In this article, Sumit Mitra talks about the significance of branding a product, a commodity, a country. India's unique heritage, history, culture and value systems are known and respected across the world. However, only time will tell as to what extent can we influence others with the above distinctions in this technology--driven world.
India as a brand is as old as its civilization. Immediately as its civilization was born in the Indus Valley it was like a brand together with those of Tigris, Euphrates and the Sumerians. Subsequently, the brand image spread wider and stronger. In the "golden Age" of the Gupta rule, Indian rule spread into South East Asia to Central Asia and even into the Far East. People were known to have come from India and hence India was a brand. When Sanghamitra and others went to other countries to spread Buddhism, the brand of thinking and higher spirituality gave another dimension to the Indian brand. Indian traders went to most of the continents and in return traders from these continents visited us. Identity of the country went far and wide. People knew of a vibrant India from the traders who went abroad. Was it not a brand being spread? Were some of these traders, scholars and preachers our "brand ambassadors"? Accepted they were not promoting brands like `Coke' or `Camay', but were they not promoting India as a brand?
India was a live and vibrant brand, as known from the accounts of visitors like "Fa--Hien, Hiuen Tsang and Marco Polo. Much of the brand image spread via the `silk' and `spice' routes. But will every historical event having links with India be part of brand India? most likely not. Mahmud of Ghazni and Ghori invaded India a number of times along with so many others. But what they took back with them was wealth and information that there was more wealth, worth returning for. Neither did they leave any indelible, long--term impression on this country nor did they take back much of the advanced civilization, culture or practice details of this country that could work as a unique identity of the country. So were they brand ambassadors or mere philanderers, and invaders? Much of this rests on the definition of "what is brand?" or what is "Brand India?" On the other hand, many may however rely on the records and descriptions of Ibn Batuta of what the country India and its people are like or would have been like. We have raised some questions on branding a country. But we have also learnt some things(a) may be within the broad question of what is brand is hidden the question what would or would not constitute branding a nation? (b) How relevant are the concepts of branding from a historical perspective to the modern definition of brand of product in marketing terms? And finally (c) if India and its early products were world famous as in the case of silk and spices, can we restore that global brand image by correctly identifying what made these brands famous? |
