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Liberty Shoes is working overtime to be counted as an aspirational brand all over again Rashi LalThe name Liberty might stir up nostalgia among those above 25. Even until two decades ago, when the Indian consumer had only a handful of brands to choose from, it used to be a brand the middle-class Indian aspired for. As late as in 2000, it was weaving an elaborate plan to dislodge Bata from its leadership position in the branded footwear in India. But things don’t look so peachy for the 57-year-old shoemaker anymore.
The influx of branded shoes, both international and local, retailed out of glitzy outlets lining India’s high streets and neighbourhood footwear stalls now vie for consumer attention with fancy designs and attractive pricing. In comparison, Liberty seems kind of out of step. At work has been patchy distribution. But more ironically, it is the rising disposable incomes and aspirations that seem to be going against its image. Anupam Bansal, managing director, Liberty Retail Revolutions, the retail arm of Liberty Shoes, admits, “Consumers don’t see Liberty as aspirational anymore. In the 90s, one would flaunt a Liberty footwear as a status buy because it was more expensive than most.”
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/best-foot-forward/448751/