Omkar Dattatray
The brand Modi is bigger than BJP and it overshadows the modern politics of India and it impacts the political narrative and discourse of the country .It is the brand Modi which works wonders and comes victorious at the end of the day .it is because of Modi brand that BJP is all powerful and it will win the political battle of votes .Again it is brand Modi that BJP is sure that it will this time win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections .Brand Modi has much popularity and acceptance across India and even abroad and thus there is every likelihood that BJP will win with big margins and the slogan of Chaar Sua Par will become a reality .Brand Modi influences the political discourse of the country and it will give direction to the politics of the country .Brand Modi affects and impacts the political narrative of the country and it is brand Modi which will ensure that BJP wins the polls hands down .Brand Modi seems to be all inclusive and thus it is the Modi’s guarantee and affects the voters mood and makes it possible to win the electoral battle .Modi is a brand name and it is this brand Modi which helps the BJP/NDA to win the polls .Brand Modi is inclusive and assimilative as well and it assimilates all the regional parties in its ambit though keeping the identity of the regional and smaller parties intact. The brand Modi has such a magnetic attraction that all political leaders are attracted towards it and in NDA ,the political parties see their shelter .Brand Modi has such influence on the electoral battle that it will ensure more than 400 seats .More than 400 seats is not only the mere slogan but it is a practical theme and doctrine of Modi and brand Modi is seen everywhere and its effect is seen everywhere. The end result of the brand Modi is the win ability of the BJP because of brand Modi.BJP leader Narendra Modi’s election juggernaut in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls is an example of how to prepare and successfully implement a marketing and branding campaign .This case study looks at the strategy and tactics behind the creation of brand Modi .Irrespective of your faith ,ideology and voting decision ,there has been no escaping Modi .His image and in -your- face messaging have overshadowed all other brands -even that of his own party .Pitching a specific leader as a driver of change and to mobilize voters support is hardly a new political strategy .After all BJP had projected LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee its prime ministerial candidates in past (Remember the Abki baari Atal Bihari slogan in 1996?) The congress party’s projection of Indira Gandhi as the country’s tallest leader with its Indira loo desh bachao tagline in the 1970’s is another such example .But the personal rhetoric had been tied ,and sometimes made subservient ,to the political parties to which these leaders belonged .With his landslide victory in 2014 Lok Sabha polls ,Narendra Modi has written the rules of the game and redefined Indian politics .Brand Modi has not only captured popular imagination but also trumped Brand BJP .How did it happen ?David Aaker ,American marketing guru and author of several books on branding ,wrote in an April 2012 blog post that every person has a brand that affects how the person is perceived and whether he or she is liked and respected. This brand ,he says ,can be actively managed with discipline and consistency over time ,or it can be allowed to drift. Modi and his marketing team showed oodles of both once he was anointed the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate on September 13 that year .In fact ,they had been at it from much before. Modi’s transformation over the past year from a regional ,right wing politician to a decisive leader with a clear development agenda ,the one best suited to take India forward is nothing short of extraordinary ,Senoior leaders Pyish Goyal and Ajay Singh handled the overall media strategy ,and a task force was constituted to handle Modi’s campaign in Varanasi .Advertising legends such as Ogilvy & Mathers Piyush Pandey ,MaCann etc lent their skills at various levels .Advertising agency Soho Square ,part of the WPP Group ,handled television ,radio and print campaigns with catchy slogans such as ”Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar”The archetype he offers is of a strong ,all -knowing father figure who is unwavering ,” says Santosh Desai ,who heads future Brands ,the brand consultancy arm of Future group .To create the father figure ,Modi’s team invoked tales of childhood ,in books and comics .Invariably and understandably ,they were tales of heroism involving a precocious Bal Narendra (Modi as child).Brand Modi is unlikely to fizzle out anytime soon .The latest Morning Consult approval ratings of global leaders ,based on data collected from February 29 to March 6,once again show prime minister Narendra Modi leading the charts .He enjoys a net approval rating of 62% -that is ,of the respondents,78% approved of him ,while 16% did not .Only six of the 25 leaders tracked have a positive rating ,while rest 19 have a negative net approval rating .They include Emmanuel Macron ,the US’s Joe Biden and UK’s Rishi Sunak .According to the C- Voters Mood of the Nation (MOTN) survey ,in terms of domestic ratings ,55% of voters prefer to see Modi as the PM again ,against 14% of people who support Rahul Gandhi There has been a lot of debate about whether Brand Modi has peaked ,whether there is still some room for growth or in fact if there is decline .The brand Modi it seems is still going strong and may be in a growth stage ,which just precedes maturity .Opposition parties are hoping that this election will see his popularity peaking and that by 2029 ,brand Modi will start fading away .Modi’s image is built on three key perceptions -trust ,good intent and delivery .He has been able to touch the hearts of the people through many of his landmark schemes and their implementation .Experts have similar views .While author Santosh Desai opines that at the heart of Brand Modi lies ‘strength and clarity ‘,Dilip Cherian a renowned communications consultant and political campaign advisor believes that Brand Modi works on sound ,corporate principles of repeat ,rinse ,repeat .For Modi ,being popular in his 10th year as PM is not easy .It requires continuous engagement with people ,consistent reinvention of his image and the addition of new vote blocks. Modi also displays an uncanny ability to tide out public discontent over decisions that do not pan out the way he wants .Demonetization is an example .In short Brand Modi will stay at least to 2029.
(The author is a columnist,social and KP activist)
