Strategic Brand Management
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BRAND CULTURE AND BRAND RITUALS

	Revlon’s Charlie girl looks more comfortable in the corporate boardrooms; Harley Davidson reflects a new cult of iconoclastic freedom; Walt Disney reinforces the ‘childhood at any age’ theme; and Mercedes stands for opulence, prestige and efficiency... A brand brings to mind certain attributes, says something about the producers’ values and the user status, projects a unique personality and weaves a culture around its own self.
While Calvin Klein’s perfume Obsession stresses on an all-consuming lust, Samara exudes serenity born of confidence. Close-up is a pretty next-door girl but Colgate is a protective mother. Similarly, Ariel is a sophisticated working woman who is hard-pressed for time while Nirma is a traditional Indian housewife who has to strain her knuckles to do away with the last speck of dirt. And Betty Crocker reminds you of a warm loving face waiting to bake a cake for you at the end of the day. Thus every brand has an image of its own and stands for a unique culture. Marketers strive hard to develop a culture that matches with the personality of the target consumers who tend to evaluate the brand on the basis of their personal images. And the closer the culture to the consumer image (or the desired image), the greater will be his willingness to adopt the brand. Adoption of the right culture for the brand to strengthen its equity in an increasingly competitive market-place has become a very important part of present-day marketing strategy. Brands influencing new cultures Humming beneath their breath the tune of the Virginia Slims ad jingle ‘You’ve come a long way baby’, millions of women, who had never tried cigarettes before, took to smoking. The friendly old Santa Claus in a scarlet jacket was invented in the 1920s by Coca Cola in its annual Christmas ads. Pre-Coke Santas were severe-looking and used to wear multi-coloured jackets....Thus, born in the corporate boardrooms, the brands kindle latent desires, stimulate unfelt needs, instill new ideas and attitudes and change visions of the lives of their consumers. By setting new trends in fashion, music and entertainment, by moulding behaviour patterns, by making us yearn for a change, brands teach us new ways of life, become social artifacts, steal their ways into the popular lexicon and, with the passage of time, create cultures. And culture is the sum total of man’s learned beliefs, values and customs. The perky Barbie dolls, dressed up as pilots, astronauts, nurses, fashion models, rock singers and presidential candidates, shape the aspirations of the little girls who dream about them. Personalities like the Marlboro man with his macho cowboy image and Shiela Long of Dewar White Label Scotch had a profound impact on the lives of the youngsters. Commenting on the rise in the number of grown-ups munching crunchy chips, the managing director of the US snack food major, Frito Lay, said, “It is we who taught them to do so when they were kids.” Celebration of the zest of life: To the youths of more than 68 countries MTV teaches the mantra of fast lives, fast cars, toe-tapping music, tattooed skin, shocking apparel and weird hairstyles ranging from shaved head to flowing mane. New standards for defining status: The soft saffron of dusk melting silently in the liquid gold of Chivas Regal Scotch. An orange flame with the flick of a Dunhill lighter. Gorgeous Gerard Perregaux watches on delicate wrists. Robbie and Berking silver cutlery mirroring the luminosity of crystal chandeliers. Brands delineate new standards of opulence. High aspirations: “Success. It’s a mind game,” says the TAGHeuer line of sports watches where a swimmer is seen racing a shark, a hurdler is seen leaping over an oversized razor blade and a relay runner is seen grabbing a dynamite baton. Hofstra University tells the world, “We teach success.” Basketball star Michael Jordon and golfer Tiger Woods ask you to “Just do it” with Nike. The theme, the claim and the story of some brand ads motivate the masses to aspire high and to touch the acme. Discovering the child in you: Disney loyalists, whose association with the animated pictures of Disney goes back for generations, plan Disney vacations, watch Disney movies and enjoy their visit to Disney parks along with their children and grandchildren. Sanrio Co’s Hello Kitty, mainly catering to the kids’ sector, extends its brand to women in their teens and 20s offering ‘kid-like fun’. Some brands make us realise that there is a child in us that never really grows up with age. New ways to express emotions: The brilliance of De Beers gives a new dimension to your romance. St Valentines Day is the ideal day to greet your sweetheart; only remember to do so with Hallmark cards. A couple of decades ago, Indian youngsters had no idea whatsoever about the Valentine’s day. And never before did India celebrate Holi, the ritual of colours, with cards. Brands have taught us mundane ways to give expression to our emotions and to build relationships. Fighting age: Synergie erases the wrinkles that reflect the years on your skin. Shades of Clairol’s Ultress to colour your grey and to express your inner self. Or perhaps selves! People have been taught that youth is a state of mind and age is ‘just a number’. Being conscious about fitness and health: Slimfast’s 190-calorie substitute for meals promises you a trim figure. Ragu Today’s Pasta sauces are mouthwatering and low in fat. VLCC promises to do away with your excess flab in hours. All these and many others have made people rather obsessed with their health. Desiring an improved self: Contact lenses from Bausch & Lomb for those beautiful eyes concealed behind thick specs. Retin-A for the skin you want to have. Maybelline mascara-lined eyes looking over the shoulders. Flaming Revlon on tender lips. After teaching a woman to be considerably discontented with her natural appearance, a whole lot of cosmetics vie with each other to encourage her to work miracles by adopting brands. Learning new habits: Small sips of Thomas J Lipton iced tea is the best way to beat the summer heat. Pepsi AM with a high caffeine content can be a more refreshing wake-up drink than tea or coffee. Consumers yearning for a break from their boring daily schedule readily pick up these new habits. Getting used to the convenient way of life: Whirlpool, Samsung, Videocon make life easier, faster and more comfortable. McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken offer readymade delicacies. Citibank’s state-of-the-art teller machines handle all sorts of transactions in minutes, offering banking services to busy professionals from anywhere in the world. Today’s consumers are so dependent on these conveniences that their life would certainly come to a screeching halt in their absence. Emergence of a global culture Some brands prefer to identify themselves as a symbol of the global consumer culture which is emerging as a result of the increasing interconnectedness of varied local cultures as well as through the development of cultures without a clear anchorage to any territory. The use of these brands is supposed to make consumers feel one with world culture. For instance, the theme of the Toshiba laptop ad is a young yuppie businessperson who uses a Toshiba laptop whether in New York, New Delhi or Paris. Thus, ownership of Toshiba signifies that the consumer is a member of transnational commerce culture. Similarly Sony (My First Sony) calls its product appropriate for young people around the world, Philips (Let’s Make Things Better) features people from different countries and Benetton (The United Colors of Benetton) emphasises the unity of mankind. Spokespersons like Michael Jordon for