Iconic Brands have their roots in Culture

About brands, a question generally been asked – is brand a means to convey a message to consumers about a product or it is a route to reaching customers via depicting socio-eco-cultural state of the society?

May both be true to some, but it is the second more to me . Thoughtful scrutiny of brands clearly shows that Iconic brands have their origin in a state of the society. As Brand strategists say, Markers of a brand – Name, Logo and Design do not only depict product features but the then socio-eco-cultural transition, a society may be undergoing. To support it, look back in 1970s when the US was under economic and political meltdown along with increasing independence of women, beer manufacturer - Budweiser made use of it in its all advertisements. Budweiser, interestingly targeted acute tension between the revived American ideals of manhood and the economic realities that made these ideals nearly unattainable for many men. In India, 1970s and 80s, saw movies portraying anger through ‘Angry Young Man’. Branding, has moved miles from its early days to today from Cognitive Model to Emotional to Viral Model of Branding, but having one common thread across – Cultural Model of Branding. It is this Cultural Model which makes brand move the Identity Value cycle and becoming ‘Brand Icon’

Every product around has all the markers - name, logo & design for them but every brand is not a Brand Icon. Reason, these markers are empty as there is absence of myths around these markers. It means, one can reach in branding by the virtue of filling in empty space by myths, using all possible means, primarily by storey telling.

Marker myth generally enhances REPUTATION, BENEFITS OR VALUE or all the three.  Reputation could be for Quality of the product; benefits for distinctive Features and Value may be displaying the Status. Apple could be cited as an example to drive the point. Consequently, in just couple of years, Apple has moved from Identity Brand to Iconic Brand position. ‘Iconic Brand are the brands that have become Cultural Brands’.

Since branding birth, three models, namely Cognitive, Emotional and Viral Model of Branding is being practiced. But the common thread across these three is the Cultural Branding Model which provides a distinctiveness to a brand. It is this Cultural Model that helps in converting a brand into an Iconic Brand.

In India, Nirma is an example of Cognitive brand, however rested in Culture shift, society was witnessing that point in time. It has lost its relevance now. Therefore, a good brand could not reach its height of Iconic Brand level as it doesn’t have myths built around it.

In B2B scenario, companies can try exploiting Viral Model by roping in some leading customers. But, it needs regular fillers to attain Iconic Brand position that can only be achieved through Cultural Model as it helps in personalizing the brand’s myth to fit individual biography of customers.

Brands resting on some USPs do not go long way in their journey. Because, USP only tries to communicate a single distinctive benefits to consumers.

Branding is nothing but a channel to portray a culture – a society wants to follow, based on its socio-eco-cultural shift. Therefore, creating Iconic Branding can only be achieved through continuous creation of required myths around Markers.





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