BEYOND LOGO
India Inc is finding compelling reasons to invest in corporate identity
ARIJIT BARMAN
hen the Burmans of
W Dabur approached
DMA Yellow Works,
now D Y Works, for a
makeover of their corporate identi-
ty and brand, they wanted to actu-
ally drop the Banyan Tree from
their logo. But DMA persuaded the
promoters to rejuvenate the tree;
tweaked the font and through a se-
ries of interventions that saw new-
er packaging, product extensions
and communication, galvanised a
more holistic change.
It took a survey of 10,000 people
across the country for Sanjeev Goen-
ka to step out of his fathers shadow
and create a legacy of his own. He
also wanted his new group corporate
identity RP-Sanjiv Goenka to
reflect the clear demarcation of the
business empire between him and
elder brother Harsh. I had been
wondering whether staying togeth-
er could lead to a potential confusion
between my son and nephew, he
candidly explains with heir appar-
ent Shashwat next to him.
Reasons differ, circumstances
vary but companies are finding
compelling business reasons to ac-
knowledge and invest in a brand
framework for the entire corpora-
tion. From familial splits, opera-
tional realignments to interna-
tionalisation of business, and even
global strategy shifts, corporate
branding today is getting dove-
tailed with a bigger transforma-
tional journey that enterprises are
undertaking. Its no longer an ex-
tension of the companys annual re-
port, quips Santosh Desai MD &
CEO of Future Brands.
Strong, resonant corporate iden-
tities today are tools of enhancing
business or assets that far transcend
mere goodwill. Firstly, it creates
consumer magnetism. Reputation-
al management is now linked to cor-
porate identity as it ring fences you
from assaults. And in an environment
of flux, scams and workforce migra-
tion, such softer associations are al-
so engaging methods to retain tal-
ent, says Suhel Seth, managing part- Ray&Keshavan a Bangalore-
ner of brand management and mar- based leading brand identity and
keting consultancy firm, Counselage. design consultancy firm of the WPP
Designs trigger association. So
companies express their core
philosophies through a visual mes-
sage. Collectively they become the
very identity of the corporation,
group says global corporations in-
creasingly opt for cross-cultural
branding solutions. But for prod-
uct brands, market-specific factors
play a greater role in branding. The
explains Lulu Raghavan, Country `U mark of Unilever works across
Director of Landor Associates. countries. But Horlicks in the UK is
Corporate brands are the ex- very different from the one in India
ternal manifestation of the core pur- in terms of logo, positioning, pack-
pose of a corporation. In a cluttered aging, communication, and even
world, the visual identity plays a colour, she highlights.
strategic role. So any branding or a Globalisation is making India Inc
rebranding becomes the most visi- transcend borders too. And that is
ble symbol of change to a wider au- why Indian promoters are sensitis-
dience, adds Alpana Parida, Pres- ing themselves to connect with a
ident of D Y Works. wider, newer and a bigger audience.
But even though identity trans- From the Aditya Birla Group to the
formations typically get communi- Tatas, from Essar to Mahindras and
cated through a corporate logo Vedanta, corporate branding to
change, it has to be a deeper in- showcase their global identity, core
volvement. If identities are a short- values and dynamism are influenc-
cut to creating a sense of being, ing perceptions.
then a makeover of just a logo There were growing rumblings
without actually changing anything from the cosmopolitan people in our was one such event coinciding as a wider FMCG and hospitality play, Vikram Birla stepped out of his fam- Biyani, who have dropped their fam-
else in the organization will be like group saying that we are a multina- the branding program unfolded, beyond cigarettes. Internationally ily group to create his own set of busi- ily names for secular identities in an
putting lipstick on a gorilla. Cos- tional so our core value of Indians says Shivnath Thukral, Essars too Philip Morris, says Raghavan, ness space and companies from effort to detach from an individual
metic makeovers usually face skep- being second to none was irrelevant. Group President, Corporate Brand- changed its name to Altria to insu- scratch. This even when both his fa- and promote professionalism and
ticism , warns Raghavan. As we became more global, it be- ing and Strategic Initiatives. late Kraft a group company from ther and grandfather were alive. pragmatism. Avantha as a holding
came a basic tension and dichoto- FOR A BRIGHTER PRESENT any negative rub offs. But splits are typically not am- company has strong child brands like
INDIA & THE WORLD my of a rising global company, says Similarly for many storied Indian While retail centric ICICI Bank icable. Thus each party, while carv- Crompton Greaves, BILT which are
Corporate brand- Anand Mahindra, companies, reinvention or reposi- under KV Kamath had to shed its de- ing out his space, evaluates the eq- also flourishing, says Parida.
