Bird’s-eye view

Calcutta, June 6: Canon India will take a second look at its marketing strategies in smaller towns and cities due to an increased demand of high-end products from these places.

“After launching the home theatre solution last month, we have sold five units. Interestingly, all these units were purchased in small cities like Silchar, Srinagar, Indore and Cochin,” said Alok Bharadwaj, DGM, consumer imaging and information division and volume products.

A home-theatre solution costs Rs 99,995.

“This goes against the perception that big spenders are in the metros,” he added.

The total projector business in the country is estimated at Rs 225 crore with 22 brands, thus making it a fragmented market. An estimated 15,000 units are sold every year.

Major consumers of projectors have been companies mainly due to their prices that range between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh. The home segment is a recent addition for most brands.

On an average, Canon sells 50 projectors every month and expects a significant contribution from the home segment.

“The sales trend has buoyed our expectations. We expect 15 per cent of our projector sales to come from the home segment,” said Bharadwaj. “This is in keeping with market growth expectations.”

Other plans for the projector business include advertising on a mass scale and showcasing home-theatre products at retail outlets.