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'BoAt' Becomes A Case Study At Harvard University; Entrepreneur Aman Gupta Pens An Inspiring Note

Aman Gupta, the co-founder of boAt Lifestyle and famed Shark Tank India judge, has repeatedly proved that anything is possible in this world with dedication and effort. The entrepreneur posted a lengthy note sharing how Harvard University is researching his audio and wearables brand. 

He wrote a message on Instagram and shared a photo of him standing outside Harvard Business School. 

"Harvard Nahee Jaa sake to Kya hua ... apna kaam our apnee company pahucha dee (So what if I couldn't go to Harvard. My work and company got me there.)"

Sharing his pride, Gupta added, 

View this post on Instagram

"We are really proud to share that Harvard Business School has written a case study on boAt. Today, Sameer and I were here talking to the students and the faculty about the case which was presented to the students. "

He recalled his time when he studied various case studies from a prestigious university. 

"I have studied Harvard case studies which have helped me. I am hopeful our case study will help many students learn and grow worldwide," he added.

He posted a picture of the Harvard Business School report along with the note.

Aman's heartwarming note has received comments due to the popularity of the internet.

Aman Gupta gained popularity after he appeared as one of the Sharks (mentors) on Shark Tank India.

Shark Tank India's latest season. The show's creators on Tuesday posted a teaser for it in which a vegetable seller is seen advising his customer on how a business operates using terms like equity and income.

The caption again for the advertisement stated, "Ab pura India business ki sahi value samjhega! 💸 #SharkTankIndiaSeason2 coming soon, on Sony Entertainment Television #SharkTankIndiaSeason2onSony."

The first season of Shark Tank India, which debuted last year, became an instant hit among the audience, with the ‘Sharks’ or judges on the show becoming hot favorites of the audience.

(With ANI inputs)

(For  the latest trending stories , keep reading  Indiatimes )

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Couldn't study at Harvard, but made my company and work make a mark here, says boAt co-founder Aman Gupta

"i am hopeful now our case study will help a lot of students learn and grow around the world," boat co-founder aman gupta said in his instagram caption..

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aman Gupta (@boatxaman)

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boAt rides on Harvard case study wave, co-founder’s post goes viral

Boat lifestyle, an audio equipment brand, was founded by aman gupta and sameer mehta in 2016..

Getting admission to sought-after institutes like Harvard Business School is not a piece of cake, and so is a brand getting selected for a case study in an Ivy League university. Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, who founded ‘boAt Lifestyle’ in 2016, fall into the rare breed of entrepreneurs who have got the opportunity to be invited for a talk with Harvard students after the university published a case study of their brand.

On Tuesday, Gupta shared an Instagram post in which he spoke about his experience of visiting Harvard for an interactive session with the students and faculty members after the university published a case study of their brand. The 36-page case study was written by Rajiv Lal and Kairavi Dey, researchers at the Harvard Business School.

As per the case study, boAt Lifestyle, which produces audio electronic products like headphones and speakers, is “one of India’s first digitally native brands to record a revenue in excess of $65 million and the fifth largest wearable company in the world”.

In the heartwarming post, Gupta wrote, “Harvard Nahee Jaa sake to Kya hua … apna kaam aur apnee company pahucha dee… We are really proud to share that Harvard Business School has written a case study on boAt. Today, Sameer and I were here talking to the students and the faculty about the case which was presented to the students. I have studied from Harvard case studies which have helped me. I am hopeful now our case study will help a lot of students learn and grow around the world . #boAtReachesHarvard”.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Aman Gupta (@boatxaman)

Gupta’s post soon gathered over 1.6 lakh likes in less than 24 hours. Commenting on it, an Instagram user wrote, “@boatxaman now this is something you don’t hear often about an Indian brand. Congratulations Sir Ji

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Harvard publishes case study on boAt, co-founder shares inspirational post

The 36-page case study was written by Kairavi Dey and Rajiv Lal, who are researchers at the Harvard Business School.

Getting into Harvard Business School is a dream of many, and unfortunately, it remains a dream for most students as it is really hard to get admission to this prestigious institute. However, Aman Gupta, co-founder, and CMO at boAt Lifestyle has shared a post on Instagram which shows that even if you don’t study at a university like Harvard, you can still be very successful in the business world. In the caption of his post, Aman Gupta wrote that Harvard Business School has written a case study on boAt. He went on to say that he and Sameer Mehta, Co-Founder & Chief product officer at boAt, were in the institute for talking to the students and the faculty about the case which was presented to the students. He added that he is hopeful now that their case study will help a lot of students to learn and grow around the world.

Have a look at this post:

The post received a lot of appreciation in the comment section. A user wrote, “Wow! This is great. Making India proud!”

Another individual wrote, “Many many congratulations.”

An account said, “You are an inspiration.”

Some users wrote that they are proud boAt customers.

The 36-page case study was written by Kairavi Dey and Rajiv Lal, who are researchers at the Harvard Business School. According to the case study, boAt Lifestyle is one of India’s first digitally native brands to record revenue in excess of $65 million and it is the fifth largest wearable company in the world.

Operated by Imagine Marketing limited, boAt is the Indian digital-first company that sells headphones, earphones, wireless speakers, connector cables, and smartwatches. The company sold “Indestructible” connector cables in 2016 solely via Amazon India. Following this, it began selling personal audio with wired earphone product range, BassHeads, and waterproofing. and robust cables. With time, boAt expanded into home audio, portable Bluetooth speakers, wireless audio, and smartwatches.

