NEW DELHI: When Knockout Stores was named IMAGE’s Most Admired Concept Store Launch of the Year at the India Fashion Forum 2026, the recognition reflected more than a successful store launch. It validated a shift in how retail marketing needs to be approached in India’s Tier 2, 3, and 4 cities.
The presentation that led to the award was delivered by Harmeek Singh, Marketing Lead at Knockout and Independent Marketing Consultant, who also served as a Presenter and Awardee at the forum. For Harmeek, the moment was less about the stage and more about what it represented: a growing acknowledgment that emerging India is aspirational, informed, and ready for thoughtful retail experiences.
From Digital-First Beginnings to On-Ground Retail Impact
Harmeek began his career at Swiggy, where he was exposed early to scale, speed, and data-driven decision-making. Over the years, he has worked across 100+ national and international brands, spanning retail, hospitality, food services, and D2C fashion.
His consulting portfolio includes work with brands such as Oberoi Malls, Burger King, Hyatt Regency, along with multiple D2C players in the fashion retail ecosystem. This mix of digital-first growth and physical retail execution has shaped Harmeek’s belief that marketing must be rooted in customer behavior, not assumptions.
“At scale, marketing stops being about campaigns and starts becoming about systems,” he says. “Especially in smaller cities, where trust, recall, and relevance matter more than noise.”
Presenting Knockout at IFF 2026
At the India Fashion Forum 2026, Harmeek presented Knockout’s journey as a case study in insight-led retail marketing. The brand operates primarily in Tier 3 markets, serving customers who are deeply aspirational yet value-conscious.
Instead of chasing mass awareness alone, the strategy focused on:
• Leveraging existing customer data
• Designing store formats around family shopping behavior
• Using ATL selectively to amplify recall
• Building strong CRM and community-led engagement on the ground
The results were visible not just in metrics but in behavior. On launch night, customers queued outside the store late into the evening despite cold weather—an image that resonated strongly with the jury.
“That moment said more than any slide could,” Harmeek notes. “When customers show up voluntarily, you know the experience is working.”
How Tier 3 India Really Thinks About Brands
According to Harmeek, one of the most common mistakes brands make is underestimating customers outside metros.
“Tier 2 and 3 India is not behind. It is aspirational, brand-aware, and digitally native—but it is also extremely value-conscious,” he explains. “People want global brands, but they want them priced, positioned, and communicated in a way that respects their context.”
He believes successful brands in these markets balance personalization with scale:
• Personalization builds loyalty among existing customers
• Mass marketing reinforces credibility and recall
• Community-driven experiences create long-term stickiness
This philosophy is increasingly shaping how Knockout approaches growth—and why its work is gaining attention nationally.
A Marketer’s Role Beyond One Brand
Beyond his role at Knockout, Harmeek continues to consult and advise domestic brands across retail, e-commerce, and consumer businesses that are looking to expand into emerging cities.
His focus areas include:
• Go-to-market strategy for Tier 2–4 expansion
• Digital and offline integration
• Youth and Gen Z community building
• Designing marketing systems that attract HNI customers while remaining accessible
“The future of Indian retail growth will not come only from metros,” Harmeek says. “It will come from brands that learn how to speak to the next 300 million consumers with respect, clarity, and consistency.”
Looking Ahead
As Indian retail continues to evolve, Harmeek sees a growing need for marketers who can bridge digital performance with physical experience.
“Marketing is no longer about visibility alone,” he adds. “It is about creating reasons for customers to return.”
Harmeek Singh is currently open to collaborating with brands building for Tier 2–4 India, particularly those looking to rethink how they approach retail marketing in emerging markets.
