Why Samsonite has almost quit traditional advertising

As India’s luggage market becomes increasingly noisy with discount-driven D2C brands and performance-heavy digital advertising, Samsonite is deliberately choosing a different path. Rather than amplifying volume, the company is refining its voice, tightening its storytelling, and leaning into the fundamentals that have defined the brand for over a century.

The marketing approach is closely aligned with how the company is being built operationally. According to Jai Krishnan, CEO – India, Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd., the company’s long-term advantage lies not in chasing short-term volume, but in building products that last.

He shared that Samsonite’s emphasis on durability and repairability predates current sustainability conversations. “We were talking about repairability 60–70 years ago. The idea has always been to make fewer, longer-lasting bags.”

Talking about the brand’s marketing strategy, Anushree Tainwala, Executive Director – Marketing, Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd, said, “For us, the challenge today is not awareness. Getting a share of voice is definitely harder because everyone is competing for attention. Our focus has been on making our messaging sharper rather than louder. It’s not about how much money you spend, but about the message you give consumers.”

That thinking sits at the heart of Samsonite’s evolving marketing strategy in India, where the brand is moving decisively towards a digital-first, full-funnel approach while stepping away from traditional media almost entirely.

Tainwala said, “What we’re really focused on now is consideration and conversion. Digital allows us to tell deeper stories, which is far more aligned with what Samsonite stands for.”

On marketing spends, she noted that the biggest shift has been toward digital. The brand has moved from heavy reliance on traditional media to an almost entirely digital approach. It has also transitioned away from the traditional model of one large annual campaign to multiple campaigns spread across the year, distributing spends across the funnel and maintaining always-on engagement. “We’re doing almost no traditional advertising anymore,” she said. 

Tainwala added, “While the number of campaigns has increased over the years, the total media spend hasn’t. We continue to invest about 5–6 percent of sales into advertising. What’s changed is how that money is allocated.”

Engineering-led storytelling in a digital-first world

Samsonite’s confidence in pulling back from mass visibility comes from its belief that it occupies a fundamentally different space in the category. According to Tainwala, the brand has earned the credibility to talk about areas that many competitors cannot.

“Whether it’s technology, innovation, or the materials we work with, what we do is demonstrably superior,” she said. “That’s why our communication is rooted in engineering excellence and making sure that story cuts through the clutter.”

Samsonite is investing in both long-form and short-form content, using each format for distinct roles across the consumer funnel. While long-form content allows the brand to build depth and narrative, short-form formats are used as reminder media closer to conversion.

This shift has also influenced how the brand works with influencers. Samsonite follows a two-pronged approach, partnering with macro influencers for reach while increasingly prioritising niche creators with high engagement.

“We’ve seen stronger connections with smaller influencers whose content people consume multiple times a day,” Tainwala said. “That creates far more authenticity than one-off, high-reach endorsements.”

Longer-term partnerships are key to this strategy. “When influencers endorse one luggage brand one month and another the next, it erodes trust,” she added. 

For the Samsonite brand, the company has never leaned on a dedicated brand ambassador, and it does not see that as a route it wants to pursue. While celebrities have been used in the past to tell very specific stories, Samsonite will continue to do so only when it is relevant and aligned with the narrative. “For our more mass brands, we do use brand ambassadors, particularly because they help on the BTL front,” added Tainwala. 

Manufacturing and sustainability as strategic pillars

Krishnan highlighted manufacturing as a key priority for Samsonite in South Asia over the next few years. The company is actively consolidating more of its production in India, reducing dependence on overseas facilities.

“We want to make more and more in India,” he said. “The expansion we’ve done aligns with that goal. India has the talent, the raw materials, and the capability. From a business perspective, it makes complete sense.”

Sustainability, he added, is closely tied to this manufacturing push. Nearly 40 percent of power at Samsonite’s facility comes from solar energy, alongside extensive use of recycled materials and in-house water treatment systems.

Retail as brand experience

Even as digital takes centre stage, Samsonite is not deprioritising physical retail. In fact, the brand sees its stores and D2C platforms as critical media touchpoints.

“In digital spaces, it’s hard to tell brands apart because content often looks similar,” Tainwala said. “A product, when you see it and feel it, tells a completely different story.”

As a result, Samsonite has increased its focus on retail media and in-store storytelling, particularly for its premium range. Stores are no longer viewed purely as points of sale, but as extensions of the brand narrative.

This emphasis on physical experience also explains Samsonite’s approach to quick commerce. While its mass brands, American Tourister and Kamiliant, are experimenting with these platforms, Samsonite itself has stayed away so far. “Quick commerce is very discount-led and driven by last-minute purchases,” Tainwala said. “That doesn’t align with the brand.”

On the commerce front, e-commerce currently contributes around 15 percent of Samsonite’s overall sales in India, a figure the company expects to scale up to nearly 20 percent over the next few years. However, the mix varies sharply by brand. For Samsonite, online sales remain in single digits, reflecting the brand’s reliance on physical experience-led purchases. Tainwala noted that for the flagship brand, sales from Samsonite’s own website are almost on par with those from third-party marketplaces, while the more value-driven brands see a higher dependence on external e-commerce platforms.

Holding the premium line amid price wars

As aggressive discounting becomes the norm across the luggage category, Samsonite has resisted the temptation to compete on price, especially for its flagship brand.

“We’ve always focused on differentiation because we charge a premium,” Tainwala said. “It’s essential that consumers understand why.”

She believes the brand is relatively insulated from D2C price pressures due to strong repeat behaviour. “Almost everyone who buys a Samsonite comes back to buy one again,” she said. “They understand the quality and durability. That’s not easily replicable.”

Looking ahead, she said the brand will fully implement a multi-campaign approach next year. It is also exploring alternate digital avenues, including driving store traffic through digital channels, store-level SEO, and AI-led search optimization.