In a recent development, boAt deferred its plans of public share sale and raised $60 million from private investors instead amid the continuing concerns over the volatile stock market.

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‘BoAt’ becomes a case study at Harvard University; Entrepreneur Aman Gupta shares a heartwarming note

Hyderabad: As Harvard Business School has recently written a case study on boAt, Aman Gupta, the co-founder of the company, took to social media to express his happiness over the news. Gupta took to his Instagram and posted a picture of himself standing at the Harvard Business School and the report. “Harvard Nahee Jaa sake […]

Hyderabad: As Harvard Business School has recently written a case study on boAt, Aman Gupta, the co-founder of the company, took to social media to express his happiness over the news.

Gupta took to his Instagram and posted a picture of himself standing at the Harvard Business School and the report. “Harvard Nahee Jaa sake to Kya hua … apna kaam aur apnee company pahucha dee(sic),” he wrote.

• boAt unveils new affordable earbuds with noise cancellation feature
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He continued: “We are really proud to share that Harvard Business School has written a case study on boAt. Today, Sameer and I were here talking to the students and the faculty about the case which was presented to the students. I have studied from Harvard case studies which have helped me. I am hopeful now our case study will help a lot of students learn and grow around the world.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Aman Gupta (@boatxaman)

Operated by Imagine Marketing limited, boAt is the Indian digital-first company that sells earphones, headphones, wireless speakers, smartwatches and connector cables.

As soon as the post went viral online, several netizens took to the comment section to congratulate the firm. “This is amazing and making it from scratch has its own charm. Congratulations Aman and Sameer (sic),” a user wrote. “@boatxaman now this is something you don’t hear often about an Indian brand. Congratulations Sir Ji (sic),” another user commented.

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Shackleton: An Entrepreneur of Survival

In recent years, polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton has been celebrated through books, memoirs, several films, and a major museum exhibit. His achievements on the ice have much to teach business students and executives, says Harvard Business School professor Nancy F. Koehn. That's why she created a new business case called Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic Voyage of the Endurance .

Shackleton, who died in 1922 at the age of forty-seven, never achieved his goal of traversing the continent of Antarctica. He is remembered these days for something more extraordinary. After his ship, the Endurance , became hopelessly trapped in pack ice, Shackleton abandoned one cherished goal and shouldered another that was forced on him by circumstance. Through extraordinary hardships that lasted almost two more years, he ensured the survival of all twenty-seven of his crewmen. It is a testament to his leadership skills that eight members of the ill-fated Endurance voyage signed up for Shackleton's next expedition to Antarctica.

Martha Lagace: Why was Shackleton's voyage good HBS case material?

Nancy Koehn: There are three reasons. The first is that I think there are many important lessons for business leaders to be found in areas outside business. History itself, literature, theater—look to Shakespeare and Henry V, Julius Caesar, or King Lear .

When we look at these enduring works, we find more than just great literature and interesting questions about living a good life. We also find important insights into how to motivate people, allocate resources, and act with great integrity in moments of crisis. I firmly believe that the template for business education can be very broad.

As soon as that ship was frozen, Shackleton figured out that the goal of the enterprise was no longer to walk across the continent of Antarctica. The new goal was to survive. —Nancy Koehn

The second reason is that we are now living in a turbulent time. It's more than just September 11, although September 11 is perhaps the best single metaphor we have for Americans' sense of greater turbulence. There's been change in the stock market; there's an uncertain economy that seems to be recovering—but we're not quite convinced that it's recovering, we're not sure it won't implode again. There's been turbulence in the world order of a new caliber and intensity, and America's position in the world seems suddenly uncertain. There are new questions about where we are going as a people, as business leaders, and as good citizens. Leaders have to be able to manage in stable, prosperous times and also in very uncertain, dangerous times. And sometimes they have to be able to lead when the stakes are much, much greater than they expected them to be.

The third reason is that the Shackleton story is compelling. Case method learning is partly about choosing compelling stories—stories that we can learn from, stories that we can make our own, stories that we don't forget as we go out in the world and begin to be responsible for other people's lives, jobs, money, energy, and commitment. This was a great story of integrity and humanity—and one that no one ever could have predicted, not in what happened, how it unfolded, or how it ended. Ernest Shackleton, like all of us, is as flawed as he is brilliant, or as flawed as he is effective. His story is one of the human spirit in all its wonder and all its frailty.

Business leaders, I believe, have to be able to discern both of these aspects of people and of organizations. They need to see how in a moment of great trial all of Shackleton's possibility could come forward to affect his future and that of others. But in order to appreciate what Lincoln once called "the better angels of our nature," the strengths and possibility of a given person or enterprise, leaders must also be able to see an individual or organization's weaknesses. And the case points to these aspects of Shackleton and the expedition as well.

I've taught this case twice so far: to MBA students and in Women Leading Business, one of our executive education programs. Both groups pointed to the fact that there was a huge amount of Shackleton's ego that he found very hard to divest until the ship ran into trouble. He insisted on sailing out of South Georgia Island in the winter of 1914–15, for example. He could have waited it out and not encountered the ice floes that the whalers at South Georgia predicted were coming.

