The TVS Scooty is a brand of Scooters made by TVS Motors of India. It is marketed mainly to women, and in 2009 was the largest selling brand among scooters aimed specifically at women buyers, selling about 25,000 units per month, compared to about 60,000 per month for the overall top selling scooter in India.
History
Scooty was initially conceived of as a Scooter for both sexes. However sales figures over the first two years indicated that more women were buying the Scooty than men. In 1996, Scooty went through a repositioning exercise to target women. Though it was seen as a risk with the large majority of Indian two-wheeler riders being male, TVS chose the strategy to tap the nascent segment of women riders. Over the last decade, Scooty has launched several models that cater to different segments of the market. These include the Scooty ES, the Scooty Pep and Pep+, Scooty Teenz and Scooty Streak.
Marketing
Rider education
In 2009 TVS Scooty began providing two-wheeler riding training to women across small and large towns in India in an effort to increase the size of the target market. Fewer than 2% of Indian women in the potential two-wheeler buying category of 15- to 60-year-olds actually buy a scooter. The campaign was called Women on Wheels: Building the Riding Habit, and later renamed the TVS Scooty Institute. The program has had 80 locations, and 42,000 women have been trained to ride a two-wheeler. About 20% of women trained at the institute buy the TVS Scooty. This campaign won the EMVIE by the Ad Club Bombay for campaign innovation.
TVS Scooty supported the MTV Scooty Teen Diva reality television contest in which contestants were judged on a variety of skills and attributes. The 2009 edition had over 3,000 applicants, 11 of whom participated in a 15-day shoot on location which was televised into an eight-episode reality series on MTV India in July–August 2009. Featuring judges who were members of the Indian fashion industry, contestants were graded on skills such as ramp-walking, cheerleading, acting and creativity. The winner of the 2008 edition was Koyal Rana and of the 2009 edition was Apeksha Porwal. They have both competed as India's representative at the Miss Teen International beauty pageant in July 2009 and 2010 in Chicago, United States. The association with a youth-oriented TV series is believed to reinforce Scooty's position in the minds of the target consumer.
Models
Scooty Streak
Launched in March 2009, the TVS Scooty Streak features LED tail lamps, external fuel filling and an easy-to-use center stand: making it specifically designed for the young woman. It has 90mm wide anti-skid tyres fashioned from wet compound giving it stronger grip in wet weather driving. Indian tennis player endorsed the brand and has appeared in several commercials around the model.
Scooty Pep+
Launched in 2005 Scooty Pep Plus features a light-weight body, with a choice of 99 colours and easy to drive.
Scooty Teenz and Teenz Electric
The Scooty Teenz has also been released in the electric edition that is designed specifically for young women who travel short distances. The Teenz Electric can carry a load of 130 kg with a pillion rider, up to a distance of per charge. Recognizing special needs of the young Indian woman on the road Scooty Teenz Electric incorporates design elements such as large utility and storage spaces, a mobile phone charger and a low battery charge indicator.
