The Indian audio market is more competitive than ever! With established players making a rush to assert their dominance in the space with competitively priced and well-tuned devices, there has also been an influx of brands that are trying to find their footing in the space, making it a David vs Goliath kind of affair.
In times like these, when a new brand decides to make its entry in India, it is always interesting to know what pushed them to set foot in this competitive space. One such brand that recently started its operations in India is Tivoli Audio. The Americal audio brand is trying to find its way into India with some really interesting offerings. So, I spoke to their CEO, Paul DePasquale, about the brand’s entry into India.
He said that Tivoli, being a brand that has a presence in a number of countries, coming from its roots in America, sees a lot of potential in India. Mr Paul also shared some interesting insights about Tivoli’s products when quizzed about their sound signature and how it would sit with a market filled with people who love musical genres that are best played on bass-heavy sound systems. We also spoke about the potential launch of Tivoli-branded TWS earbuds, and he had a very interesting take on the subject!
Here’s a look at how the interaction with Mr Paul DePasquale went –
What motivated a brand like Tivoli, operating in North America, to come to India?
Tivoli has been in business for over 20 years. We have sold in over 30 countries. In the last few years, I have been taking a close look into both the regions we have not entered and also the regions with good opportunities in the audio product industry. India’s robust growing market, economy, shows a lot of promise in the years to come. Currently, I think a brand such as Tivoli is in the perfect place to enter a market like India, which I feel is looking for quality, fun, and unique products such as Tivoli Audio.
Are there some insights about the Indian audio space that was a driving force for Tivoli to step into a highly competitive market like India?
Tivoli’s foundation was built on radios and India is a market that still has many radio listeners. This was one of the clear signs for us to bring our products to the competitive landscape, as we are offering something much more unique than other brands to the radio listeners. Apart from that Tivoli's decision to enter the Indian audio space is India's rapidly growing economy and a burgeoning middle class with increased disposable income makes a promising market for high-quality audio products.
Indian audiences are known to like a bass-heavy sound signature because of the popularity of Bollywood and Hip-hop music in India. Did Tivoli Audio make any tuning changes to its products to cater to the needs of Indian audiences?
We have a wide range of products. Our products are known to have a more natural replication of sound with a much warmer and balanced audio profile. However, our ART series including Model One Digital and Music System Home Gen 2, offer much more bass than some of the entry-level models we sell. In September of 2023 we will be launching three new models in which are not only high performance, but offer a bass-heavy sound, with a customisable equalizer to meet the listener’s desired audio style.
What are some key factors that help Tivoli Audio stand out from the rest of the Indian market? Are there any specific brands that you plan to pitch your products against?
Tivoli Audio products are known for their simple designs that are both user-friendly and unique. Our products are a talking piece, something that brings people together around music. The controls of the products are intuitive. This makes them a great choice for people of all ages and technical abilities.
We are not competing against any other brand as we feel our products are unique and stand apart.
Any specific reason to start your journey in India with Model One BT, Music System Home Gen2, Model One Digital Gen 2 and revive?
Model One BT is our classic. It is the best seller and even after 20 years we still sell over 50,000 units a year. The Model One digital, Music System Home Gen2, are the products with modern tech such as Airplay, and google cast, supporting a wide variety of music streaming services and this is the key for the growing younger market who is looking for features such as these. The Revive, is a combination of music, light, and wireless charging. It embodies the perfect home, desk, and accessory to have a multi-functional product. This product lends itself to our largely established business in the hotel industry, which we aim to be a part of within India as well.
Going ahead, can we expect the brand to build some India-specific speakers, or will it be the American portfolio trickling down into the Indian market?
We take feedback from all of our partners in multiple countries to review and establish, what are the best concepts, products, and ideas for each market. I am sure in time we will be doing the same within India.
Does the brand also plan to make in-roads into the TWS market as well?
We have launched TWS earbuds in the market before. In future, we might collaborate with a well-respected brand who is already in the space and launch TWS products.
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Satvik Pandey
Satvik Pandey, is a self-professed Steve Jobs (not Apple) fanboy, a science & tech writer, and a sports addict. At Digit, he works as a Deputy Features Editor, and manages the daily functioning of the magazine. He also reviews audio-products (speakers, headphones, soundbars, etc.), smartwatches, projectors, and everything else that he can get his hands on. A media and communications graduate, Satvik is also an avid shutterbug, and when he's not working or gaming, he can be found fiddling with any camera he can get his hands on and helping produce videos – which means he spends an awful amount of time in our studio. His game of choice is Counter-Strike, and he's still attempting to turn pro. He can talk your ear off about the game, and we'd strongly advise you to steer clear of the topic unless you too are a CS junkie. View Full Profile
