On a comeback spree, Reebok ropes in Kangana Ranaut

Reebok is making a comeback in India and Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut is the new face of the iconic sportswear brand. The Queen actress’ film journey has been full of ups and downs, a fact that the new Adidas and Reebok India MD Dave Thomas feels makes her ideal choice for the brand which had its share of problems in the last three years.

In its re-emergence, Reebok will be focusing on fitness. Earlier, Reebok in India was associated with cricket but now, it has moved from multi-sport brand to fitness, a big shift as Thomas says. Three years ago, Reebok launched FitHub retail concept. Today, nearly a third (151) of the world’s FitHubs are in India. And keeping this focus on fitness and women has a lot to do with not stepping on Adidas’ toes.

Thomas is clear about the choice of Ranaut as the brand’s ambassador. He says that her love for the brand is genuine and she is a very fit person. The commercial shows her lifting weights, kick-boxing, doing yoga by the bay, dancing, showing a tractor tyre who’s the boss. A voiceover asks her personal questions about her struggle in Bollywood. As Thomas points out, it is ‘more than just fitness, it has a social and mental aspect. Fighting not necessarily with your fists up’. In the next phase, other women will be invited to share their stories of their struggles and success.

Key city effect, open source and speed will help in making Reebok shine through once again in India. In India there are 9 key cities, top three being Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru which have a national appeal. Open source is about consumers and fans, preferably celebrities, play with the brand. Speed will involve getting products to the market much faster.