Alpha Ideas

“Storm-The Norm” by Anisha Motwani tells the story of 20 Indian Brands.

The brands covered are:

• PVR
• MakeMyTrip
• Radio Mirchi
• Sprite
• Axis Bank
• XUV 500
• Kurkure
• Honda
• Sensodyne
• Idea
• Ford EcoSport
• Fiama Di Wills
• Times of India
• Cadbury Dairy Milk
• Saffola
• Dabur Real
• Raymond
• Tata Tea
• Kissan
• MTR

I particularly find the creation of brands very interesting-the amount of time,effort,energies,research and money to build a national brand is truly colossal.

Perhaps this explains why once a brand gets established, it becomes difficult to dislodge it and hence investors in companies with marquee brands have an advantage.

The author is successful in bringing “war stories from the sales field” to give the reader a flavor of sales and marketing.

One story that I found especially remarkable was that of Cadbury’s Diary Milk.

The Brand was more than 60 years old with slowing sales and the Company wanted to rejuvenate their brand.

Their research led them to this unique insight:

There is a significant difference in the cultural perspective on happiness between East and West.

In the West, happiness is to be found in personal striving and fulfillment of desires.

In the East, happiness tends to be defined in terms of interpersonal connectedness and social harmony.

Hence most happy occasions in India are collective-festivals,celebrations etc-and are ritually accompanied by sweet (meetha) consumption

Hence the brand shift from chocolate to meetha and their iconic campaign “Kuch Meetha HoJaaye !”

Do buy this book if interested in brands and marketing.