Is your brand a performing artist?

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to interview Neel (a.k.a Indraneel Hariharan), the bass guitarist / vocalist of the contemporary music band Mrigya (www.mrigya.com). At that time, they had not yet cut an album, nor were they interested in doing so. They liked to rove around the country (and world) and do gigs for audiences, new and old, live. They still do. I remember asking Neel at that time (although I highly doubt he remembers me, or the question), why they didn't have an album out. His answer was that they were there to use their music to connect with their audiences. And there was no substitute to establishing that very real, very electric connection than at a live concert. “We’re performing artists, not recording artists,” he emphasized. “And it doesn't matter if our music is being experienced by a handful of people or thousands of them. As long as they are engaged enthusiasts. And our music engages them.” (I’m paraphrasing from memory, of course).

Before I get on to how this is relevant for brands, let me tell you a little bit more about Mrigya. They call themselves “instruments of world harmony.” There is a classically trained violinist and tabalchi at the core of the band. Then there is a hard-core drummer, a versatile keyboard artist, a bass guitarist, a lead (rock) guitarist, a sufi / qawwal singer, and a Hindustani vocalist. They invite local musicians from wherever they are performing to jam with them, unrehearsed, during live concerts. Oh, and their music is hard to classify and pin down as fusion or jazz or contemporary or Indian. And they don’t care to give it a label either. Having said that, they have a distinctive sound, unlike any other.

In just that short description of Mrigya, I see a myriad of clues for how brands can be.

A brand, like a band, is a motley crew of assorted characters who come together to form a cohesive whole. We often focus on the singular character of a brand, but tend to ignore the multiple dimensions underneath that come together to create a whole. “No, no, a brand has to be single-minded. How can it have multiple personalities within?” is our C.Y.A routine.

A brand, like a band, has a vision of what it stands for. And often, it is not unrealistic to have as lofty a vision as “instruments of world harmony.” Mrigya is a brand too. And they’re working towards it, quite nicely.

A brand, like a band, must have its own “distinctive sound.” In a cacophonous world, it’s probably even more difficult. But then, think of the millions of music choices people have. And remember how they make a place for more than one favorite in their playlists. Brands don’t have to play the “love only my brand and no other” game. You can be part of a “playlist” and be highly successful too.

Finally, how many brands can claim to be performing artists and not recording artists? Yes, there is a place for recording artists. But imagine the energy pulsing through the ecosystem when a b(r)and is performing live, in step with its audience. Has your brand ever experienced bodysurfing? Has it been asked for an encore? For autographs on assorted body parts? Has it had its green room invaded by groupies? Perhaps if you treated your brand less like a brand and more like a band, a real, live, performing artist, the answer could be yes to all of the above.

The author is National Planning Head, Dentsu Marcom