How does understanding the cultural perception of Pleasure translate to robust business strategy?

GEOGRAPHY

India

INDUSTRY

Fashion & Lifestyle

PARTNERS

Partnerships – Vishakha Acharya (Founder, PartnerPod)

Visual & Communications Strategy – Paper Plane Tales

Brief

Data suggests that India could be an opportunity for Playboy. Help us understand the cultural and consumer landscape of India to test whether a brand like Playboy has a right to play in India. If yes, then help us understand who our audience might be and what categories we should explore.

Approach

Mapping Emerging Culture:

We used a foresight approach to test the emerging culture around Pleasure, Sexuality, Sensuality & Identity in India

Business Design:

Based on our understanding of the emerging trends and culture we identified key categories that fit with the brand’s global positioning and values, helping them localise it to Indian audiences.

Partnerships:

With Vishakha Acharya, Founder of PartnerPod, we developed a robust partnership strategy and execution plan, identifying key local partners and young Indian brands for exciting licensed collaborations. We then helped our partners develop unique co-branded collections and a co-branded communication and launch plan while liaising with Playboy’s global licensing team

Visual & Content Strategy:

To localise the brand we partnered with Paper Plane Tales to define the brand look, feel and imagery with new visuals, communication assets and partnership guidelines as well as a brand positioning, tone of voice and communications strategy for the brand

Methodology

Primary Research

We designed 4 bespoke tools to find new ways to help participants articulate their experience and understanding of pleasure

In-Depth Conversations

9
Cities
45
People

Social Media Listening

14
Individuals
9
Communities

The Fantasy Project

30
Written Fantasies

Metaphor Elicitation

19
People

Guided Fantasies

7
People

Eroticon

30
Visual Fantasies

Secondary Research

We identified the very Indian codes of pleasure, sexuality, sensuality and identity across categories to understand the Emerging Indian & whether Playboy as a brand has a place to play in India

Experience Audits

9
Cities
45
Spaces

Cultural Deep-Dive

Semiotics

Insights

Using the many tools, frameworks and our keen understanding of culture we identified the very Indian codes of pleasure, sexuality, sensuality and identity across categories to understand the Emerging Indian & whether Playboy as a brand has a right to play in India. We found an interesting mix of new and emerging cultural signifiers that led us to design a comprehensive entry strategy and identify the right categories and opportunities where a brand like Playboy could provide a unique experience or space for this emerging audience.

P. S. Unmute the video for the full experience

Business Design

Using the insights from our research we conducted internal client workshops, market evaluations and market sizing combined with Playboy’s global brand positioning and business priorities to build an entry strategy for the brand in the Indian market. This included identifying the relevant categories, defining possible offerings, shortlisting potential partners and a business plan for the Indian market

Partnerships

With Vishakha Acharya (PartnerPod) we identified the most unique Indian brands across categories — streetwear, jewellery, chocolates, etc. — to launch licensed co-branded collaborations. We built a bridge between the partners’ brands and audiences to create quirky brand collections that appealed to the combined audiences. 

  • Identifying collaborator brands and offerings
  • Conceptualising the right collections for the co-branded collaboration
  • Helping launch and managing the partnership 

Cobranded Collaborations

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Brand Strategy

Brainstorming with Paper Plane Tales we adapted the Playboy brand for the emerging Indian. We built a comprehensive visual and communications strategy with brand extensions for partners to incorporate into product and experience design, campaigns, collateral and brand creatives for Playboy’s social media in India

  • Created an India specific Brand and Communication Strategy
  • Logo Extensions
  • Partner Guidelines and Design Mockups
  • Digital Strategy & Visual Creatives

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