Page 153 - BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands 2015

TOP 50 MOST VALUABLE INDIAN BRANDS 2015
National development is not possible without the empowerment of people. If development is the fruit of modernization then empowerment is the root. The context for empowerment, the reason and rationale, may vary with circumstances, but empowerment has always been at the threshold of change.
At the core of empowerment is power. Unlike development, which can
be easily quantiied and measured, empowerment is a variable that
needs to be analyzed in a more comprehensive manner. The scale
and intensity of empowerment
depend upon the context, the
speciic conditions that it is exhibited in. For example, a person living in a northeastern Indian state may not
feel powerless in his or her own environment, but the same person when placed in a state like Delhi suddenly becomes a minority and feels the need to be empowered.
To understand the complexity and dynamism of empowerment in today’s India, it is imperative that the need of empowerment is seen and analyzed with a relevant cultural, social, political and economic lens. In a time when value systems are merging, borders
are diminishing and new ideas are welcomed, the need as well as scope of empowerment has increased manifold.
Some populations feel they are in the minority in terms of beliefs and values. Discrimination is not just social, but also societal. Deprivation is not just of rights, but also of opportunities. Equality is also about equal privileges. These emerging groups may not be weak economically or socially, but they deinitely feel a loss of power, and they are scripting their own empowerment stories.
Do brands have a choice about whether to play an active role in these empowerment stories or remain bystanders? No. These are the future consumers and thought leaders who will decide the success or failure of brands. So either brands are a part of their story, or in the future brands will have no story at all.
The entry point for a brand could
be anything – from a customized savings scheme to an app for young twentysomethings living away from home pursuing their dream, or something for single parents facing unique challenges in raising their children alone. But can we build a framework that brands can refer to when taking this opportunity? Here are ive possible ways:
1. BEGIN A POSITIVE CONVERSATION
Bharat Matrimony, an online matchmaking service, showed how a husband supporting his wife’s decision to pursue her career can lead to a better relationship.
2. HOLD UP A MIRROR
4. INNOVATE TO MAKE
THEIR LIVES EASIER
Product and service innovations by many brands accommodate the changing needs of consumers in today’s India. These brands include Domino’s Pizza with afordable pricing, McDonald’s restaurants with extended hours and the food ordering app Tiny Owl providing all- night delivery.
5. SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE.
The “Be You” campaign of the e-commerce brand Jabong showcased the point-of-view of a couple in a live-in relationship
In order to become part of the discourse it is not necessary for brands to a position themselves exclusively as for these audiences of people seeking some aspect of empowerment.
The trick is to identify relevant entry points. For example, Cadbury’s Diwali campaign empowers single men and women living away from home to be a part of the festivities. In a ly home free ofer, the snack food Kurkure promises to send people home for the festive season. To help students or workers living away from home, Fortune Oil’s “Mother Exchange” connects them with local mothers who prepare their favorite foods.
The degree and intensity of involvement may vary. Brands will have to ind their own entry points and roles in helping to empower people whose needs, wants, aspirations, problems and values are unique in nature due to their to unique life stories. As we move ahead, we may ind new frontiers, conversations, and even a new dimension to their stories.
3.
KBC, a popular TV game show, highlighted the prevalence of racial discrimination even in a modern, urban society.
PARTNER WITH THEM
ON THEIR JOURNEY
The laundry detergent Ariel became an advocate for women with its “Share the Load”campaign, which shared a poll showing that more than three-quarters of Indian men think doing the laundry is a woman’s task.
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