The joint venture company between Daewoo Electronics and Anchor Switches has lined up a range of new brands, fresh marketing strategy, new communication and signed on new advertising agencies in an effort to take on its South Korean and Japanese rivals head on. Additionally, the company is finalising a strategy to penetrate rural markets.

The company has also signed on two new advertising agencies -- FCB Ulka and Interface -- to handle its new campaigns. FCB-Ulka will handle communications for the television products, while Interface will be in charge of the appliances portfolio.

Sharing details of the comeback plan with The Financial Express, Daewoo Anchor Electronics assistant general manager Sudhir Mathur said: "We have finalised astrong product line with distinct properties currently unmatched by any other company." Besides, there would be a strong line-up of products designed for the rural market, Mathur added.

The company has also decided to sub-brand its entire line-up of products under the new marketing strategy. Each sub-brand would have a distinct property which would be highlighted in all communications, Mathur said. The sub-brand for each product category would be unveiled through the new campaigns next month.

Mathur said that next month onwards, Daewoo Anchor would also be rolling out frost-free refrigerators and washing machines, designed specifically for the Indian market, from its new facility near Pune. This portfolio will subsequently be complemented with a range of other appliances like microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners and airconditioners.

The new frost-free refrigerators in 220 litre and 300 litre capacity are expected to be positioned to take on the likes of Whirlpool. Price positioning of refrigerators will bemore aggressive, with the 220 litre priced at approximately Rs 16,000 and the 300 litre in the region of Rs 26,000.

The USP of frost-free machines would be additional space available in the refrigerator portion. Daewoo would be offering 75:25 space ratio of refrigerator to freezer, unlike most foreign brands that maintain a ratio of 66:33. A long room lamp and a freezer lamp will be other features.

On the product portfolio for rural markets, Mathur said the company plans to launch simple washers priced under Rs 4,000, economy class semi-automatic washing machines between Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,000 and basic model of television with a single speaker.

Daewoo Anchor Electronics, is meanwhile, confident that the new strategy will enable it to double its turnover to Rs 600 crore by December 1999. It is also expecting its rural growth to double during the year.