Singer Sri Lanka, evolving into a progressive brand, has launched a range of kitchen and home appliances from British icon SWAN, noted for vintage designs and builtto-last quality.
Shanil Perera, Marketing Director at Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC, discusses the consumer durables retail company’s latest venture into a unique market segment with its latest partnership with British home appliances brand SWAN.
“With SWAN, Singer Sri Lanka will enter the untouched retro segment in consumer durables,” Perera says. “We are excited by the opportunity that this partnership will unlock, as we continue to position Singer as a progressive brand that caters to different consumer segments with a comprehensive portfolio of global high-end to mass-market brands”.
Tell us about the SWAN brand. What makes it special in the electrical and home appliances market?
SWAN is a British home appliances brand with a rich heritage dating back to the 1920s and a reputation for durability, quality and much more. The brand offers a wide range of electrical and home appliances highly appreciated by discerning consumers not just for the quality but for their aesthetic sensibility and vintage designs as well.
The consumer market loves nostalgia. Retro designs and themes bring back old and often happy memories of childhood and young adult years. People make connections to these moments in their lives, and this is the appeal of retro designs and why it never grows old. SWAN understands this market intimately. With its range of home appliances that combine modern and traditional tastes that come in a host of exciting colours, SWAN has a growing base of loyal consumers the world over.
Typically, customers loyal to the SWAN brand tend to have discerning tastes, appreciate all that is classical and retro, yearn for unique experiences and make bold statements that reflect their lifestyle choices. SWAN has ventured into 11 countries, including Sri Lanka, the only country in the South Asian region, lured here by a growing retro consumer base yet to be served by any consumer-durable retailer: until now. Singer Sri Lanka is partnering with SWAN to fill this void in the consumer-durables market.
What made SWAN enter the Sri Lankan market, and why did they choose to partner with Singer Sri Lanka?
Singer is the authorised dealer and partner for more than 50 global brands in Sri Lanka. Our portfolio comprises Apple, Acer, ASUS, Beko, Canon, Dell, Kenwood, Huawei, Hitachi, John Deere, Panasonic, Philips, Moulinex, Samsung, Sisil, Sony, Sharp, Tefal and Whirlpool, to name a few. We have over 430 branded stores and over 500 distribution points. Singer by itself is a household name in Sri Lanka with a solid reputation for trust. So, it was natural for SWAN to partner with Singer to execute its growth strategy in this region.
Although perceived as a niche, the retro segment is a rapidly growing one in Sri Lanka. The market is broadly composed of C-suite executives, professionals, and people of all walks of life who love nostalgia and relate to retro designs. SWAN’s retro range even appeals to younger consumers who value a unique sense of style.
No other organised consumer-durables retailer in the country offers high-end electrical and home appliances under a retro design theme complete with aftersales services. As the No.1 consumer durables brand in the country, Singer was the perfect fit for SWAN to grow its footprint in a growing market segment in this part of the world.
Other synergies made this partnership possible. SWAN specialises in eCommerce sales and has a robust online business model which complements Singer’s growing digital presence. We can leverage SWAN’s expertise to delight a consumer segment with exceptional demands on convenience and tastes.
The target market for SWAN is anyone who appreciates vintage artistry and lifestyles: they have a passion for vintage cars and watches, appreciate classical and retro music and the arts, and also pursue modern lifestyles seeking new experiences, adventure, and love nature: this segment also includes avid collectors of books, comic books, and toys of a bygone era. It is a broad and vibrant group of consumers, and its numbers are growing.
They often buy products online, travel outside the country frequently, are well-read and aware of the world around them, and develop an appreciation for good food and designs. They want their homes and household appliances to make a statement and reflect their lifestyles and be aesthetically appealing: SWAN excels at this. SWAN appliances add vibrancy to life. Available in retro designs and a host of pastel shades, they can uplift the ambience of any space; be it a kitchen, pantry, or living room.
The nostalgic vibes they exude are not only a call back to the past but create a sense of belonging to the now: and cherishing each moment. It is also about making a lifestyle statement. Customers will get all this and more, including the quality and durability that British technology has a reputation for, and the outstanding infrastructure, market reach and customer service of Singer.
SWAN appliances are currently available at selected Singer Mega Showrooms and purchased via www.singer.lk, Singer’s state of the art eCommerce platform, and delivered to any part of the country.
Initially, the SWAN product range will include kettles, toasters, microwave ovens, egg poachers, coffee brewers, cookware, pedestal fans, and steam stations. We will gradually roll out other retro products from SWAN like dishwashers, mini-refrigerators, wine chillers, bread holders and cereal dispensers.
Shanil perara
Marketing Director at singer
How does launching SWAN in Sri Lanka fit in with Singer Sri Lanka’s growth strategy?
As the leading consumer durables retailer in the country, Singer Sri Lanka continuously seeks to elevate customer experiences and lifestyles across different segments from mass to highend markets and everything in between. We strive to extend our reach and look out for untapped opportunities. In that context, our partnership with SWAN is strategic and will open up new growth opportunities for Singer Sri Lanka.
We are a progressive brand that caters to consumers from all walks of life with all manner of needs and tastes. Singer has mass-market products that can elevate consumers aspiring for a better lifestyle, and mid to high range products for those with nuanced expectations. I believe the partnership with SWAN will elevate Singer as a progressive brand in the consumer durables market.