Electra has arrived... warns Kelvinator

With Electra, Kelvinator has introduced its latest and most premium refrigerator sub-brand in the direct cool segment, to rival Whirlpool’s Ice Magic and Godrej Pentacool

For over a week now, we have been promised - or rather, warned and threatened, a la ‘Gabbar Singh aayega' - that Electra is coming. And while two of the four teaser spots being aired on C&S channels do suggest that Electra is a refrigerator, nothing more has been revealed about the brand, or its antecedents.

Well, it's time to quell all that speculation. Electra is the latest refrigerator sub-brand from the Kelvinator stable, in the direct cool segment. Or as Anand Bhardwaj, executive vice-president, marketing and marketing services, Electrolux India, says, "Electra is, by all means, the most superior direct cool refrigerator in the Indian market. For it packs features that no other refrigerator offers in its segment."

‘Its segment' here means, direct cool refrigerators in the 175-lt to 220-lt capacities, which, segment-wise, account for close to 80 per cent of refrigerator sales in the country. And Bhardwaj provides proof to validate his claim. "The Electra range, which is an advanced version of Kelvinator's existing Supercool range, has the most powerful compressor of the lot, with a rating of 1/6 hp, which is equivalent to 417 to 421 BTU (British thermal unit). The other refrigerators that compare to the Electra have a maximum rating of 1/8 or 1/10 hp. Independent lab tests have proved that our compressors consume up to 33 per cent less power."

Bhardwaj also draws attention to the thicker insulation in these refrigerators. "On an average, we provide insulation of 49 mm, while with most other brands, the insulation varies from 36-38 mm. And our Magicoat RB Freezer makes ice the fastest. That's why we call this the 3D Cooling System. I'm sure, despite all the claims made by our rivals, none of these brands can stand up to Kelvinator on these parameters."

Of course, the Electra range has a handful of unique add-ons that distinguish it from the Supercool range. One of the most visible of these is the electronic control panel that embellishes the top of the door. This panel incorporates a digital clock and alarm, a door-open alarm (that goes off if the door is open for more than 45 seconds), a music button (that plays pre-recorded instrumental music), a compressor on-off indicator, an external thermostat control and a power on-off indicator.

Bhardwaj admits that the last three features are incorporated in Whirlpool's Ice Magic range and in the Godrej Pentacool model as well. "But I can assure you that all the other features are totally unique to the Electra. Also, we have never-before features like wine racks and humidity control within the vegetable tray."

Electra is being launched in two sizes (175 lt and 220 lt) and in two models - Premium and Luxury. And yes, the Luxury range incorporates a couple of extra features, such as a freezer temperature indicator and an auto drainage and evaporation system. In terms of aesthetics, while the Premium range comes in three colours - Indigo Blue, Ocean Green and Cerise Red - the Luxury model has a white embossed textured finish, with light blue trimmings.

These, of course, justify the price premium that the Luxury range commands over the Premium range. While the MRPs of the Premium range in Delhi are Rs 11,990 (for the 175-lt model) and Rs 13,240 (220 lt), the Luxury range has a Delhi MRP of Rs 13,840 (220 lt). The Luxury range is currently being retailed only in this capacity, but Bhardwaj ensures that a 175-lt model would soon be in the market.

With this launch, Electra has displaced the Supercool range (Delhi MRPs of Rs 11,190 for 175 lt, and Rs 12,440 for 220 lt) as the most premium refrigerator offering from Kelvinator. And although, fundamentally, both Electra and Supercool are pretty much one and the same, Electra is a response to some of the perceived shortcomings in the Supercool range.

"Supercool is an established range, and is a pretty strong brand among many dealers," says Bhardwaj. "However, there were things that needed improvement… things like the dated door shape and overall aesthetics. With Electra, we are sure that we have a comparatively priced product that is far superior to what the competition (primarily Ice Magic and Pentacool) offers. In terms of technology and drop dead looks."

The sub-brand is being targeted at the top-end of the first-time buyers (Sec B+ and A), which basically means the likes of young executives setting up home. Keeping in mind the target group, the theme communication for Electra is "wacky with a purpose", and focused on communicating that nothing cools as good as Electra. And the company claims that the teaser campaign that it ran has been pretty successful.

"We did the teaser campaign to generate quick interest levels on Electra," says Bhardwaj. "And though we haven't done a formal study, dipstick research shows that people are genuinely curious about Electra." Apparently, the teaser campaign on TV dovetailed with ground-level teaser promotions (in nine metros) and contests (both online and offline) in alliances with hungama.com, rediff.com, yahoo.com and c2w.com.

All in all, for Electra, the company has earmarked a launch budget of Rs 8 crore. Much of which might not be recovered this season, considering the company missed the crucial month of April, when many refrigerator purchases are made. Bhardwaj admits as much, which is why he is not ready to venture a guess about how Electra's launch would impact Kelvinator's market share (currently at 22 per cent) in the direct cool segment.

"Electra may not make a huge impact on Kelvinator's performance this season," he says. "However, within a year, I want Electra to contribute 30 per cent of Kelvinator's sales." Bhardwaj expects that in the first full year of its launch, Electra would sell in excess of three lakh units nationwide. "The response has been good, and what we have produced will be sold out. In fact, I have a feeling we may not be able to meet the demand."

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