Both groups of students pointed to his impetuosity in hiring. They also pointed out that he didn't seem to have a rich personal life, that his life was on the ice.

One thing Shackleton did very well was to revise, and reset, his objectives as the context changed. As soon as that ship was frozen, he figured out that the goal of the enterprise—and it was an enterprise, an organization—was no longer to walk across the continent of Antarctica. The new goal was to survive. He was able to see that and keep that clearly in focus.

It's frequently very hard for people to do this, to give up on a long-sought-after goal. And yet sometimes the stakes can be as high as one's life and other people's lives. And so they were at that moment for Shackleton and his crew.

One of the great challenges of managing or leading in turbulence is being able to play to your stronger suit as a leader and also play to others' stronger suits. Lincoln did it, Shackleton did it, Gandhi, Frederick Douglass, and many others have done it. We need to be able to help our students understand how they can do it both in "big L" leadership contexts, and, as HBS Dean Kim Clark says, in "small l" leadership roles.

Q: Was Shackleton an entrepreneur? If so, how?

A: There's a definition of entrepreneurship that HBS's Howard Stevenson pioneered. Many of us have used it at the school. It is, "Entrepreneurship is the relentless pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled." That's a great definition, and it was true of Shackleton when his objective was to walk across Antarctica.

He had to pursue opportunity. He had no money. His reputation suffered some when the South Pole was discovered in 1911 and that was no longer "a company to found." There was no longer a continent to conquer. He suffered somewhat when Robert Falcon Scott died on a horrendous journey back from the South Pole in 1912. He realized that Scott would be lionized. And, indeed, Scott became a martyr, a great hero for English history.

This meant that Shackleton was perceived to be out of the loop when he started to raise money. And as the winds of what would become World War I started whipping across Europe, people were less interested in polar exploration. So it was under less than ideal circumstances that Shackleton had to marshal resources: He had to find men, money, a ship, dogs. He had to find someone to help them learn to ski. He had to figure out how to do all this—how to make his dream real, how to bring it out of the ether.

When we teach students about the entrepreneurial journey—which can apply to a manager at a small company or in a large, established organization—we say that entrepreneurs are made, not born, and that entrepreneurship is a way of managing, not necessarily a way of being as a person. Any of us can be an entrepreneur.

He thought he was going to be an entrepreneur of exploration but he became an entrepreneur of survival. —Nancy Koehn

I was fascinated with how completely Shackleton's enterprise had to change once the ship was frozen in the ice. That happens in all kinds of businesses. Anyone who has tried to start a business or manage an existing one knows that you often have to change horses midstream several times if the thing is going to succeed. And those can be big midstream horses—from a new product, to a new CEO, a new set of investors, or a whole new set of customers.

It can be very significant. It can be a life change. That's what happened to Shackleton, too. He thought he was going to be an entrepreneur of exploration, but he became an entrepreneur of survival.

Q: When he returned home in the autumn of 1916, England was in the throes of the First World War. The public was rather indifferent to his achievement. What do you think about the end of his story?

A: Let's begin with the beginning of the end. In the beginning of the end, there were Shackleton's tireless attempts to rescue the twenty-two men who were trapped on Elephant Island. Shackleton simply would not—could not—let go of the quest to get his men home safely. Once he arrived at the whaling station on South Georgia Island in May of 1916, he had to find a boat to get through the ice, get back across those perilous waters—some of the most dangerous waters to sail in in the world, including the Drake Passage—and get the remaining men who were stranded on Elephant Island. He was stymied several times.

Imagine what Shackleton had been through: The worst nightmare possible. But he had survived to reach the whaling station on South Georgia. He used the telegraph there to try to get through to his home country, but there was no boat available in wartime England. He was worried about his men starving on Elephant Island. There was an amputation while he was gone. He was equally concerned about their morale—because of course, our motivation and our possibilities are so conditioned by how we think about ourselves and the enterprise in which we are engaged, and our leaders affect that.

Worsley, the expedition's navigator, was a good friend of Shackleton who charted them from Elephant Island to South Georgia and stayed with him the whole time. He wrote of Shackleton and what the effort to bring his men home cost him. Worsley said that Shackleton went gray—his hair literally turned gray between the time they arrived at the whaling station at South Georgia in May and the following August, when they rescued the remaining men.

When Shackleton and Worsley finally got back to Elephant Island in a boat that came from South America, the men on the island saw the ship coming and all stood on shore waving. From the deck of the rescue ship, Shackleton counted the figures on land one by one. When he reached the number twenty-two, great relief passed over his face. They were all there!

There was exuberance and deep gratification, maybe gratitude to him and other powers. Shackleton had achieved his objective. And then, after a moment of that exuberance and a moment of thanks, they sailed back to South America and there was a celebration.

But when Shackleton and his men returned to England no one seemed interested in polar exploration, in the Endurance expedition, nor in the incredible story of survival that Shackleton and his crew had to tell. England had bigger fish to fry in the form of the First World War. In a strange, sad twist of fate, two of the Endurance crew would be killed in the war. Imagine the extraordinary irony of having survived all that, only to be slaughtered by machine gun fire in the first modern war of mass carnage, World War I.

