MUMBAI: On his recent trip to Mumbai, trance DJ Armin Van Buuren did more than just present his Armin Only 'Intense' show to fans. During his short visit he unveiled the Philips 'M1x DJ System’ at the Croma Phoenix Mills store and spent time with fans, educating them about the product.

In order to get an overall picture about Philips branded audio, video, multimedia and accessories products, Radioandmusic.com’s Jescilia Karayamparambil spoke to Woox Innovations audio consumer marketing GM Unni Krishnan. WOOX Innovations is a subsidiary of Philips.

Excerpts:

Firstly, about the new DJ mixer, why did you decide to have it launched by Armin?

Armin Vann Buuren is one of the world’s best known and admired DJs. He is an authority, consistently successful becoming the world’s number one DJ five times over in the last seven years. He is a pioneer, having created the world’s first and most well-known EDM radio show (ASOT). Most importantly he blazes a unique trail by continuously reinventing EDM and providing inspiration to not just listeners but also his peers.

Armin has co- created the M1X DJ sound system along with the Philips design team. The M1X is another example of taking one more step in musical development and creating unique musical experiences. This is not just another product launch – it is the opportunity for music fans to take inspiration from one of their heroes and impress their friends, thanks to Philips. It shows Philips’ commitment to enabling people to hear and experience music in ways they have never before.

We are already working on new launches in partnership with Armin in the headphone segment as well, in the immediate future. We are targeting the launch of Pro A range of headphones, in collaboration with Armin, in India by H2 2014.

How many years did it take to launch this new DJ mixer?

We started working with Armin for almost 18months to come up with this product proposition. There were a lot of changes that we have incorporated in the product design and the value proposition as suggested by Armin. There are some more products in the pipeline that we are working on closely with him.

Which are the various audio devices that you are planning to focus on, in the near future?

At Woox Innovations, we are committed to the mission to ‘Deliver meaningful innovations in connected entertainment’. We consolidated our leadership, co-leadership positions in audio and multimedia segments (traditional audio products) in the categories we operate. And in Q1 2014 we will have new multimedia speakers launched. Also we would be looking to bring new products to the Indian market in connected entertainment. Bluetooth speakers, headphones, micro systems, portable entertainment devices and App enabled devices are some of the categories in which we look forward to product launches for H1 2014.

What is the major driver in the market-quality or pricing?

The major driver for audio products that we have observed in the market has more to do with value propositions. Brands with pedigree provide the quality assurance and if it has been offered at the right propositions to the customers it would turn out to be a successful combination.

What are the challenges in the Indian market?

Diversity, both in terms of audio or video consumption and in terms of geography is one of the major challenges in the Indian market. We still have markets contributing very strongly to the traditional audio segments like DVD players, radio etc. on one side and there has been equally strong potential markets in India which grow exponentially on new generation connected entertainment devices which work on WiFi, bluetooth and airplay connectivity.

How is the growth for audio devices in Tier II and III cities?

Off late we have observed a good growth trend in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities especially in the West and South regions. For connected entertainment devices the growth is exponential, especially due to a lower base. It could be attributed to the spread of social media platforms across the country and the wider awareness of technological gadgets. E-commerce growth also is contributing to this substantially.

Which states have witnessed good growth last year?

All metros are contributing to the growth story in connected entertainment, and markets like Karnataka, Gujarat and North East are growing quickly as well. We are observing a growth of around 10-15 per cent CAGR for mature categories (radio, DVD and multimedia players), 60-70 per cent for growth categories (headphones) and exponential growth in relatively new categories in connected entertainment space like DJ sound system, Bluetooth devices and portable entertainment devices and so on.

What are you expectations for the coming year?

We would be planning 15-20 per cent overall growth across the categories and would be exploring opportunities across new segments/ categories.

What is your focus- to spread your consumer products amongst the masses or sell it to a segment of audiences?

We have a two pronged strategy here as the categories we operate have different target audience. We would be looking for consolidation and to strengthen our distribution footprints by improving the product range in mass segments like DVD players, receivers, home cinema systems, radios and so on. We would also be selective in the launch and activations in the connected entertainment space. We will focus on organised retail and e-commerce platforms to reach out to the defined TG (Millennial- 18-26 Age group)

What are the various products you are planning to launch?

We are planning launches across various categories in mini-micro systems, Bluetooth speakers, headphones, multimedia receivers, portable entertainment devices, home cinema systems, sound bars and so on. We are looking forward to the launch of our premium range of audio products- Fidelio range in India by Q2 1014.

Are you looking at any partnership in the near future?

Currently we have a big partnership going with AvB, in the connected entertainment category. As an extension of this partnership we would also be launching a new headphone series in India. We are also exploring locally relevant associations in the traditional audio space both in terms of product propositions and brand recall.