LG to unveil new range of products

LG Electronics India (LGEIL) plans to make life easy for the "time-pressed" consumer with a new range of ‘technologically advanced' products. Lined up for launch is Dios, the side-by-side refrigerator, besides the X-canvas Plasma TV and wall-mounted air-conditioner, Whisen. While the Dios range is priced between Rs 65,000 and Rs 1.2 lakh, the X-canvas models range from Rs 5.5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Whisen variants are priced upwards of Rs 1 lakh.

LG's Dios, which is slated for launch on February 16, is going to be the first side-by-side refrigerator in the country. To begin with, Dios will come in three sizes - 610 lt, 705 lt and 816 lt with one variant in each. Talking about the rationale behind the launch of Dios, Ganesh Mahalingam, general manager, marketing, LGEIL, says, "Lifestyle in India is increasingly becoming fast paced. There isn't enough time for anything. Not even time to cook a good meal. Therefore the demand for ready-to-serve food is on the rise. This is already a way of living in the west. Here too, consumers are increasingly looking for products that can make their lives easier. Keeping this in mind we are launching Dios."

The Dios refrigerator is divided vertically into a freezer and a refrigerator. The idea is to have more storage capacity in the freezer compartment since the consumption for ready-to-serve food is expected to go up with time. Dios boasts of other interesting features such as a low noise level as well as getting crushed ice without opening the doors of the refrigerator. Another interesting feature of Dios is ‘focussed cooling', which means the freezer will cool the warmest product first.

However, the benefits of Dios would be available only to a handful, as the price is steep. Yet Mahalingam is upbeat about the product. "Dios has a tremendous exhibition value. We have attempted to convey the same through our advertising by positioning Dios as ‘the most desirable refrigerator'," he says. In fact, the print campaign made by Capital Advertising, was released last week in Mumbai. The company claims the product has been received well by the target group. "We sold 50 pieces in just one day," claims Mahalingam. For Dios, LG has earmarked an ad spend of Rs 3 crore.

Soon after the launch of Dios, the Plasma TV X-canvas range and Whisen air- conditioners would be unveiled in the marketplace. "Both these products are lifestyle products. While the Plasma TV range has the thinnest plasma panel, doing away with the picture tube, Whisen has a three-dimensional air flow system. In fact, Whisen looks more like a piece of art than an air-conditioner," Mahalingam adds.

A mix of national dailies and niche magazines such as Jet Wings, Swagat and Femina would be used to advertise both these products. Ground level activities, such as direct mailing and events, will be used extensively to drive volumes. For the records, Lowe (erstwhile Lowe Lintas & Partners), Delhi, is responsible for the communication of the Plasma TV X-canvas range and Whisen air-conditioners. The ad spends for these two are Rs 2.2 crore and Rs 1.2 crore respectively.

Hopefully, these products would serve as the right image drivers to showcase LG's much touted "technological superiority". © 2002 agencyfaqs!