Rebranding products

The latest cosmetic surgery of some of the popular Indian brands
indicates just one thing: in today's competitive environment,
rejenuvate or die. No longer can a brand sustain itself just because
the older generations were vivid users.

The 97 year old Bank of baroda, for instance, has gone for a total
image makeover, with its sleek orange logo. Kinetic would be putting
up an image of metallic gray and silver color, and so has the FMCG
giant Dabur, giving a new look to its old banyan tree.

But why are the companies doing it? Why does Bajaj have to re-brand
itself? That's because a change in logo to a "Flying B" signifies a
change in perception (from the consumer point of view). People can
take the image makeover to be a change in strategy, to provide new and
improved products. A bajaj is no longer known as "hamara bajaj", it
inspires confidence. Otherwise how does one expect the generation X to
buy bikes from a company whose core competence lies in making
scooters, best used by unclejees?

Tata AIG and ONGC have also invested heavily in changing the brand
perception, hiring professionals for the designing process.

A globalized India, home to a number of mom and pop brands may spell
danger to them, unless they shed their archaic image and go for
glossy, sleek and hep designs. Perhaps we can expect HLL to do the
same, in course of time.