Segmenting, Targeting and Positioning of Asian Paints
On the whole Asian Paints has segmented its market based on utility of the products, recognizing 3 major segments - (i) Decorative Coating, (ii) Industrial Coating and (iii) Automotive Paint.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN DECORATIVE PAINTS SECTOR
The foremost factors that consumers consider while purchasing paint are durability, price, health and environment, in that order. The quality of paints is a prime pre-purchase factor.
Since years Asian Paints has been delivering high quality and differentiated products in this sector. It has managed to create its own brand value and presence in the Paint Market. Hence home owners, decorators and developers tend to favour this brand over its competitors.
As far as the Indian market is concerned, the frequency of repainting walls is still around 5 years, and hence consumers are on the look-out for better quality and hence branded paint.
Asian paints offers varied products at a wide range of prices, which caters well to consumers of different income groups. For instance, "UTSAV", a low-value paint, is fast penetrating the lower income group, helping the company to move from metros to small towns for branded products.
An efficient Customer Service and a novel concept of 'Colour Stores' greatly helps widen customer base as far as Decorative Paints sector is concerned as it helps consumers visualize and plan their wall shades before purchase. Such a service has gone a long way in enhancing image and awareness of Asian Paints in the recent years.
SEGMENTATION OF DECORATIVE PAINTS SECTOR
The Decorative Paints Sector has primarily the following product offering on which the market could be segmented. * Exterior Paints - ACE, Apex, Apex Ultima, Apex Duracast and more, based on the specific demand of surface area.

* Interior Paints - Distempers, Enamels, Emulsions

* Wood Finishes

* Metal Finishes

* Ancillary Products - primers, putties etc.
Segmentation of the market could be carried out on the basis of the following parameters * Buyer Characteristics / Economical Status of the buyer * Up market buyers and high quality seekers * Upper Middle class - High income group and socially conscious * Middle Class - Low income group and rural market
Key Factor for Purchase * Quality and Finish of paint * Colour variety * Cost and economical worth
Mode of purchase * Purchase from showrooms and Colour Stores * Purchase influenced/ made by painters/contractors/carpenters etc * Buying in bulk by developers
TARGETING
Exterior paints are targeted at builders, real estate developers and contractors. An exterior finish known as 'gattu or 'cement paint', is used on walls as it is extremely economical and durable. The main requirement for such customers is the durability rather than smoothness or colour.
Interior Paints on the other hand are targeted primarily at home owners, interior designers, as well as carpenters and contractors. Here stress will be laid on the smoothness, texture, colour and finish of the paint. The colour stores go a long way in promoting the Interior Emulsions.
The primars, putties and the other such ancillary products would be purchased by contractors and carpenters as a part of the painting process.
Targeting maybe based on the quality and pricing of the paints. Within each segment, Asian Paints offers innumerable products.
In the Exterior Emulsions Asian Paints Apex Ultima is a premium, high-performance brand which caters to the economically higher class and is used on premium buildings. Asian Paints Apex is a Mid-Range brand catering to the next segment of society.
Similarly, in the Interior Paints sector, the products are price-differentiated in the following way
EMULSIONS :
These are water based paints Acrylic Emulsions are extremely durable
Eg: Asian Paints offers three brands to choose.
Premium - Apcolite Royal Acrylic Emulsion.
Medium - Apcolite Super Acrylic Emulsion.
Economical - Super Decoplast
DISTEMPERS:
These are also water based paints but their binders may be very natural or synthetic. Distempers are economically priced, they offer good value for money as they are durable.
Eg: Asian Paints has
Tractor Acrylic washable Distemper.
Tractor washable Synthetic Distemper
Asian Paints can follows a V-Tier Customer Target Strategy
Tire - 1 - On the recipient end there are strategic solution seekers. Company thinks of cost reductions, performance & productivity improvement for clients, improving customers' & shareholders' profitability.
Tier -2 - Here the customers can be considered as value or brand sensitive. Asian paints targets these customers with value added VDS integration customer level service.
Tier -3 - These consumers are price sensitive. They are least bothered about the service. These are mainly middle or low income group people Asian Paints have several brand like UTSAV - to serve them.

Tier-4 Here the company targets the small manufacturing & local companies, which can generate revenue. Company utilizes its business & telesales technology to address & satisfy their needs.
Tier-5 - This tier is composed of specific targeted companies that although small in size, deserve special attention because they are highly innovative in nature. Asian Paints has a good prospect over here.
POSITIONING
From 1999, Asian Paints has undergone a transformation and repositioning, thereby emerging as a consumer oriented, value added paints company. The consumer market had steadily been changing, and repainting of houses primarily during festival seasons was becoming a less dominant trend. Painting became less seasonal and utility based. Instead, consumers became more aware and conscious about home décor and home making.
The rise in colour consultants and Interior designers also contributed greatly to this trend. As a result, Asian Paints began to position itself as a part of this high voltage emotion of home creation.
Core Thought : "Asian Paints is about people who invest emotional energy in creation of their homes"
This sentiment is captured even in the advertisements where painting a wall is associated with a number of different events or emotions.
Change in Visual Identity
Asian paints revamped its image as well as its packaging to get a more contemporary and international look and enhance the visual appeal of the brand.
Service Offering
Asian Paints introduced a new dimension of service offering - where it finally delivers not just paint but a painted home.