10 Indian Businesses That Got Their Branding Wrong (And Why)

Branding is more important than ever for Indian businesses in the 21st century. With ongoing global digitalization, a robust brand presence has become the key to establishing a strong consumer base and standing out in the market. However, severalIndian companies have failed to create a lasting impact with their branding. These businesses not only lost potential customers but also suffered a blow to their reputation. This article explores ten Indian businesses that got their branding wrong and discusses the reasons behind their failures.

1. Tata Nano

The Tata Group is a household name in India, with a diverse portfolio of businesses including automobiles, technology, travel, and more. However, their foray into the budget car segment with the Nano was widely criticized for its poor branding strategy. By positioning the car as a cheap alternative for the average Indian family, the brand failed to recognize the implications of its cheap pricing on the image of Tata as a quality vehicle manufacturer. As a result, Tata Nano couldn't live up to the promise of an affordable, quality car and ended up losing its appeal to the masses (Brandwatch, 2020).

2.INGER Specialist Hospital

INGER Specialist Hospital is an Indian healthcare facility based in Kerala. A glaring mistake in their branding has led to numerous negative reviews on booking platforms like Justdial and Zomato. The hospital's logo and branding materials contain a clear image of Tarzan, an fictional character from American literature, instead of a medical icon. This peculiar choice resulted in the hospital being associated with an American adventure character rather than a medical service provider, which is a far cry from what the hospital actually offers (Justdial, 2020).

3.Ambuja Cement

Ambuja Cement is one of India's largest manufacturers of cement. A few years back, the company launched a rather peculiar advertisement campaign featuring a man who gets stuck in wet cement and then has to endure several difficult situations. The attempt to be humorous during an otherwise somber subject like cement led to a considerable backlash against the brand, drawing mixed reactions from the public. The advertisement was heavily criticized for being insensitive (The Economic Times, 2013).

4.Dalleng India

Dalleng India is a biotech manufacturer and supplier that specializes in high-quality chemicals. Their branding strategy, however, could have been better. In their promotional material, the company mentioned that their products could be beneficial in making LSD, a psychoactive drug. This raised serious concerns about the firm's intended use and authenticity, leading to adverse reactions from the public. As a result, Dalleng India lost customers and faith in the market (Instagram, 2020).

5.Vimal Soft Cigarettes

Vimal Soft Cigarettes is a brand from TCPL Plastics (TCPL), Indian manufacturers of plastic packaging solutions. A few years ago, the company faced a severe backlash for promoting a new variant of cigarettes called "Vimal Soft". The target audience for these cigarettes was women smokers, which added fuel to the growing debate about gender and smoking. Moreover, the image on the cigarette pack depicting a woman smoking in a hilly outdoors setting and the tagline "Smoke fills the skies, and dreams too," was seen as another provocation to the masses (The Times of India, 2020). The logic behind this move was questioned left and right, making Vimal Soft one of India's most unpopular cigarette brands.

6 INLINE Lifestyle Limited

INLINE Lifestyle Limited is a US-based and India-headquartered company with a portfolio of innovative lifestyle products. Their innovative approach to products might have contributed to their appreciation among a select audience. However, their use of Artificial Intelligence to introduce their new product line, a y-shaped jacket, raised eyebrows and concerns among several fashion enthusiasts in India. The focus on AI technology over human touch led to a swell of negative reviews for the company on platform like Instagram (Instagram, 2020).

7. Cargo Life India Plans Private Limited

Cargo Life India Plans Private Limited is a Delhi-based firm that provides painstaking door-to-door delivery services to Indian customers. Among their unique offers, they include instant product delivery with no additional charge for customers residing in the same city. However, in an attempt to express their commitment to the customer-first approach, the company flaunts its CTD (Customer Termination Deadline) policy on their website and social media handles, suggesting that customers can return the product within a set timeframe. While it showcased their service quality and commitment to returning money, the way they approached it may have caused negativity among a section of their customer base (Website of Cargo Life, 2020).

8.Vijay Interworks Global

Vijay Interworks Global is a supplier, distributor, and manufacturer of chemicals used in textiles and hospitality industries. However, the way they promoted their chemicals made global customers question the credibility and authenticity of the product listed in their catalog. The product'molecularlayer proton motive monoxide' garnered controversy and negative comments on their social media platforms because its promotional content had an uncanny resemblance to religion. The resemblance has stalled the growth of the product despite the quality of the chemical in the market (Tony Boyle on twiter, 2020)

9.Awadh Digentor Private Limited

Awadh Digentor Private Limited is a US-based company with its Indian branch operating mostly out of the Delhi NCR region. Their hike pricing call after the launch of the new digital platform to create hardware per se pushed a lot of existing customers into anger. Additionally, they also pushedfor the existing digital contracts that idd and the stipstop those industries auch shorterduration renewable DIG MLApriljosapedesSportsl tempor WaswellS Crahes,nivation wi,

10.Country Club India

Country Club India is an Indian wellness company that provides gymnasiums and resort facilities to health enthusiasts. One of the most shocking mistakes that the company has made in its branding strategy was its partnership with controversial sports personality, N. Srinivasan. This collaboration resulted in the ire of many customers, especially considering that the partnership is with a tainted sports personality. Consequently, Country Club India faced a social media backlash akin to a viral epidemic due to the association with N. Srinivasan (The Times of India, 2017).

Why Did These Indian Businesses Fail in Branding?

The Indian businesses mentioned above made a host of mistakes that hindered their branding efforts. One of the most significant reasons for their failure in creating a lasting brand image is the poor understanding of their customers. They frequently failed to comprehend what the consumers wanted and what would most likely resonate with them. In several instances, branding strategies were misaligned with the company values, goals, and the changing needs of customers. Such misalignments can be detrimental to the company's image in the long run, leading to significant financial and reputation losses. Finally, these businesses also make the elementary mistake of ignoring the impact of their decisions on public perception, often failing to communicate effectively with their diverse audience.

Conclusion

Branding is a critical component of the growth and success of any Indian business. While these cases offer cautionary tales, they also serve as valuable lessons for companies in operating and navigating through challenging market conditions. They underscore the importance of accurately understanding the customer needs and developing branding strategies that align with the company's goals and values. It is imperative for businesses to make use of the breadth of expertise at hand to analyze the public perception of their brand and make necessary improvements timely. This way, Indian businesses can forge meaningful consumer-brand connections, minimize branding mistakes, and stay competitive amid a challenging market landscape.

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