The Hindu Business Line : ‘Brand change needs consistent communication’

When a brand undergoes a complete brand overhaul (for example Hutch-Vodafone, UTI Bank-Axis Bank and even Canara Bank and Bank of Baroda), what are the key points that the brand must have in mind so that its core identity can be retained and the new identity be reinforced?

When a brand undergoes a change in identity, there is always a compelling business reason. For instance, in the case of Hutch-Vodafone it is migration to a new brand. In the case of Bank of Baroda it was the need to refresh brand image and create a more contemporary persona.

What you retain and what you change depends entirely on this business reason. For instance, the Hutch pug had excellent recall and was widely appreciated so it has been retained to ease the transition.

In the case of Bank of Baroda, the old identity was not well recalled or liked so a dramatic transition was called for.

When brands undergo an overhaul, how should they ensure that consumers do not misinterpret this as a negative sign as though something is amiss and start worrying if it means the brand was not doing well before?

Actually, when a brand undergoes an overhaul, consumers are always appreciative. In fact, businesses tend to underestimate how fast consumer needs and aspirations are evolving. For instance, when R+K re-branded Himalaya’s Liv 52 in 2001, we studied whether loyal consumers would miss the old yellow and brown packaging which had existed for several decades. We found to the contrary that they were hugely appreciative of the new look and feel. (Liv 52 has recently become the largest selling pharmaceutical brand in India.)

Similarly, ayurvedic soap Medimix had an extremely distinctive but unappealing packaging that did not resonate with youth. We changed it dramatically in 2006, not just as a cosmetic exercise but to communicate cues that the product was better. This too has been a huge success in the market.

Change requires intelligent, consistent communication. As long as that is delivered, consumers will not worry.

Ray + Keshavan has worked on the re-branding of Canara Bank and Bank of Baroda. Any insights from those experiences? How did you go about the whole exercise? What kind of changes did you bring in, what was retained?

Canara Bank is still in progress so we cannot comment on it. Bank of Baroda and recently Jammu & Kashmir Bank were both comprehensive re-branding initiatives that addressed issues far beyond a new logo. Public sector organisations must change in order to be relevant to India’s increasingly youthful audiences. At the same time, we feel at R+K that they must retain their legacies of service, expertise and contributions to the country’s economy. That simply cannot be dismissed.

We are dead against the mindless ‘McDonaldisation’ of brands and cosmetic changes that are not rooted in a compelling truth. Intelligent re-branding will always be based on fundamental truths.

For instance, when we re-branded Mother Dairy in 2003, again we needed to make it appealing for contemporary audiences. However, we did this without sacrificing its core brand values of a nurturing brand that is good for you.

Should brands adopt a 360-degree approach to drive home the re-branding message to consumers? How long should it last? How do brands avoid an overkill?

All branding must adopt a 360-degree approach in all its communication. Every single touchpoint must be uniform and consistent and this never changes. The message that there is now a new platform or look and feel usually lasts for 3-4 months after the launch. For instance, we recently re-branded Network 18, bringing all its different brands under a common umbrella.