The war opened a new century of human destruction on a scale that Shackleton could never have envisioned. In many ways, Shackleton was of an older world. And this is why I included the ending. I wanted readers to think, "Which aspects of his moment are like our moment?" One thing that is relevant about his moment to our own time is how it ends—with mass destruction. Destruction that would continue throughout the twentieth century, with two world wars, with mass genocide, with numerous terrible civil wars, the Holocaust, the nuclear age, and most recently, for Americans, with September 11. So we, like Shackleton, have some taste of the power of man to destroy others.

Shackleton saw that irony. He cannot not have seen it. The reputation and survival that meant everything to him meant seemingly very little to the larger world in 1916. It would wait for our moment to reclaim it, revalidate it, sanctify it, and learn from it.

I wanted our students to see that irony. I wanted our students to also see that some of the valiance, integrity, compassion, and respect for individual life that was part of an older world, and that was part of Shackleton, did not die on the fields of Flanders. It lives in all of us. We live to serve our selves, greater good, and our organizations. We live to serve with integrity.

There are historians who have said that a particular code of behavior, a way of seeing the world—one often associated with an older, feudal order—died with the First World War. I think it should live. I think it must live. I wanted our students, our executives, to believe it can live here now.

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Boat Branding Case Study: How boAt Captured the Audio Market

Damini Bhandary

Technology has advanced to such a level that, we are surrounded by some of the greatest inventions of humankind. Wherever we looked at, we are surrounded by electronic devices from smartwatches, to wireless speakers to wireless earbuds; all of these are keeping us preoccupied with their services.

The tech market is at its top form now. Music is something that soothes our soul, so there is hardly anyone who doesn’t like listening to music. It becomes even better when you’re travelling alone, nothing can beat the feeling of having music as your companion.

Now, every person has their own preferences, including for music as well, in this case, headsets and earphones are mandatory so that you could listen to your favourite tracks without being a hindrance to others.

The demand for headphones and earbuds has increased at an immense level in the last few years. So much that we will always find a person holding one of the equipment, all the time. There are various companies that provide all types of mobile phone assortment to their customers including earphones and headsets. Among them, one of the most famous ones in India is the company called boat.

In this article, we will talk about boAt's branding strategy and how it has established itself with its prominent and quality products as one of the most loved consumer electronics brands in India.

“What new technology does is create new opportunities to do a job that customers want done.” –Tim O’Reilly

About boAt Branding Strategy of boAt Target Audience Promotion and Advertisements Pricing and Quality of the Products FAQ

The boAt is an Indian company that deals with audio tech that mainly focuses on products like wireless speakers, earbuds, smartwatches , headsets, and earphones. All of them are quite accessible in terms of price. the boAt was founded in the year 2016 by Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta. The main aim of the company is to provide people with fashionable tech and be a part of their daily lifestyles. Currently, Vivek Gambhir is the CEO of the company.

boAt started its journey with the capital of just INR 30 lacs, which was invested by the founders themselves. As per the reports of 2020, boAt is said to be selling 14,000 to 15,000 of its products daily and has over 2 million customers and has bale to attract the attention of their customers by developing a wide range of earphones, wireless speakers, Airdopes and headphones. The quality and the price make it more approachable to its target audience.

Branding Strategy of boAt

boAt first started experimenting by creating Apple charger cables with anti-destruction properties. It was the time when people were suffering because of getting their charger cable damaged without any obvious reason.

boAt grabbed this opportunity and up their game by creating the indestructible charger cable for Apple. This is how they stepped into the market with unique products that solved the problems of the customers .

That was just the beginning, and then the company started creating products like headphones and earphones. It was so reliable that it can be worn even while working out or exercising. These products were able to get popular amongst the younger generation who are into fitness .

Target Audience

From the beginning boAt was focused on the youth who are into fitness, they made all the products by keeping their target audience in mind. The demand for indestructible products has been increasing day by day, they understood it and started developing it. Plus with various advertisements, they tried to capture the attention of their target audience.

Promotion and Advertisements

To promote the durability of the products, boAt made advertisements where it can be seen people wearing all those gadgets while doing intense workouts and jogging, this proves what the brand is trying to convey to its audience.

From the very first, boAt was focused on marketing through digital marketing and social media. It took up many social media influencers to promote the products as well as their brand. Apart from that various celebrities like Cricketers Rishab Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli , Shreyas Iyer were a part of a group of celebrities who endorsed boAt.

Not only that Bollywood star, Kiara Advani , Kartik Aaryan, and singer Neha Kakkar and Diljit Dosanjh were present in the list of celebrities as well. They mainly focus on athletes for the promotion of their brand.

Apart from all these, boAt has collaborated with Lakme Fashion week in 2019, promoted its products, and introduced itself as a lifestyle brand instead of an electronic brand. With developing products like smartwatches, portable speakers, and other wearable gadgets it has truly transformed itself into one.

These collaborations with different brands that are liked and followed by the youth are getting boAt its audience. Recently, boAt has collaborated with Bira 91, and the products of boAt can be seen in the music video.

Pricing and Quality of the Products

The best factor and one of the reasons that the brand boAt became such a success was its pricing strategy . Neither it is extremely overpriced nor it is unimaginably cheap, it is just in between. The target audience of boAt is mainly youth so they find it perfect to invest in.

Apart from that, even being affordable, boAt has taken special care of the quality of its products; it hasn’t compromised with it even a bit. The current revenue of boAt as per the 2021 financial year is Rs 1,511.7 crore.

