For those born after the 1980s, Bata remained synonymous with shoes for a long time. It is one of the best and most beloved footwear brands that the Indian population has worn. It became so popular that most people still believe Bata is an Indian brand. And, in case you are also one of them, here is the whole story of Bata and its connections with India.
Rise of Bata
Bata was established in 1894 in Zlín, a city in Czechoslovakia, by the Bata family. The shoe making was an ancestral business of the Bata family, and the financial condition of the family was very weak. Thomas, Anna and Antonin, the three siblings, started to make canvas shoes instead of leather shoes in order to tackle their financial problems. The canvas shoes were comfortable and cost-effective, due to which their sale soared and the Bata family started to consolidate the business.
It was 1931 when bata entered the Indian market. By then, the use of machines to craft shoes had come into vogue, and Bata was working in almost 112 branches across the world. In India, Kolkata was the first site of the operations. In just 2 years of its operation the Bata shoes became so much popular that, the size of the shoe making facility doubled. The whole of the vicinity developed into a town, which came to be known as Batanagar. Until 1939, the factory employed nearly 3,500 people.
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Bata’s tennis shoes
Bata’s influence in India eradicated the long-reigning shoemakers of Japan. The introduction of tennis shoes into the market was Bata’s most connecting move with Indians. It was at the Batanagar factory that the design and manufacturing of the tennis shoes first started. It later became very popular in Europe. The tennis shoes were also used in the schools, which became the prime reason that Bata was not only acquainted with elders but also with the kids of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.
The company left no stone unturned to attract Indian customers. Be it the quality or the advertisement. When Bata faced the challenge of Khadim and Paragon in the 1980s, it won the hearts of people with its charming taglines. The taglines not only advertised the quality, but they were also related to people’s feelings.
The one such tagline was, “Beware of tetanus; even a small injury could be dangerous—so wear a shoe.” The tagline not only promoted its shoes but also promoted the culture of shoe wear with a concern for disease. Honestly, there isn’t any point to counter such a wonderful tagline.
As discussed above, tennis shoes were used in the schools, and anticipating this, Bata gave another tagline. With “First to Bata, then to school,” Bata connected to elders and children.
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Why did Bata become Indian in the eyes of the people?
The prominent reason that most people think that Bata is an Indian brand is because, it treated Indian customers as per their demands. They broke the myth of colonialism, according to which foreign companies just imposed anything on Indians. Bata actually introduced tennis shoes as per the requirements of Indians.
Secondly, as Bata brand strategist, Harish Bijoor said, Bata has only four letters and two syllables, which is simple and catchy.
Thirdly, Bata never compromised on quality. They provided the best quality at a reasonable price. Compared to other premium brands, they are cheaper.
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And lastly, the advertisement connected with people. The words used were focused on connecting with the ethos of people instead of just promoting the product because somewhere they knew that if people have an optimistic opinion about the brand, they will eventually end up buying the product.
Bata’s prominence in India can be understood by the statistics of the company. In India, Bata sells about 50 million pairs every year and serves 120,000 customers per day. Along with that, with its retail network of 1375 stores, Bata has established itself as India’s largest retail footwear brand.
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