‘Winters, Arigato festival & Black Friday to skew Uniqlo India’s marketing spends’

Uniqlo, the Japanese apparel retailer, recently inaugurated its largest store in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in its five-year journey in India.

Uniqlo’s decision to expand further into Mumbai was driven by consumer demand and the city’s influence on fashion trends.
“Mumbai is a hub of fashion influence. Opening our largest store here helps us not only cater to the local audience but also enhances our brand awareness across India,” Nidhi Rastogi, Head of Marketing, Uniqlo India explained.

Uniqlo’s growth strategy combines physical store expansion in key urban markets like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Chandigarh, with a robust e-commerce presence.
This approach ensures the brand reaches customers in tier 2 and 3 cities despite the absence of physical stores. "We serve thousands of pin codes across India through e-commerce, enabling us to meet demand from smaller towns as well," Rastogi shared.

As per Rastogi, there has been a shift in customer behaviour, pre- and post-COVID, and in the way customers have started treating fashion.

“People are now looking for clothes that make them feel comfortable, are easy, and stress-free. And that is also part of the reason I think, you know, we at Uniqlo are able to offer that to customers. And we can see, you know, that sort of love back from the customers,” she added.

Moreover, there is also the introduction of new categories. “There are categories like loungewear, easywear, athleisure, which were probably not so prominent earlier.”

Thirdly, people are also investing a lot into the kids and babies category, making sure that they are wearing high-quality, comfortable clothing.

Despite being a Japanese brand, Uniqlo’s philosophy of LifeWear—offering simple, functional, and high-quality clothing—resonates universally. "The essence of LifeWear remains the same everywhere. However, product categories adapt to local needs, such as winter wear in Delhi and summer-focused items in Mumbai," she elaborated.

The brand’s association with celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Sidharth Malhotra aligns with its emphasis on authenticity and timeless style. “Both Kareena and Sid reflect our values and help amplify the messaging of our hero products like Fleece and Ultra Light Down Jackets,” she said.

Beyond celebrities, Uniqlo’s marketing includes influencer collaborations and campaigns rooted in local insights. For instance, the Palladium store launch featured Mumbaikars from diverse backgrounds to highlight how Uniqlo fits seamlessly into everyday life.

Uniqlo allocates 50% of its marketing budget to digital platforms, supplemented by traditional media like print, OOH, and cinema. “Digital allows for innovation and engagement, while print works as a catalogue to showcase our product range,” she added.

The Oct-Nov-Dec (OND) quarter is particularly significant for Uniqlo, with major events like the Arigato Festival, Black Friday sales, and the aggressive store launch coinciding with their fifth anniversary in India.

Rastogi revealed that, “Our marketing spends will obviously skew a little more towards this time, because we want to be there, we want to cater to the customer sentiment, we want to cater to the customer demand,”

She mentioned, “Now, our Arigato Festival is a bi-annual festival. This is something which happens across the globe. It happens in all stores across Uniqlo. Arigato means thank you in Japanese. So, this is our way of saying thanks to the customers. It is our way of showing appreciation to the customers. That is coinciding with Black Friday.

So, it just so happened that the timing was such that we will also be able to capitalize on the Black Friday sentiment as well.”
Looking ahead, with 15 stores and a robust online presence by the end of 2024, Uniqlo’s mission is clear: to become the most loved and trusted apparel brand in India.

“We aim to spread the joy of LifeWear to every corner of the country, catering to customers of all ages and demographics,” she concluded.
For the fiscal year that concluded on March 31, 2024, Uniqlo India Pvt Ltd reported a 31% increase in revenue to Rs 814.84 crore and a 25% increase in overall profit to Rs 85.17 crore.