Decathlon removed barriers. Accessibility created markets. More people became athletes.!!#marketing

Can you guess which brand in India sells more than Adidas, Reebok, Nike combined? No, it's not another fancy name, but Decathlon. Imagine a world where sports dream die even before they are born because sports equipment is so expensive. That was India in 1990s. The Nikes and the Adidases of the world were only interested in selling to the rich

and the elite. Decathlon saw this opportunity and it was in 2009 that this French sports giant entered India with a clear mission to democratize sports in India. They weren't chasing cricket stadiums. They were chasing gully cricket. And here's their winning strategy. They carry probably the largest range having equipment for over 70 sports and very affordable. Cricket

balls starting at only rupees 69 and hiking and trekking boots starting for triple nine and going up to 17,000 rupees. They hired passion people and not sales people. Their staff, most of them are athletes themselves. They're there to inspire and guide, not to sell you stuff. Play before you pay. You can test the equipment right there in the

store or take the bike for the ride outside. The result? Decathlon today is not just a brand, it's a movement. They turn everyday people into athletes and made sports gear accessible to everyone. Talk about playing to win. With over 63% of people who walk into the store buying something, it isn't surprising that

they've clocked 4,000 crore rupees in the turnover and control about 40% of retail sports market. Marketing lesson? Find the underserved market, create value, and then let your customers discover the [music] magic. What have you bought from Decathlon? Give it to me in the comments below and share it with a sports-loving friend.