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Mokobara is a luggage brand that aims to make travel more enjoyable and easier. The brand's name comes from the Maori word "moko", which means face tattoo and represents personality and attitude, and the Swedish word "bara" which means to carry. Hence this brand is ideal to target GenZ and millennials with its quirky design and functionalities.

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Over the past few decades our travel has changed and things we carry on our travels have evolved. Some are personal, some are critical- laptops/ documents/ chargers/ camera. And all of this stuffed with our clothes, that we hope reach the destination as unruffled & wrinkle-free as possible, so we can hit the ground running.

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Gen Z is seeking more than just functionality. They crave products that are eco-friendly, tech-savvy, and stylish. Mokobara's luggage meets these expectations with durable materials, smart features like integrated USB ports for on-the-go charging, and compartments designed for modern essentials. They understands these demands and addresses them with stylish external designs and innovative interiors. By blending international ideas with local needs, Mokobara creates luggage that resonates with the restlessness, ambition, and drive of Gen Z and positions itself as a reliable companion designed to support and facilitate the journey embodying the idea the psyche of #GoingPlaces. Travel smarter, travel better with Mokobara!!

Mokobara is not a luggage company. It's a travel, fashion and lifestyle brand.

Mokobara's product portfolio includes:

• Luggage / Suitcases,
• Everyday backpacks, Travel backpacks,
• Totes & Handbags,
• Travel accessories

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The prices range from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000 with average selling price close to Rs 8,000/-

Mokobara’s product features

Mokobara products are made with premium materials and feature a number of design elements:

• Unbreakable and lightweight: Made from a flexible and strong German Makrolon polycarbonate shell
• Super silent wheels: Smooth Japanese Hinomoto wheels that glide across carpets and floors
• Internal compression system: Helps you pack more clothes
• Magic eraser: Wipes away scuff marks after each trip
• Dust cover and laundry bag: Helps protect your luggage when it's not in use
• TSA approved lock: A keyless lock that can be unlocked by pushing the latch towards the numbers
• Water-Resistant fabric: Mokobara use a water-resistant fabric

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Additional features:​

• They focus on sustainability with their use of vegan leather and sometimes recycled materials in multiple products
• The interior of many bags has a lining made from various materials like nylon or polyester.
• They use metal hardware for zippers, clips, and other fittings

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There were certain trends on-going during the pandemic which the Mokobara's team sensed and capitalized on:

1. Shifting Travel Habits
2. • Focus on Experiences: As wanderlust persisted, trips became more intentional and people started focusing on unique experiences
   • Workations and Remote Work: The rise of remote work fueled demand for luggage that could seamlessly transition between personal and professional travel
   • Domestic Travel Boom: With international travel restrictions, domestic tourism flourished. Mokobara, being an Indian brand, benefited from this surge in local exploration
3. ​Changing Consumer Preferences​
4. • Increased Online Shopping: Covid accelerated the shift to online shopping with rise in D2C brands and targeted online marketing efforts
   • Focus on Value and Sustainability: Consumers became more value-conscious and mindful of sustainability
   • Desire for Comfort and Convenience: Travelers sought luggage that was easy to maneuver, pack and also brought a degree of uniqueness

👥 ICP Selection

For user research, I created a google form which captured results from 30+ individuals. Further, to understand more about the users and (how + why) they ended up with Mokobara products multiple interviews were conducted.

Below are the ICPs cohorts I concluded from the survey and interviews:

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Selecting the ideal customer profiles (ICPs) :

Summary of the user responses and interviews:

Users are experiencing brand fatigue and are now leaning towards unique and minimalistic designs. There is a rising demand for aspirational products as people become more aware, thanks to widespread internet adoption and exposure on social media. With higher disposable incomes, consumers are increasingly willing to invest in products that reflect their individuality and offer a sense of exclusivity and quality.

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ICP Prioritization matrix:​

Basis the ICP prioritization matrix, I have identified 3 key ICPs highlighted in blue - broken down the ICPs in terms of specific product offerings to better tailor my approach:

Below are the customer segments that we should target:

1. Lifestyle product - Everyday Backpacks, Handbags,Travel accessories (ICP 1 & 5):

Age: 22-35

Average annual income > 15,000 $

Category: India 1 - Mexico, Poland, Singapore

Location: Tier 1 cities

Time Spent On: Instagram/FB, Google, Amazon, OTT

Looking for: Minimalistic designs, Brand appeal and Quality

• • This segment of people have just started their career and have aspirations to buy premium products. Hence price point isn't a big factor for them.
  • They work in companies like CRED, Nykaa, Myntra, Hotstar and follows latest trends and travel bloggers (Shenaz, Bruised passports)
  • This segment also believes in gifting good quality premium products. Hence, 5 out of 11 interviews had purchased Mokobara products to gift to a friend / family member.​

