The EPIC Brand Institute (EBI) recently announced its global launch, along with the public release of its flagship framework, the EPIC Brand Map (EBM). This system aims todeliver clarity, structure, and precision to brand building. The launch coincides with the first in-person training cohort that took place from 9–11 June 2025 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, followed by a second cohort in Dubai from 19–21 September 2025.
Originally developed in 2020, the EPIC Brand Map has been used by leading Indian business groups, including the Tata Group, Aditya Birla Group, Mahindra Group, Reliance Group, and HCL, as well as global multinationals such as Medtronic, Sun Life Financial, Walmart, Mars, Coca-Cola, and Nokia.
The EBM framework, created by Saurabh Uboweja, global brand strategist and founder of BOD Consulting, is now being made available to founders, marketers, consultants, and creative professionals worldwide through the newly established EPIC Brand Institute. Over a three-day immersive experience, participants will learn to craft their own strategic Brand Maps aligned with the EBM framework that emphasizes Evocativeness, Precision, Insight, and Clarity.
MediaNews4u.com caught up with Saurabh Uboweja, Founder, EPIC Brand Institute
Q. What factors prompted the launch of ‘Building EPIC Brands’, a premium 3-day programme? What is the gap in the market that it is looking to fill?
Over the past decade, we’ve seen founders and marketers drowning in brand jargon—positioning statements, storytelling, brand archetypes—without a structured system to tie it all together. The Building Epic Brands programme was born from a real need: to give business leaders a practical, proven framework for building brands that are clear, differentiated, and strategically sound. It’s not another lecture series; it’s a hands-on transformation lab where participants walk away with a custom-built brand map for their business.
Q. What role does the EPIC Brand Map, a 19-element brand strategy framework, play in structured brand building?
The EPIC Brand Map is the backbone of the programme and the brand system we use. It brings precision and structure to something that’s often treated as abstract or subjective. The framework has 19 interconnected elements across four quadrants: Evocative, Precise, Insight-driven, and Clear. These help brands move from scattered strategy, messaging and identity confusion to a clear, unified system that drives growth across marketing, culture, product, and experience.
Q. If you could identify the one big thing that separates great brands like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Infosys, Tata from the rest of the pack, what would it be?
It’s strategic clarity. These brands know exactly who they are, what they solve, and how to communicate it—consistently. Their success isn’t just due to design or innovation, but because they’ve built a brand system that scales with the business.
Q. Could you share key lessons from BOD Consulting working on over 300 brand transformations across 25 countries?
Three consistent truths stand out:
1. Brands grow when they simplify. Complexity kills clarity.
2. The brand is not a department. It must shape culture, product, and leadership decisions.
3. Positioning is a leadership act. It requires courage, not consensus.
We’ve applied these principles in every sector—from legacy Indian conglomerates to global multinationals.
Q. Is the media and entertainment sector an important client base like OTT platforms, broadcasters?
Absolutely. In fact, these sectors face some of the most intense brand pressures—short attention spans, rapid tech shifts, audience fragmentation. We’ve worked with content platforms, studios, and distribution networks to build distinctive brand systems that don’t just ride trends—they create culture.
Q. The media and entertainment sector is seeing mergers and consolidations… What tactics work to overcome these issues?
Start with a unifying brand narrative—a big idea that transcends internal silos. Then back it up with a clarity map that aligns teams on positioning, values, and voice. We’ve found co-creation workshops and labs, using the EPIC Brand Map, to be incredibly effective in surfacing tensions early and forging alignment.
Q. In India, what are the unique challenges that companies encounter as they try to build a brand that they may not face in other markets?
India’s diversity is both an opportunity and a challenge. Brands often struggle with:
– Hyper-localisation vs. national coherence
– Value-conscious buyers who demand premium experiences
– Navigating linguistic and cultural nuance across regions
Indian brands must scale without losing cultural authenticity—which makes frameworks like EBM particularly powerful.
Q. Why are purpose, precision, and insight—not just design—key to long-term brand equity?
Design grabs attention. Purpose, precision, and insight build trust and memory. Without strategic depth, design becomes decoration. Brands that endure are anchored in meaningful insight, sharp positioning, and a deep sense of why they exist. Building a brand is building a business. They are synonymous.
Q. Why do most brands fail to scale strategically despite great creative work?
Because creativity without strategy doesn’t scale. Many brands chase viral campaigns or new logos, but don’t align their long term business strategy, messaging, culture, and customer experience. The result? Brand fatigue and inconsistency. Scaling requires a clear system, not just great ideas.
Q. For a legacy brand that is looking at a rebranding exercise to target and appeal to Gen Z what tactics work?
The key is brand layering, not replacement. You retain your brand’s original DNA—values, credibility, track record—but express it in a way that’s culturally relevant for Gen Z. That means involving younger voices in strategy, embracing digital-first storytelling, and showing vulnerability and purpose.
Q. If a company is in a category like edtech… what tactics work in brand building that help win back the trust of consumers?
Three things work:
1. Radical transparency – own up to past issues.
2. Proof-driven messaging – show outcomes, not just aspirations.
3. Community-first communication – engage learners, not just sell to them.
In trust-deficit categories, your brand promise must be backed by operational proof, not just narratives.
Q. What are some of the key performance indicators that help measure brand building and rebranding efforts?
We track a combination of leading and lagging indicators:
– Brand Clarity Score (internally and externally)
– Aided & unaided brand recall
– Brand-driven revenue growth
– Employee alignment on brand purpose
– Net Promoter Score (NPS) shifts post-rebrand
– Conversion lift across brand-led touchpoints
Q. How is AI transforming how brands are created, managed, and experienced? Any recent examples that stand out?
AI is reshaping brand creation—from hyper-personalized content to real-time customer experience optimization.
One standout: Coca-Cola’s AI-powered ‘Create Real Magic’ platform, which let creators co-develop branded content using GPT and DALL·E.
We’re also seeing a rise in AI-assisted brand mapping, where teams use tools like the EPIC Brand Map layered with AI insights to co-create strategy with speed and precision.
