Battle of power brands

It is high time that Brand Rahul repositions itself. It is as if he believes 'no image' is the best image. Be they people or brands, success comes if they play to their core strengths

"Brands are like people. They are either genuine, trustworthy and naturally-attractive or they are shady, pushy and just trying to make a quick buck"

If there's one man in India who's ruling the headlines, front covers and editorials of the daily newspapers these days, it is Narendra Damodardas Modi - a man who evokes strong reactions from audiences, for him or against him, a man who has been one of the most successful chief ministers of all time in this country and a man who has been the beacon of progress in the state of Gujarat. Brand Narendra Modi had been previously known for the transformation of Gujarat, doubtful secular intentions, staunch Hindu nationalism, and admiration among young, energetic people.

Well, the current avatar of brand Narendra Modi has made him the torch-bearer of the Bharatiya Janata Party (or BJP, the corporate brand here). How he brought about his transformation along the lines of BJP's transformation is a feat in itself. The rise of Modi through the ranks of BJP by pipping Hindutva-favourite L K Advani to become the chief prime ministerial candidate of BJP is phenomenal.

Now, compare him to the Congress' prime ministerial candidate, Rahul Gandhi. Rahul hasn't carved a face or an identity as a leader. It almost seems like he believes no image is the best image. The only leader the Congress can actually boast of is Sonia Gandhi. The Congress (the corporate brand here) is clearly struggling due to the lack of a house brand. While the people of India are gunning for a young leader, Rahul still hasn't been able to make an impact that makes people stand up and take a look. With Narendra Modi's Hindutva, Congress is left to fight on secularism rather than progress. Modi is already dictating terms in his pre-election campaigning.

The moral of this battle of the two brands is that when you play to your core strengths, you will be successful. It is applicable as much to brands as to people. Narendra Modi's strength is Hindutva and his reason-to-believe is the progress of Gujarat. It's high time Rahul Gandhi came out of his shell and took charge to become a house brand. If Brand Rahul decides to reposition itself, then the market will see some dynamism and it'll be interesting to see who wins this battle.

^{The author is Chief Creative Officer India Sub Continent, Leo Burnett}