Asian Footwears, a homegrown footwear brand, looked to make a festive splash with a new campaign featuring its brand ambassador and cricketing icon M.S. Dhoni (MSD). The campaign positioned Asian as the go-to brand for consumers chasing not just goals, but also style.
Coinciding with the festive season, recently, MSD had launched Asian Footwears’ all-new signature and premium sneaker collection, designed to combine high fashion, unbeatable comfort, and long-lasting durability. The line-up includes Hyper Cushion and PowerKick sneakers, the Wonder Walk- walking range, the Mojo- premium sneaker line, and the Quantum 2.0 -Signature Collection. Designed in-house, state-of-the-art, BIS-certified footwear testing and design laboratory, these models reflect a perfect fusion of style and performance, created for consumers who want a global aesthetic at an affordable price point.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Aayush Jindal CEO Asian Footwears
Q. The company is eyeing 40% revenue growth in FY26. What is the gameplan to get there?
As we look ahead to FY26, our strategy is rooted in scaling every part of our business. We’re investing Rs 100 crore over the next 18 months in expanding manufacturing, boosting our retail footprint, and strengthening our brand presence.
By aiming for 1,00,000 multi-brand outlets and 100 exclusive stores, especially in tier II and III cities, we’re meeting rising demand for stylish, affordable footwear. Two new factories will soon take our annual capacities to add 10 million pairs a year to our capacity, letting us serve more customers, faster.
Q. According to data analytics does the whitespace for growth lie in tier two and three towns and cities?
Absolutely! The biggest opportunity right now is in Tier 2 and 3 cities. People here are aspirational, looking for trendy, comfortable shoes that haven’t always been accessible. We see a growing base of brand and value-conscious buyers who are more engaged digitally and want products matching global trends.
Making Asian Footwears widely available through robust distribution, localised marketing, and strong digital connect is the key. These markets aren’t just new territories, they’re the engines for our next wave of growth.
Q. Will Asian Footwears adopt an omnichannel distribution strategy where retail outlets are as important as D2C?
Yes, we already operate on a solid omnichannel foundation. Today, we’re present at 15,000+ multi-brand outlets, have 36 brand showrooms, and an ever-growing online business. We were early movers in India’s online shoe space.
The aim is seamless experience – online or offline, with technology marrying inventory, pricing, and consumer insights. E-commerce gives us reach and agility, while physical retail delivers trust and emotional connect. It’s not “online vs. offline”, it’s one unified Asian Footwears experience.
Q. How is Asian Footwears leveraging AI as it expands across the country? How is AI enabling smarter decision making and optimum use of resources in areas like marketing, product innovation?
AI is at the heart of our growth, making us faster and smarter at every turn. We’ve recently launched AsianGPT, an AI engine trained on over 30 million real orders, allowing our distributors to make sharper decisions. It gives hyperlocal insights on top trends, price points, and catalogues, helping us put the right products on the right shelves and cut waste.
In marketing, AI-driven tools like targeted ads and real-time A/B testing have improved performance by up to 35%. AI also helps us forecast demand, plan inventory, and personalize design, fuelling greater customer satisfaction and operational excellence.
Q. Has the company which is three decades old done any rebranding initiatives to appeal better to Gen Z? Is that TG growing in importance?
Our journey has been our strength. The brand continues to evolve overtime and giving the current context, it does connect with Gen Z which is hugely important and growing focus for us. We have modernized designs, added new comfort technologies, used sustainable materials, and ramped up digital engagement.
Our latest campaign features renowned cricket icon, MS Dhoni, and product launches are designed with Gen Z’s taste and values in mind. Their influence on fashion, sustainability, and online shopping is only rising.
Q. From a marketing perspective what are the priorities and focus areas for Asian Footwears in the festive season?
The festive season is about making our brand pop, sparking consumer excitement, and launching collections that blend style, comfort, and durability. The ‘Go Chase’ campaign with M.S. Dhoni puts us center stage for both premium and value-conscious shoppers.
