Brand Led Growth project | Scapia
Introduction to Scapia
Scapia is a travel fintech startup that is in the business of turning your everyday expenses into travel rewards with its co-branded card that helps you fuel your next dream vacation.
Founded by the former Flipkart SVP, Anil Goteti, Scapia is built on the belief that the world and humanity get richer when people travel. The brand offers financial products and travel services for young millennials & Gen-Z through their co-branded credit card.
In his words, "Scapia is more than a credit card. It's a commitment to making travel accessible for everyone who dreams of seeing the world. It's a new way to reward young Indian travellers."
Section I: Crafting the core value prop
Understanding the product
- What is your product really in the business for?
Scapia is in the business of making travel more accessible to everyone by turning your daily expenses into travel rewards with its co-branded card. With every transaction using a Scapia credit card, Tribe members (users) earn Scapia coins. They act as currency that can be used to book a wide range of travel needs on the Scapia app.
- What problem does your product solve?
Scapia solving the challenges faced by travellers by making their everyday expenditure more rewarding
Rewarding everyday transactions is particularly beneficial for frequent travellers who can earn significant rewards over time.
Another challenge faced by many is the inflexibility of reward redemption. Scapia allows instant redemption of rewards for flight and hotel bookings, providing users with immediate benefits
Most credit card issuers in India charge 3% to 5% forex on every transaction, which can often be a big burden on your pocket.
As of March 2023, 23% of credit cardholders in India have unused rewards. Cash back and gift cards are the most popular options for redeeming rewards across all age groups.
- What are some customer benefits?
-Earn 10% Scapia coins on every spend
-Earn 20% Scapia coins when you book travel on the Scapia app
-Zero Joining and annual fees
-Zero Forex Markup
-Unlimited domestic lounge access
-5 Scapia coins = ₹1
Here is Scapia's comparison with some top of the top travel credit cards [SWIPE]
Criteria | Scapia | MMT ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card | Yatra SBI Card | Standard Chartered EaseMyTrip Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Card |
|
|
|
|
Joining fee | Zero | ₹2500 | ₹499 | ₹350 |
Annual fee | Zero | Zero | ₹499* | ₹350* |
Reward structure | 10% of the amt. spent | 1.25 My Cash per ₹200 spent on domestic transactions outside MMT | 1 reward point for every Rs. 100 spent on other categories | 2 rewards per Rs. 100 spent on other retail transactions |
Reward to ₹ | 5 Scapia coins = ₹1 | 1 My Cash = ₹1 | 4 Reward Points = ₹1 | 4 Reward Points = ₹1 |
Transaction amount (e.g.) | ₹75,000 | ₹75,000 | ₹75,000 | ₹75,000 |
Reward points gained | 7500 | 468.75 | 750 | 750 |
Reward in ₹ | ₹1500 | ₹468.75 | ₹187.5 | ₹187.5 |
*Waived off if expenditure limit is met.
- How is your user currently solving this problem?
-Users are predominantly addressing their needs through conventional credit cards.
-To maximize value, users often maintain multiple credit cards associated with various booking platforms/airlines.
-Travellers carry foreign currency in cash or a forex travel card (issued by top banks at an additional cost) from their home country to avoid/lower forex markup expenses.
Defining the JTBD of the brand
Scapia is a new product that is entering a category dominated by big established legacy players and will
need to solve for differentiation as well as need & trust.
Understanding ICPs
Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
Demographics | A working professional aged between 23 to 41 or more having a stable income source with a monthly income of more than ₹25,000. |
General Behaviour | A person who values experiences more than possessions and is open to try newer things frequently and believe in YOLO! |
Financial behaviour | Disciplined credit user with a good credit score who pays the bill in full before the due date or on time |
Spending behaviour | It has a set of fixed expenses and a substantial expenditure on things on travel |
Travel behaviour | Travels frequently either for work or for personal reasons with 2-4 solo trips or 2-3 family trips annually |
Marital status | Single or married |
Social media usage | Moderate to high |
Mobile usage | Moderate to high |
Online booking comfort | High |
Credit card journey | Is already using a credit card or has no credit cards but is on the lookout for a travel-specific credit card |
The core Value proposition of Scapia
- For a Traveller who needs a Traveller-specific credit card, Scapia is the must-have credit card that helps them travel to their must-visit destinations.
Section II: Finding the Brand Wedgesales
- Category insights
-Non-trustworthiness due to hidden fees/salesy tactics/confusing reward structure
-Benefits do not overpower the hassle faced by the user
- User problems
-Fear of Overspending as the monthly credit limits are way higher than the individual's monthly income.
-Potential of getting into a debt trap.
-High interest rates
- User non-negotiables
-Control over money
-Easy bill payment process
-Security
- Negotiables
-App design & aesthetics
-App features
-Card design
-Money tracking
- Aspirations
-Get an 800+ credit score
-Enjoy credit card-specific benefits
-Access to an emergency money source
Brand wedge
If the category perception is that the credit issuer can't be trusted, and the user pain point is fear of overspending and getting into debt then Scapia will always educate and build trust with their user for their travel needs.
How will the brand look?
How will the brand speak?
I am informative and friendly, but I am not untrustworthy.
How will the brand behave?
I am helpful but I am not imposing.
Section III: Apply on-brand on & off the product
Visual design
The current colours & font are appropriate for the brand as the colour orange is usually associated with fun, energy, approachable, affordable and different.
But a more premium set of fonts and iconography could certainly take it a notch up.
Social Media
Username: The current username, "getscapia," creates a positive association with the brand, implying a benefit but it also comes across as pushy and overly focused on marketing.
Suggested Username: A potentially better username could be "joinscapia."
Why: The word "join" evokes a sense of belonging and community, which is appealing to travellers who often seek social connections. "Join" also makes the brand seem more approachable, as it implies social benefits and is more welcoming.
Scapia likes to call its member community Scapia Tribe, word join takes the idea ahead.
New bio: A credit card that takes you to your dream destination!
The bio and the username need to be backed by solid content on the platform that resonates with the card offering and ultimate objective. This will include a series of UGC content that is done with the general public (not influencers) as a collaboration (needs to be visible on the platform) bringing out original stories which will inflict a greater sense of community-driven brand. This will also help in developing trust due to the social proof. needs
Website & APP
needs
The website as well as the Apps 1st landing page is too straightforward and does not start to create a connection.
As well as the current flow which is: onboarding screen > Signup page > benefits page > Application process could potentially become a better flow if it: Hello screen > Benefit example > all the benefits > Signup & Application.
The objective is to get users' self-interest in applying and getting the card ASAP.
Hello screen could have a copy: Congratulations, you are one step closer to visiting <destination name>
Along with a CTA that tells the users the needs and benefits of Scapia.
Privacy policy could be more trust inflicting by potentially changing the header to:
Big text: Your data is yours!
Small text: Here's our strict privacy policy
Similarly, the Grievance redressal page could seem more friendly by changing the current from Grievance redressal to How can we help?
Brand focused courses
Great brands aren't built on clicks. They're built on trust. Craft narratives that resonate, campaigns that stand out, and brands that last.
All courses
Master every lever of growth — from acquisition to retention, data to events. Pick a course, go deep, and apply it to your business right away.
Explore foundations by GrowthX
Built by Leaders From Amazon, CRED, Zepto, Hindustan Unilever, Flipkart, paytm & more
Crack a new job or a promotion with the Career Centre
Designed for mid-senior & leadership roles across growth, product, marketing, strategy & business
Learning Resources
Browse 500+ case studies, articles & resources the learning resources that you won't find on the internet.
Patience—you’re about to be impressed.