Aisshpra Gems and Jewels – India’s Transformational Brand 2019

Chosen Category: Gems and Jewellery

Company Vision: To become a jewellery house that stands true to its legacy of transparency, integrity and ethics, and yet evolving to meet the needs of the new age customers in the region that we choose to operate in”.

Company Mission: “ To fulfill the combined needs of the jewellery consumers in all respects- product , service and information such that they appreciate the value of all they derive and think of us fondly as their preferred choice for generations to come”.– product, service and information such that they appreciate the val

Ethos of the brand: Aisshpra positions as a brand of Trust, Integrity and Ethics (TIE) and the regions premier jewellery player that talks the language of the industry.

Total Number of Employees in the Company: 500+ employees.

Aisshpra Gems and Jewels is led by the dynamic and visionary Atul Saraf, who with his ethical and innovative methods is transforming the Gems and Jewels category in India. His hard work and ethics has made Aisshpra one of the leading Gems and Jewels brand in India.

 

What would you define as the unique value proposition of the product: the functional, emotional and differentiating product benefits that have contributed to providing an enduring brand experience to customers?

AISSHPRA functions in the region of Uttar Pradesh with 2 kinds of product offerings. As AISSHPRA GEMS & JEWELS our products suits the “desi” conservative old time customer who is wanting a small amount of gold and diamonds with a twist in the design maintaining the price consciousness. So we try to balance economic pricing and product spread of a family jeweller along-with the design sense of the branded stores.

For the upper middle class and affluent, a lounge called AISSHPRA JEWELLERY BOUTIQUE showcases product that are high end in terms of value, design and aesthetics which fulfils their requirements of wedding and celebration buys together as a family without all of them having to take a trip to the nearest metro city.

This balance of product offerings through our unique dual mode of working has been the reason that we have managed to provide enduring experiences to both the sets of customers who have been Aisshpra and HPGK loyalists from generations.

What are the physical, character and personality attributes of the brand that have evoked and inspired consumers’ self-expression and personal identity?

-The brand AISSHPRA has become synonymous with Progress in the region. From a single store few years back to 6 stores today and more on the anvil, the brand has demonstrated this trait that is reflective of “True India” brilliantly. Progress also means internal Change and Adaptability and these virtues have also been exemplified with harsh and risqué decisions taken for the short term,benefits of which will bear fruits in the long term, as they already have been visible. In that sense, not only has the brand become the “Numero Uno” jewellery brand but has also been figuring as a leading business house of the region with expansion in other industries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please provide an insight into the brand marketing strategies that have effectively penetrated consumers’ psyche, established a meaningful relationship with the target audiences and ensured positive brand perception.

Progress with Change & Adaptability has been the mantra for our marketing endeavors which have been seen in the form of an interesting campaign titled “Yeh hai meri pehchaan” which featured 12 TV Stars in their real world avatar, showing that they lead regular lives just like any of us besides the avatar that they show on the tube. A parallel campaign in tandem talked about how “Parivartan” meaning Change with Time is of essence and how we change from the legacy of Hari Prasad Gopi Krishna Saraf Jewellers to a Contemporary Brand Aisshpra. This was followed up by an education campaign on Gold, Diamonds and Standardisation of Practice establishing that we have Adapted the changes that the Government was wanting to bring in and hence are competing well with National Brands in our region. Even our logo, the Swarna Kamal (golden lotus) echoes how we thrive beautifully in an otherwise considered a backward region of India.

Katha- Temple Bracelet by Aisshpra

How has the brand extended its presence to the frontiers of internet advertising and social networking? What is the level of significance the brand accords to utilizing social media as a competitive edge?

Internet Advertising, Social Media Presence, Website Development, Bloggers, Stylist Cracks, Celebrity Jewellery Spotting through Instagram Posts all of this has been taken on by Aisshpra as any other brand would in any part of the world.

We truly believe that unconventional and digital marketing is here to stay, and the world is going to get smaller in reach. We not only do creative posts that leverage our brand, our products, our CSR initiatives, our staff, our customers, our expansions but we also do some great engagements and contests with gold and diamond jewellery gifting and other innovations on the online circuit. We have successfully used this platform to drive footfalls to the store through unique initiatives.

Please outline few key marketing endeavors in the past decade that you feel have been landmark initiatives in reinforcing the legacy of the brands’ promise to influence consumer intent and enhanced the brands’ propensity to drive affirmative consumer action

A few key marketing campaigns that create the Aisshpra aura in the viewers minds that we would like to mention :

“SONA YA DHOKA” – A campaign that built trust for material to overcome the ambiguity of the trade which had been functioning in a non-transparent manner in the region. As front-runners of the trade, we took a stand to standardise and make Hallmarked Gold Jewellery a norm in Aisshpra and hence the entire market had to follow. The campaign targeted the middle and lower middle class father and his hard earned savings for his daughter’s jewellery and how it shouldn’t lead to a mention of discord in the future as she becomes a daughter in law.

“YEH HAI MERI PEHCHAN” – A campaign collaboration with Balaji Telefilms which had 12 leading TV Stars, a crew of 40 people, and was shot in Langkawi. The campaign put across the fact that each woman had different roles in society, but she maintains her essence and her “pehchaan” and her preference for Aisshpra jewellery.TV in the regional markets is bigger than films for our “desi” audience.

