Interbrand, a brand consultancy, has completed 10 years in India and has unveiled a special logo unit to mark this occasion.
The theme for the year is ‘Change Creators,’ which reflects Interbrand’s belief that while it is good for brands to adapt to change, it is always better to create it.
Talking about business growth, Ashish Mishra, CEO, Interbrand India & South Asia, said, “A decade back we began with a very clear purpose. To elevate the Indian brands to global benchmarks. This was necessary not only to make them better placed for the global markets Indian brands wanted to play in, but even more critically to safeguard their own domestic territories from the influx of global brands in their backyard. To be able to do that, we had to change the leverage of brands and branding from cosmetic to strategic. I am delighted that we have helped accelerate the shift in the way brands are appreciated as a business asset in the Indian market over time.”
Commenting on Interbrand’s India business, Gonzalo Brujó, Global CEO, Interbrand, said, “We have seen such incredible work coming out of India’s office over the last decade. Despite an extremely challenging environment for business across the world (lockdowns, war, supply chain disruptions, etc.), Interbrand India has grown an astounding 4 times while maintaining an excellent reputation as a solid partner for our clients. The last time I visited the country, I claimed India was to enter its own Decade of Possibilities. Currently, with a strong economic performance, businesses driving strategic shifts and technology advancements, I surely can confirm that India is already navigating its Decade of Possibilities.”
Interbrand has been behind some of the most iconic branding work the country has witnessed over the decade, including work done for Jio, Godrej, Britannia, Infosys, Mahindra, Nerolac and Ashok Leyland to name a few. More recently it has added some next generation icons to its list in the new decade – the Swedish origin Truecaller, Hinduja Group’s Switch Mobility – and Hero MotoCorp’s VIDA.
“In most of these instances, we deployed brands as a tool that enables the business and culture-building efforts inside, and experience-building campaigns outside. To that extent, we now guide transformation, restructuring, people, and behaviours with management on one hand and design, communication, digital and offline exercises, with marketing and agency partners, on the other. Majority of these initiatives have traditionally been one-off acts, disjointed even in their success.” Added Ashish Mishra.
To ensure brands are seen as business assets that create business value, the consultancy launched the first edition of its landmark IP ‘Best Indian Brands’ back in 2013. Today, it has become one of the gold-standard league tables for brand valuation in the country.
Today, as the agency celebrates its milestone year, the agency has unveiled a new concept called ‘Arenas,’ which offers a fresh perspective on conventional ‘categories’ and the competitive landscape. In contrast to traditional strategies that define a business’ competition as those in the same category offering similar products and services, Interbrand‘s ‘Arena-Thinking’ recognizes that competition can come from any category that can address the same customer needs. This approach focusses on human needs – to Play, Move, Connect, Express, Thrive, Dwell (Interbrand’s Arenas)– and explore the competitive battles at the edge of culture, business, and innovation.
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