It has been 6 years since boAt was founded and within a little, it has been able to capture the world of electronic gadgets in a mesmerizing way. It has established itself as the 5 th largest brand of wearables in the world and the number 1 audio earwear brand in India. By putting all the branding strategies properly, and selecting their target audience carefully, boAt has achieved an immense level of success and it is only going to get bigger and better in the future.

Is boAt a Chinese company?

boAt is an Indian-based consumer electronics brand that focuses on headphones, earphones, earbuds, smartwatches, and wireless portable speakers.

Who is the CEO of boAt?

Vivek Gambhir is the current CEO of boAt.

Why is boAt so successful?

The reason behind boAt's success is its ingenious marketing strategy and affordable prices.

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BoAt Case Study: Business, Marketing Strategy & Success Story

Boat Case Study

About Boat:

Introduction:.

It takes a lot of effort for a brand to become popular among others. A strong marketing strategy , keeping pace with the changes in society, and understanding the masses are a few elements that if followed judiciously, can yield great results for the business.

In today’s article, I am going to discuss one such company which touched heights in a very less time. We shall understand their strategies and what worked for them. We shall discuss the Indian-based consumer electronic brand, “Boat”.

Music – a natural healer:

Music is something that acts as a natural way to rejuvenate our souls. Music can become your travel partner too. Even medical science uses Music therapy to treat certain ailments like autism, Alzheimer’s, depression, and many more.

It is believed that music boosts memory, improves self-love and self-esteem, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and builds a better human being. With so many benefits, music has been the topmost priority of people when they want to refresh themselves.

BoAt case study:

Every person has his/ her preferences in selecting music. This has led to the emergence of portable music devices like headphones, headsets, and earphones.

These devices let you enjoy your selected music without creating a hindrance to others. So the demand for portable music devices has increased tremendously over the past few years. Thus many companies have come up with different forms of musical devices.

One such popular brand is “Boat”, which provides one of the best portable music devices on the market. It provides a huge variety of devices. Using good headphones, the user can listen to music as well as connect with professionals without holding the phone.   

The emergence of the company:

A Delhi-based startup was founded in Nov. 2013. From 2013 to 2016, the company was struggling hard to generate sales . So in 2016, the company brought changes to its business strategies. BoAt emerged as a lifestyle brand that deals with fashionable electronic devices. The main idea behind launching the brand was to bring affordable, fashionable, and durable audio devices to accessorize people of different age groups. 

Must read: Nykaa Business Model & How Nykaa Works?

Beginning of the journey: challenges faced by boat company

The company began as a cable manufacturer and seller company. In the initial years, BoAt bought earphones from Chinese manufacturers, applied branding on them, and sold them in the Indian markets bearing the name “BoAt earphones”.

It has grown in years to emerge as a popular global brand to sell fashionable audio devices ranging from portable travel charges to premium headsets. In just a few years, the company has successfully gathered more than 70,000 happy customers and popular brand ambassadors.

BoAt has emerged as the 5th largest global brand in 2020 to provide wearable music devices. Lakme Fashion Week in 2019 held in Mumbai, displayed ramp walkers carrying boAt products as the only accessories.

A story about the emergence & success story of B oat company:

Aman Gupta from Gurugram and the passionate audiophile Sameer Mehta came up with the idea of launching the brand. The rising popularity of Chinese products in the Indian market was something that made them realize the need for swadeshi products. They mainly focussed on providing good quality durable products with affordable prices to Indian customers.

Aman Gupta – Is the co-founder and CMO of boAt. Being a commerce graduate from DU, he jumped from one organization to another to finally land at co-founding one of the most popular audio devices companies in India. 

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He had an incredible career discussed below.  

• Joined The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. 
• Pursued MBA degree in 
• General Management and Marketing, from The Kellogg School of Management from Northwestern University; and
• Finance and Strategy from The Indian School of Business.   
• Joined Citi Bank as an Assistant Manager.
• He applied to work for JBL due to his fascination with gadgets and worked there for 2 years. He managed the offline distribution of JBL through kiosks like Croma, Reliance Digital, etc. During his working period, he learned about product management which later on helped him in co-founding boAt. 
• Became CEO & Co-Founder of the Advanced Telemedia Pvt. Ltd.  
• Became Senior Management Consultant of KPMG (Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler).
• Joined Harman International (JBL) as a Sales Director.
• Finally in 2016 co-founded boAt along with his partner Sameer Mehta.
• Also co-founded the parent company of boAt named “ Imagine Marketing India ”.

Sameer Mehta – Co-founder, CPO of boAt and ED of Kores. In the initial stage of his career, Sameer Mehta was the owner of a company named “Redwood Interactive”. Being a student of St. Xavier School, Mumbai, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the popular Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics.

Must read: Success Story of Razorpay: Marketing Strategy, Business Model, Revenue Model – Razorpay Case Study

Goals and vision of boat company:

BoAt found flaws in the longevity of mobile charging cables used in the market. The founders witnessed frequent damage caused to such cables due to internal and external factors and thought of finding out solutions to such problems. So they focussed on launching indestructible cables. Soon they launched water and sweat-resistant hearable products. 

Selling partners and brand endorsements:

The brand sells a variety of its products on popular eCommerce sites like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong, etc., and even in retail outlets like Croma. It is believed that BoAt was born virtually on Amazon.com. The company tied up with 6 IPL teams Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. 

