Last weekend, I got a chance to take part in an audio event to discuss ‘The Changing Landscape of branding’. Here are some points which I attempted to elaborate and a few others which struck me as relevant later: Branding: what is it? Over the years, I have heard the term branding being used in different contexts. When a client says ‘branding is weak’ it could mean that they fear that the viewer may not…
In the late 1980s, political scientist Joseph Nye Jr. coined the term soft power. He defined it as it as a country’s ability to influence others without resorting to coercive pressure. Over the years, the term has been used to connote a country brand’s ability to create a positive perception and make it attractive in many ways. According to Masterclass, soft power can influence in five areas: business & trade, culture, education, governance and global…
Recently I came across a post on LinkedIn which listed key ‘differences’ between branding and marketing. The post got a lot of comments (both positive and negative), was shared widely and debated. It’s another matter that there were several claimants to the authorship of that comparison (which was not pitting one against the other of course, just drawing a comparison. Anyway, I am digressing. Marketing terminology: leaving a lot to interpretation While there are many…
I came across a LinkedIn post linking to an article which called to question the importance of brand names for a business. Essentially it said that any name is fine for a business as it is the product performance which matters ultimately. The note cited examples of successful brands who have seeming run-of-the-mill or names unrelated to their business. For example, Lays has no relation to the category it operates in (potato chips or crisps…