In the early 1980s, when television ownership marked a family’s arrival into middle-class India, one brand dared to weaponize envy. Onida didn’t promise picture quality or durability it promised something far more intoxicating: “Neighbour’s envy, owner’s pride.”
The devil as mascot, horned, grinning wickedly , it became the face of unapologetic aspiration. This wasn’t advertising; it was psychological warfare against nosy neighbours peeking through curtains. Onida TVs weren’t appliances; they were trophies.
An Unlikely Name, An Indian Origin
In 1981, Gulu Mirchandani and Vijay Mansukhani were building an electronics venture that would become one of India’s most memorable consumer brands. They needed a name that sounded premium, international, and distinctly non-Indian. While flipping through magazines one day, Gulu Mirchandani and his wife spotted Oneida – a well-known European cutlery brand. They liked the sound immediately.
With a single letter tweak, dropping the ‘e’ Onida was born. The name carried an exotic, vaguely Japanese ring (the gold standard for electronics prestige in pre-liberalisation India). Interestingly, “Onida” also translates to “devil” in Japanese, setting the stage for what would become the brand’s most iconic visual identity.
The Devil That Owned the 1980s
Onida launched when television ownership marked a family’s arrival into middle-class India. But Onida didn’t sell picture tubes or warranties. It sold superiority. The devil mascot, horned, grinning wickedly from magazine pages and Doordarshan screens ,embodied unapologetic aspiration.
“Neighbour’s envy, owner’s pride” wasn’t just advertising copy; it was psychological warfare. A 21-inch Onida colour TV (Rs 12,000 in 1987) was a generational investment. Neighbours wouldn’t congratulate you they’d see through curtains. And you’d love every minute of it.
Created by advertising legend Goutam Rakshit, the campaign ran for over a decade, pushing Onida’s market share from 5-6% in 1981 to nearly 20% by the mid-1990s. Onida commanded nearly 20% market share, competing with BPL, Videocon and Uptron. The devil ads, created by advertising legend Goutam Rakshit, ran for over a decade, making Onida not just a brand but a cultural phenomenon.
Peak and Pivot (1990s Glory)
Onida expanded beyond TVs into washing machines, refrigerators and audio systems. Market share peaked at 19-20% by the mid-1990s. The brand became synonymous with premium Indian electronics that is reliable, stylish, and just expensive enough to impress.
But liberalisation changed everything. Korean giants LG and Samsung entered with superior technology, global R&D and distribution muscle. Onida’s CRT stronghold crumbled as flat screens revolutionised the market.
The Fall: Multiple Self-Inflicted Wounds
1. Positioning Obsolescence
The devil mascot worked when TVs were luxuries. By 2000, they were necessities. “Neighbour’s envy” lost resonance with pragmatic buyers seeking value and features.
2. Technology Lag
Onida was late to LCD/LED transition. Competitors offered smart TVs with OTT integration while Onida chased CRT nostalgia. R&D spend couldn’t match multinational budgets.
3. Brand Flip-Flops
The devil was retired in 2009 (“no longer relevant”), briefly revived, then dropped again. Inconsistent advertising eroded the once-ironclad brand recall.
4. Internal Fractures
Family disputes among Mansukhani brothers disrupted strategy. Leadership instability hampered decisive pivots during critical market transitions.
5. Distribution Decline
LG/Samsung built pan-India networks with superior service. Onida retreated to strongholds, ceding Tier 2/3 markets to new disruptors like Xiaomi, Vu and TCL.
Present Day: A Shadow of Former Glory
Mirc Electronics reported modest profits in recent years (Rs 23 crore in FY19), focusing on ACs, LEDs and appliances rather than TVs. The devil lives on in nostalgia reels and marketing case studies, not retail shelves.
Market Position (2026): Niche player in select categories. Strong brand equity persists, but execution gaps prevent revival. Recent dealer expansion targets mini-metros, yet faces cut-throat pricing from Chinese disruptors.
The Enduring Lesson
Onida proves that brilliant positioning can create legends, but sustainability demands adaptation. The devil owned the 1980s by selling envy. He couldn’t save the 2010s from execution failures.
Today’s brands live or die by technology leadership and distribution scale, not just clever taglines. Onida reminds us that even devils need to evolve.