The “SHAHID-MIRA RAJPUT Style Story” : We also collaborated with the HELLO magazine, to position ourselves for the Aisshpra Jewellery Boutique as a zone where even upmarket expensive wedding sets could be made available in Gorakhpur. This was on the eve of a cult movie called “Padmavat” in which Shahid was playing lead hero. When Shahid appeared on the cover of Hello alongwith his real life partner Mira Rajput, and the entire shoot was jewellery styled by Aisshpra then it put  us on the radar for even upmarket audience.

Many other collection campaigns like Katha, Nazaakat, Circle of Love, Chand etc targeting niche occasions and audiences were also created as tactical ideas that saw great success in the region.

How has the brand derived strength from innovation as a sustainable differentiating strategy adding to long-term brand equity? Please provide few instances of measures implemented towards this goal.

The transformation from HPGK to Aisshpra was a matter of choice to keep up with the advances that were seen rampant in the evolving jewellery retail scenario. Innovating through our retail jewellery brand Aisshpra we have been seen as a leading business group in Gorakhpur and also Uttar Pradesh. It was only fair to use the energy of transformation and take a well calculated leap of faith with the right resources in place for other business expansion. Hence we have ventured into :

AISSHPRA LIFESTYLE SPACES: This is the real estate development venture of the group and we would shortly be launching the city’s first gated community with facilities that are on par with any other metro gated community. A whole residential complex of large sky towers with green entrances, gold architectural marvel structures, a pleasing environment in and around has made this project the talk of the town.

AISSHPRA RESORTS & SOLUTIONS : We have also ventured to get into the Hospitality and have acquired a Govt. Tourist Hotel in Gorakhpur which has been approved as a 5 Star property and we are in talks with MARRIOT Group as the hotel operator.

What is the key leadership value that drives the brand.

From the early years of existence as HPGK and today as AISSHPRA, the founders in their own way, and the leader Mr. Atul Saraf today who has penned down these values for the benefit of successors as TIE – Trust, Integrity & Ethics.

What type of employee satisfaction programs are conducted by your brand?

Every year on Independence Day we ensure that there is an Internal Customers activity.

We call our Employees – Our Internal Customers. And its our duty to keep them not only satisfied, but also happy.

We involve our employees in all our CSR activities so that they feel that they personally are contributing towards the growth of society.

We ensure that there is a method of recognition put in place, wherein individual and team contributions are applauded by all –employees and the media who are invited for this event.

We ensure that even Employee Events are supported with Media Spends and Publicity

Leading Speakers and Motivators are invited on special occasions to pep up the energy of the team.

How much does your brand emphasise on employee training & development, kindly elaborate.

We believe that it is the Team that makes the Company. Hence, if we take care of our Internal Customers (employees) then they in turn will take care of our actual Clients. Hence we lay special emphasis on training of all kinds. So whether it is an Induction Program for New Joinees or Training Program for Sales and Management Teams, we invest on outside agencies to ensure that the ethos of Aisshpra is as high in perception as any other national brand of repute.

Product Knowledge, Environment Knowledge, Process Knowledge, Soft Skills, Personality and Grooming, Teamwork and Motivation are some areas that have been integrated into a customised Retail Training Programming called ASP.

What are your brands most effective intangible motivational tools for employees.

The Aisshpra Achievers Awards which is an annual exercise that not only recognizes their talent but also hidden potential of employees. The parameters that go into the making of these awards are not simply sales but a set of other values that a company looks forward to in an employee. Hence every Value has a corresponding Award of Recognition.

Supported with Social Media Bursts, Videos and Photo Sessions, PR and Publicity in the local press and even large format Hoardings with Employees faces in the city are some things that we have done to boost morale and team building within the Group.

Kindly elaborate on your existing & potential CSR activities.

We are committed to the well- being of the city and society at large. Beginning from within the company, to the environs of the city and even in catastrophes and national movements, AISSHPRA has embraced Corporate Social Responsibility.

For Employees, we have set up a Welfare Fund for Medical Emergencies/ Marriages/ Home Loans for the Army, we have set up an initiative called “Ek Shapath Desh ke Naam”which results in a contribution of a rupee a day by each employee of the company towards the national army. Customers who walk in also contribute and the company puts in an equal amount at the end of the year and is sent to the Army.

Beautification of the city was a cause that was taken up aggressively and the Walls were painted with social messaging and this has led to a movement where many other smaller companies here also followed in their areas.

Which area of social responsibility is more significant for your brand

– The upkeep and hygiene of the city of Gorakhpur, which is being recognized amongst the most progressive cities of Uttar Pradesh, is an area that we are passionate about and we look for opportunities  to enhance the beauty of the city and organize traffic junction podium and posts.

“WALL OF CHANGE” A graffiti movement was initiated by Aisshpra for the beautification of the streets and old walls of the city. It has become a movement which has made the town more beautiful. The graffiti movement brings out artistic talent in the city, spreads social messages and at the same time lends a brighter look to the town.