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Bata scion in pursuit to break brand’s ‘old fashioned’ tag
By Nivedita
Milan, April 28 (IANS) This footwear company has a 85-year-old legacy and has a wide global presence, including in India. Thomas Archer Bata, the fourth-generation scion of the family that owns Bata Shoe Co., wants to break the perception of those customers who tag the brand as “old fashioned” with his ideologies as well as growth and expansion plans.
“I think it’s an asset to take care of the company which has such a strong legacy. I know that many feel that the company is old fashioned because they don’t change quick enough, but this is what I want to change. You have to take good things from the past and add that in future planning and make it fresh,” Thomas told IANS here during an interaction on the sidelines of the second edition of Bata Fashion Weekend (BFW).
Moving from Prague to Milan in the second edition, BFW is a platform to bring customers closer to the brand and introduce to them their most updated and fashionable line in the form of fashion shows, concept stores and announcements.
Bata, the Chief Marketing Officer at the Lausanne, Switzerland-based company, is carrying on the legacy of the famed name. He says that with Bata’s current ‘Red Label shoe collection’, the brand is targeting the youth who are somehow going away from the brand.
“With this line, we wanted to show that how cool and glamorous we can be. We saw that youth somehow are moving away from our brand and we can’t afford to lose them. We have delivered great and durable designs in the past and we want to add to that with cool and glamorous pieces.
“We want to bridge that gap. We want to tell people to give us a chance. I think I will convince them to be believers,” Thomas told IANS.
The Indian youth too is important to the brand.
“We just started working with actress Kriti Sanon who has been roped in as our brand ambassador. She is the perfect fit as she appeals to the youth. We have common grounds,” he said.
India is Bata’s second largest market after Italy, and Thomas has big plans for Indian market in days to come.
They have opened their first few red store concepts in India. The concept is to have red and white stores inspired by the Bata logo and are pillar-less to give a shopper a clear and complete view of the offerings.
“That is working really well. So, the reception of Indian consumers for more global collections has been very good. We are planning to continue that and give more diversity to the products to the Indian customers,” he said.
“I think I am very optimistic as our brand has an amazing history. The future is fantastic. There is Increasing appetite in young to younger consumers… They want good things and we are making them.”
(Nivedita is in Milan on the invitation of Bata Fashion Weekend organisers. She can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.