The company includes popular endorsements from famous personalities of different industries like Bollywood, cricket, etc. Personas like Hardik Pandya, K.L.Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Kartik Aryan, Neha Kakkar, Kiara Advani, Jacqueline Fernandez, and many others are endorsements of boAt. Also, the company has co-branded with musical events like the Sunburn Festival and Lakme Fashion Week, etc.  

Must read: 11 Greatest [WOM] Word of Mouth Marketing Strategies to Elevate Your Business

BoAt efficiently uses the benefits of influencer marketing to promote its products. It calls its influencers “BoAtheads”. BoAt recently collaborated with Alcobev company Bira 91 and together launched an exclusive audio collection named BOOM on January 20, 2022. The collaboration saw an amalgamation of Bira 91’s vibrant colors and boAt’s exclusive audio experience.

Recently BoAt launched a line of products especially targeting the Marvel fanbase. It launched earbuds, headphones, and speakers having characters like Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Panther on them. 

boAt’s Investors:

2018: an investor Kanwaljit Singh of Fireside Ventures, invested 60 million in BoAt. He was spellbound by the unique performance of the company from choosing the right audience to maintaining a standard quality of products.

2021: Qualcomm Ventures invested INR 50 crore in the company at a valuation of INR 2200 crore. The boAt has a total of 5 investors.

Must read: What Is Viral Marketing: Viral Marketing Strategies, Techniques and Examples

Some popular products of boAt:

the boAt has a wide range of products available for every individual. Its products range from wireless earphones, and audio-focused electronic devices to assorted mobile accessories and much more.

Wireless earbuds

BoAt has a line of wireless earbuds in the name of “Airdopes’ ‘. A major difference between an EarPod and an Airpod is that AirPods are completely wireless whereas original EarPods are the wired version.

BoAt Airdopes has an active noise cancellation technology that cancels out any external noise and delivers only the pure sound of your media. Bluetooth connectivity enables wireless usage of the device. The Airdopes come with a case having an in-built battery to charge the wireless Airdope when not in use.   

Tethered wireless earbuds:

BoAt offers a range of tethered wireless earbuds under the brand name Rockerz and Boat. Such earbuds are not connected directly to an audio source. The earbuds are connected through a wire or a band. The wire/ band houses the batteries and control systems. Users can wear the band around their neck or behind their heads.

Wireless headphones:

BoAt offers wireless headphones in two forms- on-ear and over-ear. The headphones are under the brand name Rockerz, BoAt, and Nirvana. Unlike headphones of other companies, BoAt headphones have built-in Bluetooth connectivity to connect to any audio source.

The user need not connect the headphone with the audio source through any wire. The wireless headphone contains lithium-ion batteries integrated into the device. Many of the models of BoAt’s wireless headphones come with an auxiliary audio cable that can be plugged into standard headphone jacks. Connecting the headphones with the auxiliary cable does not drain down the extra charge. 

Earbuds and wired earphones:

BoAt earbuds and wired earphones get connected to a standard headphone jack of the user’s audio-output device like a music system, mobile, PC, etc. The headphones and earbuds offer good noise cancellation by obstructing external sounds which create hindrance in the musical journey of the user.   

B oAt smartwatch:

The company offers smartwatches with various modes. For instance, the sports mode helps you track your steps while cycling, walking, hiking, climbing, exercising, etc. It is a great option for fitness freaks. The smartwatches also provide a Bluetooth calling facility to enable the user to receive calls without holding his phone. The screen of the smartwatch will display the caller’s detail and provide you with an option to either receive or decline the call. The watch even has a loudspeaker with which you can have an amazing conversation with the caller. The IPX Water Resistance ensures the longevity of your device by being sweat and swim-proof. boAt smartwatches also have a menstrual tracker for women, making them one of the best smartwatches for men and women. 

B oAt wireless speakers:

BoAt offers an exclusive range of attractive portable wireless speakers under its brands Rugby and Stone. The speakers have effective Bluetooth connectivity and built-in batteries for an efficient wireless experience. They are affordable, provide louder sound output and have long battery life. The boAt Bluetooth speakers can be used indoors as well outdoors. 

Indoor theatre soundbars:

BoAt offers another range of home audio equipment through its brand Avante. It delivers subwoofers and home theatre sound systems to be connected with televisions and home theatres. It has exclusive features like Bluetooth, auxiliary audio cables, HDMI, and USB-A. These speakers give you a theatre experience. You can get the feeling of sitting in a hall without even booking a ticket. The captivating sound of Dolby Audio Technology is what will drive you crazy about this audio device.  

Mobile accessories:

Along with fancy audio devices, the brand also provides portable devices to accessorize your mobile devices, like USB cables, auxiliary cables, power banks, adapter chargers, and many more. Boat power backup external batteries are available under its brand “Energyshroom”. 

B oAt limited edition:

Limited/ special edition of a brand is the upgraded version of an existing product. The purpose behind launching a limited edition product is to promote the brand or establish collaborations with other brands. The Boat provides limited edition products to its customers which are in form of headphones/ speakers/ cables, and many more. 