We are focussing on high-impact TV and digital ads that celebrate ambition and self-expression. Recent product launches, like Hyper Cushion, PowerKick, Mojo, Quantum 2.0, and Wonder Walk, are rolling out nationwide, alongside personalised festive offers and energetic social media drives. Our goal is to delight customers, accelerate sales, and bolster our image as India’s contemporary footwear choice.
Q. Could you talk about the brainstorming with the creative agency that led to the company’s first TVC under the campaign ‘Go Chase’ that encourages people to chase their passion with the right footwear?
Our first ‘Go Chase’ TVC was born from energizing collaboration with Ogilvy and our own team, with a clear mission: ignite the chase for passion and success. We wanted more than just a product story; we sought to capture ambition, resilience, and progress. Dhoni’s relentless spirit inspired us, his journey shaped much of the campaign’s narrative and visuals. ‘Go Chase’ became a rallying cry for people in all walks of life.
The film, airing on TV and digital, is the product of that collective creativity, encouraging viewers to pursue their goals with confidence powered by Asian shoes.
Q. What does MS Dhoni bring to the table?
Dhoni brings inspiration, trust, and huge appeal to the brand. His reputation for resilience, reliability, and calm confidence mirrors our values.
He helps us authentically connect with people across generations and his integrity, excellence, and relatable journey make our message stronger. With his story fronting our ‘Go Chase’ campaign, we reach new markets and inspire customers to pursue their ambitions every day.
Q. Does the media mix comprise of both traditional and digital media? What is the split?
Yes, our media mix blends both traditional and digital media to maximize reach and impact. Yes we are using both traditional and digital media with a healthy split of 50% each of the overall media spend.
Q. Could you shed light on Asian Footwear’s SEO strategy and how it approaches social media to participate in the consumer conversation around affordable footwear?
Our SEO approach makes us discoverable for anyone seeking affordable, high-quality shoes, by optimizing keywords, unique meta tags, product pages, and fast-loading visuals.
Content is kept fresh and relevant, speaking directly to customer needs. On social media, we foster the conversation through collaborations, contests, and user-generated content, especially on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, encouraging customers to share their looks and experiences. Our goal is to make affordable footwear aspirational and accessible, converting casual buyers into loyal advocates.
Q. Is the digital marketing budget shifting away to an extent from Meta, Google towards retail media like Flipkart, Amazon? Kindly elaborate.
Yes, there’s a clear shift underway, many footwear brands, including us, are increasingly investing in retail media like Flipkart, Myntra, Amazon and quick commerce platform like Zepto. These platforms allow us to target buyers actively searching for products, yielding stronger results and ROI.
While Meta and Google remain important for awareness and engagement, a growing share of our budget is focused on driving sales through retail networks that reach customers at the point of purchase. This evolution reflects changing consumer habits and the booming potential of digital commerce.
Q. How does Asian Footwear approach B2B marketing through areas like participating in retail events, conducting seminars, workshops?
B2B marketing for us is all about partnership and open dialogue. We regularly meet our retail partners at lively events, trade shows, and annual distributor meetings, using these forums to showcase new lines and gather insights.
Our seminars and workshops are interactive, not long lectures but problem-solving sessions where we share merchandising best practices and co-create marketing strategies. This keeps our network engaged, learning, and growing alongside us.
Q. How does company strengthen the store experience? This area is said to be one of the reasons why competition is struggling.
We’re passionate about making every store visit memorable and engaging. Our outlets are lively, customer-centric spaces designed for easy browsing, trying, and comparing.
Staff are trained to be approachable, helpful, and informed so shoppers get more value and satisfaction. Regular in-store events, launches, and tailored promotions create excitement, while feedback is welcomed and acted upon, helping us continually improve layouts, designs, and service. Our expanding store formats ensure that high standards are maintained everywhere, from metros to new markets.