2. Suitcases | Luggage (ICP 3):

Age: 27-50

Average annual income > 30,000 $

Category: India 1 - Poland, Singapore

Location: Tier 1 cities

Time Spent On: Social Media, Education platforms, Grocery shopping, Marketplaces, News

Looking for: Quality, Warranty, Design

• • This segment of people have money and aspirations to purchase premium product. They are logical in their buying approach - and look at design, shape, form factor, quality, warranty of the products before buying.
  • These are travel enthusiasts, mothers (buying suitcases for their kids), families, frequent flight travellers,

💪 Mokobara Competitors​

Mokobara has disrupted the travel space, competing with brands like VIP, American Tourister, Samsonite, and Safari. Mokobara distinguishes itself with its minimalistic design, premium quality, and distinctive yellow lining. Positioned in the premium price segment, Mokobara faces limited competition from new direct-to-consumer brands.

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Samsonite, known for its higher price points in both laptop bags and suitcases, presents an opportunity for Mokobara to disrupt this market segment. By launching luxury bags at a comparable price point to Samsonite, Mokobara can further establish itself as a formidable competitor in the premium luggage category.

Market Size: Mokobara is aiming for a slice of the mid and premium segments, which make up about 30% of a Rs.20,000 crore industry, which is projected to grow at 10-12% CAGR.

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Competitor Analysis:

As we can see below, sales growth of premium brands have been outperforming mass brands. Taking our example, Mokobara should try to eat up market share of brands such as Safari, American Tourister etc.

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Few brands operating in this travel & tourism sector:

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1. Every brand now looks like Mokobara - Mokobara has to stay two steps ahead of the look-alikes, me-too and copycats.
2. Expanding its retail footprint - Mokobara needs to aggressively scale its offline presence if it needs to scale up its operations. It’s a consumer brand in a country where touch and feel still matters a lot. Hence, Mokobara must be visible across the country.

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📈 Market size for affordable luxury travel products​

Mokobara, which represents itself as a travel brand and not a luggage brand, is aiming for a slice of the mid and premium segments.

TAM (Total Addressable Market)

To calculate total TAM, we'll individually calculate TAM for our two product offerings:

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ICP 1: Travel Lifestyle products - Everyday Backpacks, Handbags, Travel accessories

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Total population of India = 140 crore

• Age group = 22-35
• % population living in Tier 1 cities ~35%
• % working professionals in Tier 1 cities ~60% (Numbers are high in Bangalore/Pune (~72%), but low in Delhi/Mumbai (~55%), hence taking average of 60%)

Potential Market size = 140 * 0.6 * 0.35 * 13 / 75 (assuming average age to be 75)

= 5 crore

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ICP 2: Suitcases | Luggage

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Total population of India = 140 crore

• Age group = 27-50
• % population living in Tier 1 cities ~35%
• Suitcases are purchased for family. On average, each family have 4.5 people in India

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Potential Market size = 140 * 1/4.5 * 23 / 75 (assuming average age to be 75)

= 9.5 crore

TAM = 14.5 crore​

SAM (Service Addressable Market)

SAM - Acquirable percentage of TAM

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From the TAM we are further drilling down Tier 1:

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Further dividing it into India 1A, 1B & 1C:

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India can be divided in 3 segments: India 1, India 2, India 3 and affluent people live in India 1A and 1B

Market Size Remaining = 14 crore * 0.33 * 0.9 * 0.65

= 2.5 crore

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SAM = 2.5 crore

SOM (Service Obtainable Market)​

SOM - Obtainable percentage of SAM

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The SAM includes the chances of people buying products from other brands and websites. Mokobara has opened more than 10 retail outlets, and planning to increase it to 30 outlets in next 2 years, with brand presence on e-commerce websites (Amazon, Ajio) and q-commerce (Blinkit). We can assume our cohort of people buying from Mokobara to be 30% of SAM.