ing for the MNCs in chairman of the 63 tioning to adapt with the changing velopmental credit bank credo, the uity of the original brand's legacy. If But among global business hous-
India tends to fol- REPUTATIONAL year old diversified times and lifestyles of their new set name Calcutta State Electricity Sup- this is judged to be substantial, both es, Tatas are an exceptional exam-
low set global tem- MANAGEMENT IS NOW M&M, while ex- of stakeholders both at home and ply was geographically limiting for parties often lay claim to important ple of codifying a brand architecture
plates and usually plaining his new abroad are catalysts for rebrand- the company that was planning to brand properties such as the name, for perpetuity. Its a hugely diversi-
get triggered with LINKED TO CORPORATE group corporate ing. But connecting with a younger break out and diversify nationwide strapline and logo, says Keshavan. fied group with a legacy of minimal
ownership or regu- identity as it ringfences you mantra Rise. audience doesnt mean forsaking and the across the entire utility val- Many perceive Anil Ambani shareholding in many of its flagships,
latory changes. And from assaults... But just a Essar whose ones heritage especially when the ue chain. So both simply stuck to just tried to appropriate his fathers eq- yet through a business excellence
with India emerg- makeover of a logo without logo itself is an in- brands equity in built on that. So their acronyms. UTI Bank rebrand- uity by adding his name in the new model and layered brand licensing,
ing as a key market changing anything else in novative moniker Wipros sunflower got a splash of ed as Axis after the end of a statuto- corporate branding of his business they have been able to create a sus-
for most transna- the organisation will be like of the promoters, colour when it morphed into a cut- ry term. In banking, where names are empire, after an acrimonious split tainable hierarchy. Such a model al-
tional corporations, brothers Shashi ting edge IT giant from its legacy the sticky factor, UTI faced a trust with his elder brother Mukesh. For lows them to not just leverage the
realigning corpo- putting lipstick on a gorilla and Ravi Ruia businesses of vegetable oil and con- deficit after the fiasco of US-64 and most investors who double up as Re- Tata brand but also incentivises in-
rate identities be- its been an ongo- sumer products. Godrej retained its its name itself became a liability. liances biggest torch bearers, dividual users to add value. Armed
come critical. From Hindustan ing exercise. The new branding ex- signature equity but gave a new vi- Dhirubhais name was the most pre- with a formal legal basis, Tata Sons,
Unilever, to P&G and GSK, its a re- ercise, `Lets Begin was planned to sual language through a multi FAMILY PICTURE mium currency for enhancing the groups holding company, can
sult of external environment. It can convey the scale, size and diversity coloured ribbon, embodying the As families grow and new genera- shareholder value. But after the control how the brand will be used.
be an IPO, joint ventures, M&As or of the group and how the spirit of en- new philosophy of brighter living. tions come in, separate identities and rapprochement between the two last Parts of such innovation may now
strategic shifts which make India trepreneurship has been the driv- In many cases, however, sheer lines of businesses also get demar- year, Anil Ambani dropped his even get replicated as many of their
part of the overall global story, ob- ing force behind that journey. Glob- business strategy drives change. cated. The landscape changes too name from the corporate logo for corporate peers like an L&T or a
serves Desai. alisation is just one part of the sto- ITC removed the dots in between to with time. Even though traditional- just the company name. GMR are thinking along similar lines
Even though such endeavours ry, the idea was to convey a larger minimise the overhang of Imperial ly the death of a patriarch like a On the other side of the spectrum in their quest to create holding com-
are led by business exigencies, Su- message to our global audience and Tobacco. A simple move, which al- Dhirubhai Ambani prompts succes- are promoters like Gautam Thapar panies or to simply safeguard their
jata Keshavan, Chairman of the Essar Energy IPO in London so allowed it to subsequently have sion issues, path breakers like Aditya of Avantha or Future Groups Kishore business heritage and brand equity.