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BoAt revenue performance report 2022: 

The largest product line of BoAt was wireless earphones and headphones. The sales grew by 2.5 times to Rs.947.4 crore in FY 21 from Rs.375.7 crore in FY 20. The second position was taken by the wireless speakers. Sales of the speakers grew up to 2.6 times from Rs.113.2 crore in FY20 to Rs.297.4 crore during FY21. The manufacturing and assembling of the company take place in China. The company plans to shift its manufacturing industry to India through the Indian Government’s PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme. The company’s total annual expenditure grew 2.2times from Rs.637.6 crore in FY20 to Rs.1420.1 crore during FY21.  

BoAt’s revenue has crossed a whopping 500crore in FY2020, which was the expected revenue of the company for FY 21-22. Today, the company has 5000+ retail stores and 20 distributors. 

Shareholders of BoAt:

The owners Sameer Mehta and Aman Gupta hold 28.26% of equity share capital on a diluted basis, i.e. both the founders hold 56.52% in the company. The BRLMs(Book Running Lead Managers) are Axis Capital, Credit Suisse, ICICI Securities, BofA Securities, and Link Intime.  

BoAt recently signed a 50-50 john venture with the electronic manufacturer Dixon Technology Ltd. to establish a powerful manufacturing base in India for local production of its products. It was a step to move away from China. 

Must read: 10+ Best Video Marketing Strategies and Trends For 2022

Marketing strategies of BoAt:

• Private label business – In the initial years of its origin, the brand used the traditional business model of Private Label Business, where it purchased its products from Chinese manufacturers, did the branding, and sold them in India under the name of “BoAt products”. This method did not benefit the company. So to increase its sales, the company thought of changing its business model .
• Designer electronic devices – Till 2014, audio devices were sold in the market as simple electronic devices. Nobody focussed on their design. The boAt started launching electronic products which grabbed the attention of the audience due to their unique designs. It sells audio devices like accessories.  The boAt is also collaborating with the fashion industry. It launched spunky headphones at the Lakme Fashion Week 2020 by collaborating with the popular fashionista Masaba Gupta. Together, they launched products that gave a feel of the disco style of the late 70s. 

• Digital marketing – To increase sales, BoAt adopted digital marketing techniques in its marketing strategy. For a successful business, it has to first create demands in the existing market. So the founders turned their focus around e-commerce. The marketing strategies of the company are as under:
• Mobile marketing – boAt connects with its audience and customers through a mobile app, emails, and SMS marketing.   
• Email marketing – The company sends personalized messages to their existing and potential customers informing them about a new product or upcoming discounts. Such messages carry catchy and crisp emails.
• Social media marketing – boAt has reached great success through social media marketing. It makes a presence on digital platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
• Hashtag Marketing – The company smartly uses catchy hashtags to increase customer conversion. Such hashtags have made a remarkable presence on social media platforms. Some of the popular hashtags used by the company are #boatheads, #levelupwithboat, #raisethebar, and others.  
• Campaigning through social media – Instagram stories are created and shared by BoAt under the name “boAt adventures” to catch the attention of the audience. Digital campaigns have helped the company connect with the right target audience and share the right type of content. 
• Influencer marketing – boAt has struck deals with influencers, celebrities, and popular personalities from different industries. Celebrities like Kartik Aryan, Kiara Advani, and Jacqueline Fernandes are some famous endorsements of BoAt. Also, popular content creators like Prajakta Koli, Harsh Beniwal, and Bhuvan Bam are some of the promoters of the brand.  
• Engagement Marketing – Concerts created by boAt are unforgettable to the audience. The company uses a two-way communication method using photo booths, and nirvana zones and asks its customers to participate. They then share customer stories on their official Instagram page. This creates emotional bonding between BoAt and the audience and creates a loyal customer base. This engaged communication generates buzz around the market. Further boAt has conducted takeover tours with popular musicians like A.P.Dillon and has successfully launched campaigns in Mumbai, Chandigarh, Goa, Gurugram, and Hyderabad. In 2019, boAt conducted the Sunburn Festival at Goa where stars like Wiz Khalifa, DJ Snake, Tyga, and Yellow Claw performed.  

• Offline marketing – Digital marketing has been proved to be a very effective marketing strategy for many businesses. Offline marketing like print media, newspaper ads, and others also play a pivotal role in promoting a business. The boAt uses print media to promote its brand. The company also sells through retail outlets like Reliance Digital and Croma.  

• Innovation – The company experts adopt innovation in their product range. The company keeps launching different types of products and continuously grabs the attention of its audiences. Every product launched by the company has a touch of innovation.   

Must read: What is Meme Marketing & How to Develop Meme Marketing Strategies?

boAt mainly focuses on customer needs, the customer wants, and their behavioural patterns. The company made its products affordable and durable for every type of customer. The brand deeply studied the market and its customers. Thus it collaborated with cricketers, musicians, fashionistas, and such personalities who were popular among the target audiences . In such a way the company could successfully create a strong customer base and become a billion-dollar company in India.    

Triumphs of BoAt:

The boAt has emerged as the 5th biggest audio company in the world. There is no particular tip or reason behind such a huge success. The consistency in the efforts put in the company by the team has given them such a huge success in a short period. Let us discuss some of the reasons for their success.