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SOM = 2.5 crore * 0.3

= 0.75

Now, average selling price of Mokobara products is Rs 8,000 - Rs 9,000

Potential market size = 0.75 crore * Rs 8.5k

= Rs 6500 crores

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SOM = Rs 6500 crores​

Where is 'Mokobara' on its Journey​

Product Market Fit Achieved ✅

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• 2 lakh+ followers on instagram in less than 2 years
• Revenue jumped from 12 crore in FY 22-23 to 120 crores in FY 23-24
• Strong word of mouth, 80%+ strong positive reviews on Amazon, Judge.me

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Mokobara has successfully moved beyond the initial stages of product validation and now should focus on scaling the brand. Mokobara has found an amazing fit in the Indian industry, intelligently marketing their product and solving issues mentioned below:

1. Brand fatigue - The new generation does not relate to the brands that their parents use. They want to try out products from newer brands that they can talk to their friends about.
2. Exclusivity - Aspirational customers pay for premium products to show off in social circles, or have a sense of prestige and distinction.
3. High quality and functionality - Travelers, daily commuters are looking for new products that are more convenient to use and provides functionality
4. Minimalistic designs - Indians have been influenced by the American and European culture for the longest period. Consumers have now started looking for minimalistic design, comfort - following the same trend as of Japan, Singapore.

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1. Influencer marketing - Diljit Dosanjh and Deepika Padukone

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2. Indigo - Launched a collaboration with Indigo, providing Mokobara luggage owners with 2kgs of extra luggage capacity

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3. BlinkIt - Partnered with BlinkIt to provide Tatkal delivery (under 10 minutes delivery)

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4. Vobble - They have partnered with Vobble to create a dent in kids category

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• Scaling is an important parameter for ‘Mokobara
• Considering that we look into Search, Influencer marketing, Paid Ads, Referral and Coupon integration
• The lead generation time is also important for considering the cost and effort put into each channel

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To find the best possible acquisition channel we will drill down the usage pattern for our ICPs and how they discovered about 'Mokobara'

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• ~ 20 users (~70%) heard about Mokobara through Paid advertising on Instagram
• 12 (~40%) users also heard about Mokobara through Word of mouth (Friends, colleagues, Family)

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• Majority of the users (~67%) shop online - D2C website, Marketplaces

Acquisition Channels Experiments

A quick search on SimilarWeb, shared interesting insights on Organic and Paid search for Mokobara.

-Majority of the current users are being acquired through paid search, Direct marketing and organic search.

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-Organic Search of Mokobara is 18% which is low compared to other competitors. Assembly travel was launched after Mokobara but still lead it in organic search results.

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-Engagement data on SimilarWeb shows Mokobara has the lowest bounce (significantly low) rate compared with competitor

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• In the Mokobara discovery framework, we observed that most potential customers discovered Mokobara through Instagram. This aligns perfectly with our priority target audience, Gen Z and Millennials, who spend significant time on Instagram and other social networking platforms.
• As a key discovery channel for new D2C trends, Instagram provides Mokobara with an opportunity to engage with a large and highly active audience. By leveraging visually appealing content, influencer partnerships, and targeted ads, Mokobara can effectively reach and engage Gen Z and Millennials, driving brand awareness and sales.

​Let's calculate CAC : LTV ratio​

The LTV:CAC ratio is 2.4. This is considered to be healthy and it can be considered to use paid ads as a profitable acquisition channel.

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Channel Selection Framework:​

• Considering the cost and scalability across the paid channels, Facebook Ads and Google search ads can be major distribution channels for acquisition.
• Also ~42% of the website traffic comes through paid search.
• Mokobara is ranked under 20 on category searches.

SERP Analysis

Keyword search for backpacks & suitcases:

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In both the scenarios, Mokobara is ranked at 14 & 15th position when searched for keywords "Backpacks" and "Suitcase" respectively. For such generic keywords, Mokobara is ranked quite low compared to its competitors.

Search Volume Comparison:

Google Search Ads​

Backpacks:

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-Mokobara products and website is ranked lower on google search when searched for keyword "Backpacks"

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Suitcases:

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-Mokobara products and website is ranked lower on google search when searched for keyword "Suitcase"

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Totes & Handbags:

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-Mokobara website is ranked higher on google search when searched for keyword "Totes/Handbags"

Google search Ad creative:

• The Ad creative should include the cost, sales, Mokobara branding, features
• Mokobara should try to leverage from its brand partnership with Indigo
• • Display ads that mentions "2kg extra baggage allowance"
  • Add snippets from movie 'Crew' - Kareena kapoor / Diljit Dosanj carrying Mokobara bags

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• After speaking to several product users, we found 45% users had purchased Mokobara backpacks/ totes/ cabin suitcases as a gift for friends, family and colleagues. We can partner with aggregators like Qwikcilver, Tango, Giftcard India to implement gift card programs for customer engagement
• Mokobara can also partner with gifting aggregators like Vantage Circle and Bigsmall.in which specializes in rewards and recognition, employee benefits, wellness which will allow Mokobara to tap into corporate gifting market. Multiple MNCs, including Deloitte, PWC, and McKinsey, already have tie-ups with Vantage Circle, offering a promising avenue for expanding our reach

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Example 1: Vantage Circle​

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Vantage Circle can help Mokobara grow by leveraging its comprehensive employee engagement and rewards platform to enhance brand visibility, drive sales, and foster customer loyalty

Example 2: Qwikcilver​

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Qwikcilver can facilitate Mokobara’s entry into the corporate gifting market by offering bulk gift card solutions to businesses. Corporations often purchase gift cards in large quantities for employee rewards, holiday gifts, and client appreciation

Example 3: Corporate gifting tab on Mokobara

Corporate gifting will allow Mokobara to showcase its premium products to a wider audience, potentially converting gift recipients into loyal customers. Companies that give Mokobara products as gifts can help spread brand awareness and associate their brand with high-quality, stylish, and practical products.

