Platinum Guild International
Platinum & Akshaya Trithya
The Challenge
Find an entry point for a foreign white metal in India – a market dominated by yellow gold for centuries.
A jewellery brand has to be accepted by the women of the house, and we are talking of middle class households in order for the business to be economically viable.
The Opportunity
In India, religion and deity worship is a leveller – cutting across income and education levels. And uniquely in India, many such deity worship rituals involve gold. Is there a way to embed Platinum the metal in this context?
The Solution
White metal Platinum, associated with prosperity and endorsed by astrologers, is the perfect metal to bring home on Akshay Trithiya – a little known but deeply revered occasion to pray for prosperity. Instead of jewellery, small deity idols for worship were built in platinum. An entirely different source identity was created – akshaytrithya.org – to promote this association and relevantly embed platinum in the context of Akshay Trithiya.
Results
Platinum entered Indian homes through deep endorsement from the most stringent gatekeeper – the Indian woman. Platinum was embraced by mothers and grandmothers alike and found a place to stay. Platinum Akshay Trithiya expanded from the Tamil Nadu, where the programme started, to Kerala, West Bengal and to many other states of India. More importantly, the stage was set for commencing a larger play – that of the jewellery to now win these women’s hearts.
Our relationship with Team METAL is more than 12 years old, and this has been a wonderful partnership in a great journey together.
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