WCRC Brands Illustrated up till 15 October | Seite 7

MONOJIT LAHIRI investigates a contentious POV
that attempts to dump this sacrosanct institution
of communication and believes that it is time for its
warm send-off!

B

randing, for decades, has been hymned,
celebrated, exalted, venerated and worshipped
as the gospel truth by any marketer worth his
FMCG lapels! The High Priests have pronounced
that the BRAND is GOD and the Ad executives,
GCROES – [Gods Chosen Representatives on
Earth!] For decades, it has been acknowledged as the single most
important aspect of business. Its success equals the business it
drives. Branding’s prime objective remains the same – to make
a product or business look distinct and different from competition
and epitomize the vision and values it represents to gain that
decisive cutting-edge lead …
The textbooks to gloat over it, pronouncing its value, power
and criticality in no uncertain terms. Author Sanjay Tiwari in his
much acclaimed book [The Uncommon Sense Of Advertising
– Getting The Basics Right] offers his informed take in style.
”Brands rule the world of marketing today because they rule the

world of consumers today. They have not only changed the way
we shop and buy, or consume, but have also had a profound
effect on the way we live. Just count the number of brands
you interact with since getting up in the morning till you sleep
in the night. For some of us, it might be more than the number
of people we interact with in the same time. We don’t drive
cars any more; we drive our Mercedes,Hondas and Toyotas.
We don’t wear shirts, jeans or sneakers but wear our Arrows,
Allen Solleys, Levis, Wranglers, Nikes and Reeboks. We don’t
drink cola, eat chips, burgers and chocolates, rather we drink
our Cokes and Pepsis, eat our Ruffles, Pringles, Mcburgers
and Kit Kats. We don’t even go to stores anymore, we go to
Kmarts, Gaps, Shopper’s Stops and Benettons. The brands that
promise us a unique offer of utilities, benefits, values, personality
traits, images and associations, that will satisfy our given needs
(functional or emotional) and that we can relate to (consciously
or subconsciously), are the ones that we identify with and show
preference for. Therefore, more often than not the brand (and its
promise) extends beyond the product core. Successful brands
often transcend their physical existence, take on a life and build
relationship with their consumers. The positive experiences,