- Asian Footwears operates in a highly competitive market. What has been the core vision guiding the brand’s growth trajectory?
The Indian footwear market is very competitive. Customers are price-sensitive, and today they also look for strong, trusted brands. From the beginning, our vision has been very clear — we wanted to make high-quality, stylish, and performance-driven footwear accessible to more people, while still keeping it affordable.
Our growth has never been random. In the early years, we focused strongly on building our manufacturing strength. We invested in backward integration, scaled up our production, and improved our processes. By strengthening our factories and maintaining strict quality checks, we created a model that is both cost-efficient and quality-driven.
At the same time, we continuously invested in research and development. This helped us improve materials, comfort, durability, and design. In a market like India, where customers want both value and quality, these factors really make a difference.
We were also early in adopting digital commerce and building an omnichannel presence. Through online platforms, we expanded our reach across geographies and understood consumer preferences better. Using data insights helped us improve product development and forecast demand more accurately.
In simple terms, our growth has been built on three strong pillars — continuous innovation, strong manufacturing, and staying close to the consumer. We have focused on long-term discipline rather than short-term expansion, and that has helped us grow steadily in a highly competitive market.
- What strategic value does MS Dhoni’s association bring to Asian Footwears, and how does his persona align with the brand’s ethos?
MS Dhoni brings a sense of trust and inspiration that very few personalities can. He represents resilience, consistency, and calm confidence — qualities that truly reflect what Asian Footwears stands for.
What makes his association special is that he connects with people across generations. From young aspirants to working professionals, everyone relates to his journey. He has earned his success through hard work and integrity, and that aligns perfectly with our belief in helping people move forward with confidence.
With Dhoni leading our ‘Go Chase’ campaign, the message becomes more powerful and authentic. It’s not just about footwear — it’s about encouraging people to back themselves and chase their ambitions every single day.
- Your first TVC under the ‘Go Chase’ campaign marks a significant milestone. Could you share insights into the creative ideation process and how the agency partnership shaped the final narrative?
Our first ‘Go Chase’ TVC truly came out of a very energising collaboration between Ogilvy and our internal team. From the very beginning, we were clear that this shouldn’t just be a product-focused film — it had to stand for something bigger. We wanted to capture ambition, resilience, and the constant drive to move forward.
A lot of the narrative was inspired by Dhoni’s journey — his relentless spirit and ability to stay focused on his goals really shaped the tone and visuals of the campaign. That’s how ‘Go Chase’ evolved into more than just a tagline; it became a rallying cry for anyone striving to achieve something in their own life.
The final film, which is now live across television and digital platforms, reflects that shared creative energy. At its core, it encourages people to pursue their goals with confidence — with the right support from Asian Footwears.
- What does the media strategy for this campaign look like? How are you balancing traditional platforms with digital channels to maximize reach and impact?
Yes, our media strategy is designed to leverage the strengths of both traditional and digital platforms. We believe each plays an equally important role in building awareness and driving engagement.
For the ‘Go Chase’ campaign, we’ve maintained a balanced approach, with roughly a 50–50 split in our overall media spend between traditional and digital channels. Television helps us achieve strong mass reach and brand visibility, while digital allows us to engage more directly with consumers, drive conversations, and measure impact more effectively.
This integrated approach ensures that we’re not only reaching a wide audience but also connecting with them in a meaningful and measurable way.
- Is Asian Footwears moving towards a fully integrated omnichannel model where offline retail and D2C play equally critical roles?
Yes, we already operate on a strong omnichannel foundation, with a presence across 30,000+ multi-brand outlets, 65 exclusive brand showrooms, and a steadily growing online business — in fact, we were among the early movers in India’s online footwear space. Our focus is to deliver a seamless consumer experience, whether online or offline, with technology integrating inventory, pricing, and consumer insights across channels. E-commerce gives us scale, reach, and agility, while physical retail builds trust and a deeper emotional connection. For us, it’s not about “online versus offline” — it’s about creating one unified Asian Footwears experience.
- From a data and analytics standpoint, do Tier II and Tier III markets represent the next major growth frontier for the brand?
Absolutely. We see significant growth potential in Tier II and Tier III cities. Consumers in these markets are increasingly aspirational — they’re looking for stylish, comfortable footwear that aligns with global trends but also delivers strong value. There’s a growing base of brand-conscious and digitally engaged buyers who are more informed than ever before. Our focus is on strengthening distribution, investing in localized marketing, and building a strong digital connect to make Asian Footwears more accessible in these regions. For us, these markets are not just expansion territories — they represent the next major engine of growth.