Reasons for the success of BoAt:

• Improvisations – BoAt refers to the influencers of its brand as BoAtheads. They form an integral part of the clan. The company aims at customer satisfaction and brings in products based on their likes and requirements. This gives their users a feeling of belongingness. The products of the company are fresh and colourful.  
• Adaptability – The steep growth of the company is mainly because it adapts itself to the changing trend in the market. It kept a keen eye on the latest trends in the market. It constantly kept adopting such changes in its marketing strategies. The brand’s first product was the indestructible Apple charging cable followed by an exclusive range of earphones. Their first earphones were named BassHeads. Soon after, in 2018, the brand came up with a wide range of speakers. In 2019, BoAt launched soundbars and home theatre systems. 
• Classification as a lifestyle brand – The brand depicts itself as a lifestyle brand and not a consumer electronic brand. These tactics were displayed during the 2019 Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai, where the models displayed boAt products as their only accessories while dressed up in designer outfits.
• Blitzscaling – It refers to the quick growth of a company. This method prioritizes speed over efficiency. This method is also used by companies like PayPal and Airbnb. This risky method is meant to provide quick success.
• Targeting the appropriate group – The brand is famous for providing stylish products at affordable rates. The brand selects younger personalities as its ambassadors. The company focuses on providing lifestyle products mainly targeting the younger mass. 
• Digital marketing – The company saw a steep growth in sales during its initial period. It bypassed the traditional marketing mediums like TV and print media. The campaign by BoAt mostly runs on digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc. The online group of BoAtheads consists of 80,000 members at present. Word-of-Mouth marketing is another marketing strategy of BoAt.    The company claims to sell 4 units every minute and 6,000+ units per day. The company establish 5000+ retail outlets and is supported by 20+ distributors. 

Must read: Content Marketing: Create & Deploy an Effective Content Marketing Strategy to Skyrocket Your Business

Awards and recognitions of BoAt:

• 2020: Company was declared as ‘No. 1 brand’ for truly wireless earwear in India.
• 2020: Declared as “5th largest wearable brand in the world” 
• 2021: Selected as the official audio partner of 6 IPL teams

Wrapping up:

Within 6 years, boAt company has successfully captured the whole world of electronic gadgets in a spellbound way. It has established itself as the 5th largest wearable brand in the world and the number 1 brand in India. The marketing strategies of the brand are commendable. The company mainly focuses on smart and crisp marketing campaigns. They have smartly used the digital platform for the promotion of their products. Even during the pandemic, the brand used different tactics to stay relevant in the market. Their popularity has forced other big companies like JBL to lower their product prices to compete in the affordable audio device category.   

FAQs related to BoAt:

What is boat.

It is an Indian startup that manufactures and distributes electronic gadgets. The brand has become India’s favored wearable brand. 

Who founded boAt?

The boAt was founded by Sameer Mehta and Aman Gupta in 2016.

Is boAt an Indian or a Chinese company?

The boAt is an Indian-based consumer electronics brand that provides a wide range of wearable, stylish and affordable audio devices.

Who is the present CEO of boAt?

Vivek Gambhir is the present CEO of boAt.

Suraj Shrivastava

Suraj Shrivastava at ForgeFusion shares simple, effective ways to grow your business using SEO, content marketing, and AI, learned from helping over 50 companies. When he’s not working, he loves teaching others or watching documentaries.

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Sustaining an Ethnic Soft Drink - Paper Boat: Brand Positioning and Consumer Behavior

By: S. Ramesh Kumar, Mithun Sivagurunathan

Parvesh Dabuka, Head of Marketing, Paper Boat brand of soft drink was thinking about the success of the niche brand that was positioned on nostalgia and ethnic taste. This thought had two aspects,…

• Length: 15 page(s)
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2017
• Discipline: Marketing
• Product #: IMB647-PDF-ENG

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Parvesh Dabuka, Head of Marketing, Paper Boat brand of soft drink was thinking about the success of the niche brand that was positioned on nostalgia and ethnic taste. This thought had two aspects, one that was not uncommon and the other a different manner of looking at brand positioning. As a brand manager of a successful brand, like any other brand manager, he was concerned about sustaining the success of the brand: he had also thought that he should look at the brand positioning of Paper Boat through the lens of consumer behavior aspects. There were a number of questions in his mind: Was the success of Paper Boat because of its ethnic and nostalgic positioning or was it because of the novelty of picking up a different proposition. Both were different aspects. The novelty of brand positioning may wean off after sometime if consumers are not committed to the brand for what it stands for. Given the rapid strides made by the competitors of Paper Boat, would consumers be more interested in the functional benefits of the brand? Do consumers experience the brand (Paper Boat) based on its ingredients? Was Paper Boat associated with consumers at the level of their self-concept? Parvesh knew that he was getting at the positioning of Paper Boat through several aspects of how consumers expressed their behavior and at the same time wondered if a category such as soft drinks generally associated with fun and frolic may appeal to the consumers on anything other than nutritive benefits or fun? Further, if consumers wanted a new association with Paper Boat, how can the brand steer away from its existing associations toward a new set of associations? He seemed to have an endless array of thoughts linked to brand positioning and repositioning. The case study explores several contemporary aspects of consumer behavior in the backdrop of the usual brand positioning efforts.

Learning Objectives

Learning from this case: How can different aspects of consumer behavior influence brand positioning? Generally, brand positioning cases involving brand management do not delve into different aspects of consumer behavior. The primary objective of the case is to investigate the effectiveness of brand positioning associated with successful brands.

Sep 1, 2017

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Beverage industry

Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore

IMB647-PDF-ENG

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