“We need to speak one language to make brand India saleable on the global front”, say IPRCCA panelists
IPRCCA 2015 was held on Saturday where a panel discussion was held on the topic ‘P3 India: Perception- Position- Proposition’
A robust panel discussion on the topic “P3 India: Perception- Position- Proposition” took place at the sixth edition of the IPRCCA which was held on Saturday. The panel discussion was moderated by Anup Sharma, Communication, Consultant. The panel included Pooja Pathak, Co- Founder, Media Mantra, Nupur Sharma, Youth Leader, Bharatiya Janata Party, Paresh Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer, Madison PR, Senjam Raj Sekhar, Head of Corporate Communications, Flipkart, Chandan Yadav, Spokesperson (National Panelist), Gen Sec Incharge Media and Social Media (Bihar Congress). The panelists addressed the need to build a perception through the positioning of brand India and discussed the finer nuances of soft selling culture and hard selling the brand.
Raj Shekhar on the brand equity of India said, “Whatever brand equity we have achieved so far is without the Indian political system. If we look at the brand equity that India has achieved its primarily through ‘Soft Power’. If you look at Yoga, Tech, Food, all of them have flourished with very little interference from the Indian political system. Tech, for example are the result of entrepreneurs, individuals working very hard to put it together. Soft power will continue to be the driving force for what branding of a nation is all about . And all of us should come together to add on to that. It’s about setting up a system where everyone is allowed to flourish without much interference.”
On communication at the grass-root level, Yadav said, “The linguistic diversity of India is a brand. Brand India, for me, is an anti-imperialistic struggle done by our freedom fighters. People outside India know India by Mahatma Gandhi, India is the largest democracy. So, these are a few things that represents brand India. We need a domestic environment. Economics and social disparity need to be managed for brand India to sell outside.”
Chaudhary on the factors that make India stand-out said, “In spite of the political mayhem that is happening in India, corporate India is emerging victorious. India is in the centre of the world, whether you like it or not. But we have two issues and we have learnt to live with it. Their issues are how soon we can setup a factory? How soon can we setup a distribution channel without the middle men? But we have lived with this issue.”
He added, “Ultimately, goodness of the nation, collective responsibility, inside-out and outside-in about what we stand for will make brand India stand out. India will survive but if we have to grow very quickly, it all aligns on if we speak one language. With ethical PR, factual PR, honest PR; honest communication and honest intent we will be able to win.”
Sharma on the cultural aspect of brand India said, “Politics has got a lot to do with communication and how brand India, my country is perceived all over. And it’s not soft selling yoga. People know yoga at large in the world,and it’s reclaimant. We have been so laid back and perhaps callous to the extent of not ensuring that. People knew yoga earlier , now people know yoga is India at a larger level. And the brand of ease of doing business in India. And as discussed earlier, Tourism is very important to set brand India on the world map.”
Pathak said on our responsibilities in making India saleable, “The discussion that we are having today about repositioning, the first thing that comes to my mind is that this comes with its own set of setbacks and successes. We have to be optimistic enough to acknowledge our setbacks and at the same time encourage the success that we as a part of brand India have. And in this what media can do is, we report with intention and not for attention. It is not just the responsibility of India but of each individual that what is it that we are doing to make our country more saleable. When we go out of our country, we need to understand that we are the unpaid ambassadors of India. It is our responsibility to promote brand India. Till the time we don’t have a perception difference between our people we don’t expect a difference in perception for brand India on a global front. The local level has to be rectified first before we create global impact.”
