Brand Overview
Brand:
Havells
Parent Company:
Havells India Ltd.
Core Categories:
Consumer Durables
Taglines Over the Years:
- Shock Laga Kya? / Shock Nahin Laga
- Wires That Don't Catch Fire
- Make Your House A Home
Market Context at Entry (Early Journey)
- Started as a small trading company in electrical goods.
- By the 1970s-80s, India was largely dependent on unbranded or semi-organized electrical goods suppliers.
- Rapid infrastructure development, urbanization, and electrification post-1990s opened vast opportunities in:
- Domestic wiring
- Switchgear
- Fans
- Lighting
- Electrical appliances
Marketing Mix (4Ps)
Product Strategy
- Offered a diverse product range: wires, cables, switches, fans, lighting, appliances, air conditioners, water heaters, and personal grooming devices.
- Positioned itself as a premium, safe, and energy-efficient brand with strong emotional and social messaging.
- Focused heavily on safety and durability, especially for electrical products (e.g., “Wires that don't catch fire”).
- Promotes India-specific innovation, such as low-voltage operation and energy-saving appliances.
- Manufactures locally, supporting Make in India and ensuring price competitiveness.
- Maintains strong distribution across urban and semi-urban markets, with a robust service network.
- Leverages quirky, socially aware advertising (e.g., “Shock Laga Kya?”) to create recall.
- Expanding into newer categories like personal grooming and smart appliances.
- Emphasizes aesthetics and lifestyle integration, especially in modular switches and lighting.
Pricing Strategy
- Mass premium to premium positioning in most categories.
- Avoided price wars; focused on durability, safety, aesthetics, energy efficiency.
- Created clear segmentation:
- Lloyd for value-to-mid segment in white goods.
- Havells/Crabtree for mid-premium to premium in core electricals.
- Introduced flexible EMI options for big-ticket items like ACs.
Distribution Strategy
Brand Values Communicated:
- Safety and trust.
- Energy efficiency.
- Stylish and modern designs.
- Made for India's homes and climate.
- Emotional and relatable advertising (e.g., Shock Laga Kya₹ campaign).
- Prominent IPL and cricket sponsorships.
- Celebrity associations (recent brand ambassadors include Rajkummar Rao and others for specific segments).
- Strong BTL activations via dealer networks, electricians, contractors.
- Digital-first content for smart home products in recent years.
Promotion Strategy
- Over 700+ exclusive Havells Galaxy outlets.
- Pan-India presence across 150,000+ retail outlets.
- Deep engagement with electricians and contractors who influence purchase.
- Strong presence in institutional B2B segment — builders, real estate, infra projects.
- Growing online sales through Amazon, Flipkart, and brand D2C platform.
Challenges & Responses
| Challenges | Havells' Response |
| Intense price competition from unorganized sector | Built strong brand equity with safety and energy-efficiency focus. |
| Entry of global brands in modular switches | Acquired Crabtree brand; invested in premium design & durability. |
| Fragmented white goods space | Acquired Lloyd to scale up ACs and appliances quickly. |
| Service network scaling for appliances | Expanded after-sales service teams post Lloyd acquisition. |
| Pressure on margins | Focused on brand premium, automation, and backward integration. |
The Most Important Products That Drove Growth
| Product | Launch Period | Impact |
| Electrical Cables & Wires | 1970s-80s | First major category; built initial scale and B2B presence. |
| Switchgear (MCBs, RCCBs, DBs) | 1990s | Expanded into industrial and residential safety devices; early trusted brand. |
| Domestic Switches (Crabtree brand) | 2000 | Entered premium modular switches; design-led growth. |
| Fans (ceiling, pedestal, wall, table) | Early 2000s | Key driver in entering Indian households directly. |
| Lighting (LED, CFL, Decorative Lighting) | 2005 onwards | Early mover in LED; became one of the largest lighting brands. |
| Small Domestic Appliances (geysers, irons, mixers, coolers, air purifiers, water purifiers) | 2010 onwards | Helped diversify into kitchen & personal care appliances. |
| Air Conditioners (Lloyd acquisition) | 2017 | Entered white goods segment aggressively via Lloyd brand. |
| Smart & IoT-based Home Solutions | 2020 onwards | Building future-readiness with automation and connected devices. |
Related Case Studies
Consumer Perception & Emotional Connect
- Trusted for safety, durability, and innovation.
- Positioned as a modern Indian home brand.
- Associated with:
- Long-lasting wires and switches.
- Reliable fans and lighting.
- Stylish and efficient appliances.
- Gradually building a premium image in the complete home solutions space.
Competitive Landscape
| Segment | Key Competitors |
| Wires & Cables | Polycab, Finolex, RR Kabel, KEI |
| Switchgear & Switches | Legrand, Schneider, Anchor Panasonic, GM |
| Fans | Crompton, Orient, Usha, Bajaj |
| Lighting | Philips (Signify), Syska, Wipro, Bajaj |
| Small Appliances | Bajaj, Philips, Usha, Orient |
| Air Conditioners (Lloyd) | Voltas, LG, Samsung, Daikin, Blue Star |
Havells' Edge:
- Broad portfolio across B2B and B2C.
- First major Indian brand to build aspirational electricals branding.
- Direct reach to electricians (influencers) and dealers.
- Strong manufacturing base within India.
Impact & Market Performance
- Revenue (FY24E): ~₹16,000–17,000 crore.
- Wires & cables: Top 3 player.
- Switchgear: Among top 2 domestic brands.
- Fans: Top 3 by market share.
- Lighting: Among top 3 brands in LED lighting.
- White Goods (via Lloyd): Rapidly scaling — ~10% AC market share.
- Significant export business for cables, wires, and switchgear.
Key Learnings from Havells' India Playbook
- Move early from B2B to consumer-facing categories.
- Leverage trust in safety to cross-sell entire home solutions.
- Build exclusive retail network (Havells Galaxy) for premium engagement.
- Acquisitions (e.g., Crabtree, Lloyd) can accelerate category entry.
- Invest heavily in brand-building even for technical categories.
Summary
Havells India's journey is one of careful diversification and branding in an industry not traditionally known for consumer marketing. By building trust through safety, expanding into aspirational home solutions, and acquiring strategic brands like Lloyd, Havells has positioned itself as India's most complete electricals and appliances company. As India urbanizes further and demand for energy-efficient smart homes rises, Havells is extremely well placed for future growth.
