Brand India to pack in more offering for global splash
India is fast cracking the source to its brand code. Early this year, an initiative spearheaded by Union commerce minister for state Jairam Ramesh — under the aegis of India Brand Equity Forum (IBEF) — set out to identify sectors that could spawn global Indian brands and activate branding initiatives for them. That led IBEF to every nook and corner of the country.
“India is a cafeteria of brands and we need to expand the menu for the global audience,” says Ramesh. He however, sees the branding effort as a means to an end, to generate value and wealth for the country.
A slew of early brands originating from Indian soil — IIT, infotech, Yoga, Taj Mahal and Ayurveda et al — have already brought India on the global map. The story, say analysts, has just begun. The country is working overtime identifying newer brand ideas, concepts, traditions and art that could be exported.
And get a positive rub-off for brand India through such multiple offerings. “As India gets more globally integrated at multiple levels, people will look for more positive things out of the country and that will build a strong nation brand,” says Dr Jagdish Sheth, professor of marketing at Goizueta Business School at Emory University.
It is well known that most of the big brands out of India have an intellectual association. That is simply getting broad-based now. If Indian scientists, software engineers and professors dominated in the world stage, now literature and art is making some headway. Indian authors making a mark with Booker prize and an Indian piece of art getting picked up at mind-numbing prices stand testimony to that.
There are several pointers that Indian brand of entertainment has become popular in the markets contiguous to the country and Indian brand of managers are rocking the global corporate boat.
“Sheer effort and merit of multiple offerings to the world would brand India in a positive manner,” says Bangalore-based brand domain specialist, Harish Bijoor. Adds General Motors India MD, Rajeev Chabba: “India is a brand that encapsulates diversity and country will reap rich dividends by building individual elements that India has to offer.”
In one such initiative, IBEF is working with WPP-owned marketing consultancy, Henley Centre, to take that agenda forward. The agency is seeking to give a big push to traditional sectors where India has an inherent strength such as leather, handicraft, commodities and give them a strong India branding. “We want to unlock the potential value in these sector through branding and generate employment,” says Ramesh.
The brand of Indian creativity expressed by way of painters, artisans and designers et al, is fast gaining recognition the world over, says O&M chairman & national creative director, Piyush Pandey.
“We need to seize the moment to harness that and promote Indian creativity in general.” This, he says, would create a pull for the more creators to do things around the world. On the other hand there are opportunities opening up for brand ideas that have already transcended Indian borders.
Yoga and alternative medicines such as Ayurveda, are the Indian ideas most popular in the US, says Prof Sheth. “So much so that large retailers like Wal-Mart and Target have announced initiatives to target senior citizens market with herbal medicines and Ayurveda players from India can leverage that,” he told ET.
He sees increasing “Eastern-isation of the world” in the coming years and India along with China will influence the Western world. Take the case of Indian curry. The brand of casual Indian food has already taken over traditional fish & chips in the UK.
These soft global brands from India have not only given the country a visibility, but also to the people from here. That was the sentiment echoed a cross section of US-based Indians ET spoke with.
“For instance, brand IIT has given a majority of the Indian Diaspora a great deal of visibility and an extremely powerful lobbying platform in the US,” says Ravi Deva, a Iowa-based insurance broker who spent last 15 years as executive in retail majors, Sear Roebuck and J C Penny.
Source ET
[email protected]:tea:
India is fast cracking the source to its brand code. Early this year, an initiative spearheaded by Union commerce minister for state Jairam Ramesh — under the aegis of India Brand Equity Forum (IBEF) — set out to identify sectors that could spawn global Indian brands and activate branding initiatives for them. That led IBEF to every nook and corner of the country.
“India is a cafeteria of brands and we need to expand the menu for the global audience,” says Ramesh. He however, sees the branding effort as a means to an end, to generate value and wealth for the country.
A slew of early brands originating from Indian soil — IIT, infotech, Yoga, Taj Mahal and Ayurveda et al — have already brought India on the global map. The story, say analysts, has just begun. The country is working overtime identifying newer brand ideas, concepts, traditions and art that could be exported.
And get a positive rub-off for brand India through such multiple offerings. “As India gets more globally integrated at multiple levels, people will look for more positive things out of the country and that will build a strong nation brand,” says Dr Jagdish Sheth, professor of marketing at Goizueta Business School at Emory University.
It is well known that most of the big brands out of India have an intellectual association. That is simply getting broad-based now. If Indian scientists, software engineers and professors dominated in the world stage, now literature and art is making some headway. Indian authors making a mark with Booker prize and an Indian piece of art getting picked up at mind-numbing prices stand testimony to that.
There are several pointers that Indian brand of entertainment has become popular in the markets contiguous to the country and Indian brand of managers are rocking the global corporate boat.
“Sheer effort and merit of multiple offerings to the world would brand India in a positive manner,” says Bangalore-based brand domain specialist, Harish Bijoor. Adds General Motors India MD, Rajeev Chabba: “India is a brand that encapsulates diversity and country will reap rich dividends by building individual elements that India has to offer.”
In one such initiative, IBEF is working with WPP-owned marketing consultancy, Henley Centre, to take that agenda forward. The agency is seeking to give a big push to traditional sectors where India has an inherent strength such as leather, handicraft, commodities and give them a strong India branding. “We want to unlock the potential value in these sector through branding and generate employment,” says Ramesh.
The brand of Indian creativity expressed by way of painters, artisans and designers et al, is fast gaining recognition the world over, says O&M chairman & national creative director, Piyush Pandey.
“We need to seize the moment to harness that and promote Indian creativity in general.” This, he says, would create a pull for the more creators to do things around the world. On the other hand there are opportunities opening up for brand ideas that have already transcended Indian borders.
Yoga and alternative medicines such as Ayurveda, are the Indian ideas most popular in the US, says Prof Sheth. “So much so that large retailers like Wal-Mart and Target have announced initiatives to target senior citizens market with herbal medicines and Ayurveda players from India can leverage that,” he told ET.
He sees increasing “Eastern-isation of the world” in the coming years and India along with China will influence the Western world. Take the case of Indian curry. The brand of casual Indian food has already taken over traditional fish & chips in the UK.
These soft global brands from India have not only given the country a visibility, but also to the people from here. That was the sentiment echoed a cross section of US-based Indians ET spoke with.
“For instance, brand IIT has given a majority of the Indian Diaspora a great deal of visibility and an extremely powerful lobbying platform in the US,” says Ravi Deva, a Iowa-based insurance broker who spent last 15 years as executive in retail majors, Sear Roebuck and J C Penny.
Source ET
[email protected]:tea: