this festive season compared to the previous year. 

"Since the festive period attracts buyers across all cohorts, we've heavily invested in television, Connected TV, and digital channels," Tshering shares. "This year, we've also aggressively utilised our CRM to enable two-way communication with consumers."

Regional focus and consumer trends

In a country as diverse as India, where jewellery preferences vary significantly across regions, Tanishq is putting a lot of its marketing efforts into hyper-local marketing and creating culturally nuanced campaigns for specific markets.

In fact, the brand’s marketing strategy is closely aligned with India's rich festive calendar, with campaigns designed to resonate at both national and regional levels. 

"The jewellery industry is very heavily indexed with our festive calendar," notes Tshering. The brand kicked off the year with a campaign for Akshaya Tritiya, considered one of the most auspicious days for buying gold, setting the tone for a year-round festive focus.

The Adi campaign in Tamil Nadu followed, introducing a special collection that celebrated the Pudhumai Penn of Tamil Nadu. Then came Varamahalakshmi, a significant festival in the southern states, and the Aalo campaign in Bengal, honouring the strength and resilience of Bengali women. 

This regional approach is complemented by AI-driven personalisation strategies for targeted cohorts and loyal customers. "This includes extremely targeted digital campaigns led by Google or Meta, creating deeply personalised content for specific regions," Tshering notes. 

The brand has also adapted to evolving consumer behaviours by implementing an integrated online-offline strategy. With nearly 500 stores across India, Tanishq recognises the crucial role of digital channels in the customer journey.

"Digital is crucial as it drives a significant volume of leads to our omnichannel ecosystem," says Tshering notes. 

Influencer marketing within Tanishq’s toolkit

As things stand in the jewellery industry, influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for brands to showcase products in authentic, lifestyle-oriented ways, making it easier for consumers to envision these pieces as part of their own style.

Influencers—ranging from stylists to lifestyle personalities—help create aspirational yet relatable content, reaching diverse audiences and demystifying luxury jewellery. 

Similarly, Tanishq has a strategy of its own. "Influencer marketing is significant for us because jewellery has a strong styling element," Tshering explains.

"We work with two types of influencers: expert stylists who serve as voice authorities, and lifestyle influencers who act as style guides for our customers".

Consumer trends are actively shaping the brand's strategy, with Tshering noting positive sentiment across all price points and categories. "One prominent styling trend we're noticing is stacking or layering for impact," she shares.

"This trend influences our product offerings; for example, our daily wear lines, like the Abrani collection, include modular pieces that cater to this demand."

Trivia: Jewellery is often stacked or layered for impact to create a unique and striking look. This method often involves layering necklaces of different lengths, stacking rings on fingers, or wearing multiple bracelets and bangles on one wrist.

In a notable shift in consumer preferences, Tshering highlights that "there's a noticeable revival of heritage and traditional designs, with a strong appreciation for exquisite craftsmanship". 

The brand has also made significant strides in international recognition, showcasing its Enchanted Trails collection at Paris Couture Week and partnering with Falguni Shane Peacock during India Couture Week.