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Rediff.com  » Business » ITC set to register John Players as apparel brand

ITC set to register John Players as apparel brand

By Reeba Zachariah in Mumbai
April 04, 2003 13:39 IST
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ITC Ltd is planning to internationally register a new brand, John Players, for its fledgling apparels business.

The brand is a direct take-on from John Player Special, the premium mega cigarette brand owned by British American Tobacco Plc, ITC's single largest shareholder.

ITC chairman Yogi Deveshwar said: "We plan to take John Players global and are in the process of registering it internationally. Our arrangement with BAT for cigarettes is restricted only to State Express 555 and Benson & Hedges." A BAT spokesperson declined comment to a Business Standard questionnaire.

ITC has already soft launched the John Players range in India in Bangalore. Apart from the suffix 's', it is also different from the BAT brand in the sense that it is positioned in the mass segment although John Player Special is a premium brand globally.

The new John Players line will complement the premium Wills range introduced by ITC in its apparel retailing foray, and build up a dominant position in the mid-price segment.

The tagline for John Players is 'When you are sure it shows,' created by advertising agency FCB Ulka.

Other senior ITC executives said ITC had already registered John Players as an apparel brand in India and the trademark would be used for one or two other categories, 'but definitely not cigarettes.'

ITC sources claimed: "We have informed BAT and have got their permission to use the name for apparels/lifestyle in the domestic market." There has apparently been no arrangement for royalty payments to BAT.

The John Players range offers a complete array of contemporary menswear - shirts, trousers, T-shirts and denims, and is priced in the Rs 400-1,000 bracket.

The new offering is positioned against Peter England, Indigo Nation and Excalibur ranges, three of the largest brands in the category. AV Birla group's Peter England is the largest selling mid-priced apparel brand in India.

ITC created its lifestyle retailing business division with the launch of Wills Sport apparel brand in 2000.

Wills Sport is the unisex premium apparel brand while Wills Lifestyle is the retail brand. Last year, it launched Wills Classic in the formal segment.

Wills Lifestyle has established a national presence and has opened over 50 stores. The latest move, is to rake in volumes and expand the apparel business.

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Reeba Zachariah in Mumbai
 

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