Archies Limited is India’s market chief in the social articulation industry with over 60% pieces of the overall industry in the sorted-out part. It has developed from a cards-just organization to a total social articulation’s organization.
This organization has developed with the spread of present-day culture, expanding urbanization and improving the way of life. Charm and supposition drive its image claim to all age gatherings and socioeconomics.
Archies had tremendous extents which have built up praiseworthy authority over its huge system of merchants, retailers and franchisees.
Archies Brand History
Archies Limited was earlier known as Archies Welcome and Gifts Ltd. Founded in the year 1979, by Anil Moolchandani in New Delhi, India. At first, it sold melody books, banners and cowhide patches. The brand’s fundamental item, welcoming cards, was presented in 1980. Anil Moolchandani named it after his neighbor’s dog, Archie.
Cards were presented for significant Indian celebrations, for example, Holi, Diwali and Rakhi, aside from the typical new year, birthday and commemoration events.
The organization opened up to the world in 1995. In 1998, it was recorded on the National Stock Trade of India and Bombay Stock Trade.
The rise of the brand
Archie’s Limited. is a quickly developing organization arranged by some other gift and display organization across India. The business model for Archies Limited is to assemble and supply gifts, welcome cards, stickers and banners, with the idea of greetings and social articulation, they came up for building this brand.
Archies has about 250+ Establishment and 230+ elite outlets, called Archies Displays, spread across 120 urban areas and 6 nations. Archies has collaborations for promotion of characters through its artifacts, Like Dennis the Menace and other Disney characters. It has courses of action with Anne Geddes, Paramount Cards Inc., and American Greetings, for name use and welcome card structure.
Archies Brand Value
The brand earned a revenue of around $20 million. It has an operating income of around $1.8 million and earned a net income of around $ 1.7 million. It is the market leader when it comes to the expression industry in the social sector.
Archies Brand Strategy
Expansion in the market with various commodities
Archies used to sell so many things like diaries, frames, calendars and whatnot that could be considered as a physical gift. Following the increasing prevalence of e-cards, Archies started its online gateway in early 2000.
The brand extended its item range to incorporate counterfeit gems, crystal products, chocolates and perfumes. In 2002, they changed the brand name as Archies Limited.
Moreover, the organization has diversified into gift items, toy games and has also wandered into the sound music industry. The company is also intending to get into the perfumes business. It has its own music division too and is expanding in that sect too.
Not just birthdays and anniversaries it has introduced cards for festivals too due to which it is no longer just a brand, people have been associating it with a feeling now. All types of cards gave the company a staircase to achieve success.
Distribution and export
The company has an enormous distribution arrangement, comprising a retail chain of the franchise known as Archies Display and Archies counting over 260 shops.
It also traded goods to countries like Lanka, Bhutan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and the United Kingdom launching shops in their country. It has specialized cards for the festivals celebrated in Bangladesh and thus is the market leader.
Shareholding
Archies has strengthened its position in share markets as by bringing up this idea of doubling the share i.e. one for each share. It had procured 6,30,000 value shares of Archies Online.com Limited, taking the level of stake held by Archies Limited to 99 per cent. The brand has signed a reminder of understanding with the company named Feelings.
Feelings is a well-known retail chain of gifts and cards in Gujarat. Currently, Archies has more than 25 stores which sells their multi-brand products.
As of late, it has tied-up with CRY, the main magnanimous association working for the upliftment of the denied youngsters, for printing and distributing CRY welcoming cards and stationery products for this season.’
Appealing designs
Archies to expand and to take control of the market in its hands has worked on designs of cards and other items. The variation in designs has been fruitful for the company.
Designs for the cards has been very specific since it produces cards for people of all walks of life. It always comes up with new and varied designs in the market. It takes care of the religious and cultural sentiments too. It has been winning hearts with the help of customized cards also.
Fair price in the market
Archies had always focused on the market and then deciding upon the price and how it can minimize it. It has focused on opening manufacturing units locally and this helped in reducing the price and competing better in the market.
Promotion of the brand
The promotion is being done with the help of campaigns and sponsorships. It has sponsored so many events focused on youths. The campaigns are focused to promote the strategy of the key aim of the Archies where they know how much an individual human yearns for the wishes and cards in any form and thus urging people to send on to receive one.
Also, several collaborations like with Cadbury had helped Archies in the past to advertise and promote its brand. It had further collaborated with so many other companies like Pepsi, Pidilite and then with HelpAge which helped the company a lot in the business front.
Future strategies
The online e-cards and e-kiosks are doing great and the page has millions and billions of views, so it is going to expand that for now. It is planning to compete with the rivals and as well as develop all that is lacking whether in terms of budget planning, distribution planning or something else that needs to be taken care of.
They are focusing on enhancing the safety of the stores and outlets during the valentine’s day and other days which are meant to be celebrated in the name of love against the religious leaders and religious fundamentalists.
They are planning to explore the gift section a bit more and introduce branded items as well. Economy cards are being considered a great option to expand as well. The marketing aspects are also being checked and changed to get to the goal. Out-sourcing of gift items is also being promoted for the profit.
Conclusion
Archies in its true spirit is one of the companies that has been changing with the time and is going hand in hand with the time. It has been revising its strategies. From offline to online (O2O) the company had so much difficulty but it persisted and thrived in the market.
From being a company, which sold just a few cards and articulations it turned into a company with millions of shares and it is ever-expanding. Even though it was hit by the internet it still managed and revised its plans and showed its strength by indulging into online platforms and collaborations.
Archies had been spreading its wings ever since it started and had been spreading the message of togetherness and brotherhood by celebrating and considering each and every culture and religion under its wings.
Marketing | Branding | Blogging. These Three Words Describe Me in The Best Way. I Am the founder of Burban Branding and Media, a Self-Taught Marketer with 10 Years of Experience. Helping Startups/ Companies/ and Small Businesses to Enhance Their Business Through Branding and Marketing. On A Mission to Help Small Businesses to Be a Brand.
