How Liberty Shoes became people’s brand for the world wide shoe industry

With a history dating back to 1954, Liberty Shoes has a long-standing presence in the industry. Initially, the company focused on manufacturing leather footwear for the Indian market. In the 1990s, the company shifted focus towards retail expansion, established its own retail outlets and began offering a wider variety of footwear products to consumers directly. This move helped Liberty Shoes strengthen its presence in the Indian market.

In an interaction with Adgully, Barun Prabhakar, Head of Marketing, Liberty Shoes Ltd, speaks at length about the marketing strategy of Liberty Shoes, the deep focus on Tier 2 and 3 markets, how the company has been catering to every footwear need and fashion at different price points, and much more.

What is the overall marketing strategy of Liberty Shoes in today’s market landscape?

Liberty Shoes as a brand is widely known and acknowledged as the “People’s brand for the world wide shoe industry”. A majority of the population extensively likes it and that makes it one of the most common and well-known shoe brands of modern times. Maintaining the same brand positioning in all means has been the priority of the brand, through all 4 Ps – Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

What are the key target markets or customer segments that Liberty Shoes focuses on? How does the company identify and understand the needs and preferences of these segments?

We are Everyman’s brand, we largely focus on Tier 2 and 3 markets. Our customers are those who have big dreams, put efforts to achieve the same, but at the same time have a limited pocket size for footwear needs and fashion – a very well balanced mix of ‘India’ and ‘Bharat’. They want value for money. We create MNC like design and functional offering in their comfortable acceptance.

Could you provide insights into Liberty Shoes’ approach to brand building and brand awareness? What marketing channels and tactics are employed to effectively reach and engage with customers?

Liberty Shoes’ everlasting legacy has been using ‘Emotional Intelligence’ as brand communications, which has given great campaigns in the past. #ChalBadhChal , #InTheNameOfLiberty , #EveryDayIsFathersDay, #AmToPm are such recent campaigns, which brought a great response to the brand and created engaging connect with its audience. Keeping the brand positioning focussed on the relevant audience, using traditional medium of advertising like Television, Newspaper, and Outdoor to the modern day advertising, including social media, digital marketing, email/ Whatsapp marketing, has been the source of our brand communication.

How does Liberty Shoes integrate traditional marketing channels, such as print and television advertising, with digital marketing efforts to create a cohesive marketing strategy?

Today’s customer journey crisscrosses along many devices and touchpoints before resulting in a conversion. Integration of traditional channels with digital marketing create a coordinated experience for consumers to interact with the brand. The more valuable they find each touchpoint experience, the more likely they are to view us as a brand they can trust.

What sets Liberty Shoes apart from its competitors in the footwear industry?

The competitive landscape in the footwear industry is dynamic, and other companies may have their own unique strengths and differentiating factors. With a history dating back to 1954, Liberty Shoes has a long-standing presence in the industry. The brand’s experience and heritage contribute to a deep understanding of the market, consumer preferences, and industry trends. Diversified Product Range, Innovation and Design, great mix of our distribution and retail presence in the market are some unique combinations which keeps us in the front row.

What is Liberty Shoes’ perspective on sustainability and eco-friendly practices in the footwear industry? Are there any initiatives or efforts that the company has undertaken in this regard?

We understand that our operations have an impact on the environment and we are taking steps to minimise its ecological footprint.

Some common initiatives and efforts undertaken by us include, Sustainable Material sourcing, Energy Efficient Manufacturing Processes, Product Lifecycle - to promote recycling or upcycling, Consumer Education - information on environmental impact of the product.

Could you provide some insights into Liberty Shoes’ customer-centric approach? How does the company gather feedback and incorporate it into its products and services?

Social Media Listening is a great platform to gain insights into customer conversations and opinions. It provides a real-time and direct channel to interact with our customers and gather feedback. Apart from that, we are actively listening to customer service channels and in-store interactions as well. We also pay great attention to all kind of online ratings and reviews. These reviews offer valuable insights into customer experiences, satisfaction levels, and areas for improvement.

Going forward, what are Liberty Shoes’ future plans and goals? Are there any exciting developments or expansions in the pipeline?

We are coming up with a refreshed and totally futuristic retail design experience very soon. We are expanding in Tier 2 and 3 markets largely. There are great collections lined up, which will certainly set a great response in the market. ‘EasyGO’ is a design collection, which offers hands free shoe wearing experience. There is another collection, ‘NitPro’, which is a technologically advanced design range with ultra-cushy soft sole and lightweight feature.

Could you shed light on any collaborations or partnerships that Liberty Shoes has undertaken as part of its marketing activities? How do these collaborations contribute to the brand's visibility and market reach?

We keep collaborating with influencers and celebrities for brand or content promotions. Recently we did a collaboration with Vikrant Massey and Sanya Malhotra to promote our Leap7x design collection. They carry a great influence on the younger generation, who follow these influencers not just for what they say on social media, but they look very closely at what they wear and how they style themselves.

What are some successful sales and marketing initiatives that have positively impacted Liberty Shoes’ revenue growth? What strategies or tactics were employed to drive sales and increase revenue?

Our recent campaign, ‘Sitaare Aise Hi Nahi Bante, Mehnat Karni Padti Hai, AM TO PM’, delivered a great response. It gave a fantastic engagement and conversions as well. It was a well narrated TVC featuring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rakul Preet Singh, and was narrated by Ravi Kishen. The TVC was aired on all leading news channels. The brand was also integrated in ‘The ‘Kapil Sharma Show’ and ‘Jhalak Dikhla Ja’ shows. The campaign was well integrated in a mix of outdoor, print and digital campaigns.

For today’s consumer, what is the positioning of Liberty Shoes? How is the company building up its image?

The biggest USP of Liberty Shoes is the ability to offer stylish yet comfortable products at highly competitive prices. It is not surprising that the brand has been a favourite of millions. While banking on the loyalists, we also look at the young India with high potential. We have multiple brands, like Healers, which is known for high quality, premium comfortable shoes which is apt for officegoers and comfort seekers; we have an athleisure brand ‘Leap7x’, which carries the image of a modern, youth-oriented brand with an exemplary commitment towards quality and technology.