• Dedicated Corporate Gifting Page​

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• Product Showcase​

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This page will include,

• Information on customization options, such as adding company logos, personalized messages, or custom packaging
• Testimonials or case studies from previous corporate clients to build trust and credibility
• Easy Ordering Process - straightforward and secure ordering process with options for bulk orders
• An inquiry form for businesses to request quotes or more information, ensuring a personalized approach
• Special Offers and Packages - Information on special offers, discounts, or packages for bulk orders

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Why someone will refer Mokobara?

Brag-worthy points about Mokobara:

• Premium quality and premium bags
• Innovative Design - Smart features like integrated USB ports, 360-degree spinner wheels, and organized interiors
• Signature Yellow Lining
• Eco-Friendly Options - Products made from recycled materials to help reduce environmental footprint
• Celebrity Partnerships - Proud to be chosen by Bollywood stars like Diljit Dosanjh and Kareena Kapoor Khan for their movie crew
• Exclusive Teppanyaki Backpack

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Insights from user-calling:

What are the things they like about 'Mokobara'

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How referral program will suit the existing customers?

• When we look into the "Mokobara" discovery chart we can see that the second-highest discovery was from friends and family ~40%. Which means Mokobara has a strong WOM without a referral program
• Friends who travel together, go on adventure treks, work in the same office etc., can influence each other to buy merchandise
• When we look at our ICP’s behaviour we can see that ICP-1 & ICP-5 can potentially be our referrers

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What should be the reward for the existing and future souls?

1. Referral Incentive:
2. • Offer a compelling incentive for both the referrer and the new customer
   • • Referrer: Get a 20% discount on your next purchase for a successful order placed by the referral
     • New Customer: Receive a 15% discount on your first purchase when referred by a friend
3. Mokobara Coins:
4. • Top referrers who accumulate the most "Mokobara Coins" will unlock exclusive benefits
   • Keep the benefits of Mokobara Coins secret until the end of the campaign to create suspense and intrigue among participants - maintain excitement and engagement by hinting at "great benefits in store for you if you accumulate X Mokobara Coins"
5. Promotional Materials:
6. • Create personalized referral codes or links for each customer to share easily with their network
   • Provide visually appealing graphics and copy for social media sharing and email invitations - add posters of Diljit Dosanj
7. Campaign Duration:
8. • Launch the campaign with a clear start and end date to create a sense of urgency and drive immediate action
9. Communication Strategy:
10. • Announce the referral campaign through email newsletters, social media posts, and on the Mokobara website
11. Feedback and Optimization:
12. • Gather feedback from participants to understand their experience with the referral program
    • Use insights to optimize future campaigns and improve customer engagement and satisfaction

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Example:

"Love your Mokobara gear? Share the love and earn rewards! Refer a friend to Mokobara and both of you get rewarded. Your friend gets 15% off their first purchase, and you earn a 20% discount on your next order. Start sharing your referral code today and let’s travel stylishly together with Mokobara!"

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Experiment: Enhance customer experience by offering complimentary customized passport holders with purchases of ₹20,000 or above

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Example: Messy corners sells customized passport holders

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During user interviews, many users expressed frustration about Amazon, Ajio, and Flipkart charging a whopping 12%-15% margin on product listings. They indicated a preference for ordering directly from D2C websites if the prices were the same on both platforms.

To incentivize direct purchases, we can offer personalized passport covers for free to customers who spend over ₹20,000.

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Important features to take care of:

1. Shopping cart value > 20,000
2. Only available on D2C platform - www.mokobara.com
3. Should have Mokobara signature branding - combination of MB, and yellow lining to keep it distinctive

Outcome:

1. Help create a feeling of exclusivity and prestige for our customers
2. These personalized passport holders will not only enhance the travel experience for those taking international flights and ship tours but also serve as organic promotion for the Mokobara brand.
3. The cost of acquiring a customer through this initiative is approximately ₹400. However, by shifting customers from marketplaces to our D2C website, we can save margins in excess of 5%

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