Be A Part Of Brand Saga
To Read This Full Story
Welcome
Be A Part Of Brand Saga
Share your own story with us
And Get Published In Brand Saga
Indigenous renowned foreign brand
Even after many decades, people are buying a foreign brand believing in an indigenous. In fact, whatever we are thinking, is totally wrong. Bata is not at all an Indian brand or founded by any Indian.
And yet, Beta succeeded as a luxurious middle-class brand. Bata shoes have been the first choice!
More than a century ago, in 1894, globally well-known footwear brand Bata was born in the city of Zalin in Czechoslovakia. Tomas Bata was the founder who started making shoes together with his brother Antonin and his sister. Thomas persuaded his mother to lend 320 dollars to start a business. The company also hired ten employees. This work was not new to Tomas Bata because his family was a traditional cobbler. But within the second year of opening, the company ran out of money, and Tomas decided to make canvas shoes instead of leather shoes. Now, the shoes were also available at lower prices because of cheaper raw materials. This decision was really welcomed by the people.
Gradually the company grew. Some years later, in 1904, Tomas traveled to the United States and learned various shoe-making methods. After coming from America, he increased the manufacturing of shoes a lot. Then, he made shoes for the official people separately. They were named âBatovky,â which became very popular. By 1912, the number of employees of the company had crossed the 600 marks. In 1914, the company had received a large order of shoes for soldiers. The company had to hire 10 times more staff to fulfill the demand of order. The company also opened several stores in different cities.
After World War I, there was a global recession, and they had to struggle to survive. At that point, Bata halved the price of the shoes. This advertisement campaign was very successful. However, issues related to raw material, payroll, and employment began to arise. In the meantime, the staff also cooperated with complete sincerity.
Gradually the company reached new heights because of the increasing trade at domestic as well as international markets. Thomas had a dream that most people in the world do not wear anything on their feet. Everyone should have Bata slippers or shoes on their feet. He traveled a lot to fulfill these dreams. In 1931-32, he came to India, visited countries in Africa, settled business in Europe, but, in 1932, he died at the age of 56 in a plane crash.
A radio station said goodbye to Tomas, saying:
âThe hero of our country is no more today. Every country has someone as a hero - a sports person, an actor, a politician, or pop musician. While the hero of our country was a shoemaker.â
A deal to open the company's factory had already been done when Tomas visited India in 1931. The first Bata factory in India was opened at Konnagar in West Bengal, then shifted to Bataganj.
Thus, Bata had arrived in India before independence when there was no single shoe industry in India. Since then, the brand has managed to win the trust of Indian consumers for years.
And Get Published In Brand Saga