In an effort to increase revenue and diversify their brand, Kalashnikov, Russian manufacturer of the AK-47, will expand their platform to include clothing.
Marketing director Vladimir Dmitriev confirmed the company plans to have 60 stores opened throughout Russia by the end of the year. The shops will feature “military-style” casual wear and accessories.
“I worked for many years in the automotive industry, and do not understand how it could be that we do not have [our] own line of branded clothing and accessories,” Dmitriev said in a recent interview with local media.
Dmitriev went on to explain how business “giants” such as Caterpillar and Ferrari bring in up to 10 percent of overall revenue through branded apparel. Dmitriev said Kalashnikov is “a global brand, and we rightly believe that clothing and souvenir products with our symbol will be in demand among buyers on par with the main products.”
Marketing consultant Nikolai Grigoryev added that the company is looking to tap into the “rapid growth of patriotism in Russia.”
Dmitriev said the company examined new marketing strategies after sanctions against Russia were imposed in 2014, taking away from the company’s European and U.S. markets, which made up some 70 percent of sales.
[ Izvestia ]
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