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What is needed is greater brand integrity. Some manufacturers have gone too far in creating cosmetic differentiators, and there is a lot of hype and hyperbole in the marketplace, Mr Bijoor said.

Mumbai , Sept. 4

NEW branding will require new ideas and new perspectives of the consumer, and it is time to bring back integrity in branding, as the consumer is seeking the truth. While brand building is a combination of pure science, art and philosophy, since the consumer does not behave in a rational manner, brand managers and marketing managers must also think in an irrational manner to reach the consumer, according to brand consultant Mr Harish Bijoor, who spoke at `Learning the Ropes', a tribute to Shunu Sen, organised by the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management in Mumbai.

"Generally speaking, awareness-creating advertising is largely rational, while interest-creating advertising is largely emotional, as is advertising that looks to create desire and action," Mr Bijoor said. "So to cater to the irrational consumer, the brand manager also needs to think irrationally - but this is not accepted, generally." What is also needed is greater integrity: some manufacturers have gone too far in creating cosmetic differentiators, and there is a lot of hype and hyperbole in the marketplace, Mr Bijoor said. But integrity branding pays, because the consumer is seeking the truth. He also made the observation that brand loyalty is only a myth; the reality is brand promiscuity as fatigue sets in.

When it comes to a television channel, a brand name - even a global brand name - alone cannot guarantee viewership, said Mr Tarun Katial, Senior Vice President - Programming Content & Communication, Star TV. To deliver eyeballs, the channel needs to build properties - in the form of programmes - that are relevant to the consumer.

Speaking on whether the golden age of global brands was over, Mr Katial said that the only global programme that was used on Star Plus, the 100 per cent Hindi general entertainment channel, was `Who wants to be a Millionaire' - which was Indianised with enormous success into `Kaun Banega Crorepati'. Star's other channels have also integrated Indian properties: like Indian-made films and promotion of `Lagaan' for the Oscars on Star Movies, Indian-themed shows on Star World, and Indian content and the Popstars search on Channel V.

"All of these tap into the emerging socio-economic trends of the global Indian citizen, in an era of McAloo tikkis," Mr Katial said. "So the key is to use global quality standards as a starting point, and then Indianise them to suit our socio-economic needs."

Speaking on the relevance of the USP in the banking experience, Mr Neeraj Swaroop, Country Head - Retail Banking, HDFC Bank, observed that all great brands are born from great ideas and compelling consumer insight, and that brands must keep evolving to retain their USP. In the case of banking, this has meant introduction of services such as anytime, anywhere banking, Internet banking, mobile banking, SMS top-ups, and no teller queues, he added.

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