The Indian Branding Landscape: Caught Up in the Hype or Capitalising on the Real Trend?

The Indian Branding Landscape: Caught Up in the Hype or Capitalising on the Real Trend?

The Indian branding landscape has witnessed an exponential evolution over the past few decades. A hallmark of the country's rising inclination towards innovation and creativity.

Indian Branding: An Overview

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The growth in the Indian branding industry can be attributed to several factors. First and foremost, the growing convergence of global trends and cultural norms have significantly influenced the brand landscape in the country. A plethora of diverse industries now converge to create riveting brand narratives, mainly driven by the cosmos of technological advancements, increasing consumerism, and an expanding middle class. This convergence has thus led to the rise of numerous brands that offer a plethora of options to the consumers.

Trends Shaping Indian Branding

Trends such as personalisation, minimalism, and environmental consciousness stand at the forefront of influencing India's evolving branding landscape. With brands seeking new ways to stay ahead in the competitive market, product bundling & personalisation have emerged as the strings of differentiating their manufactured goods and services.

Minimised and Customised

Minimalism was in the forefront of the branding conversation a decade ago, commanding a strong foothold in the Indian industry. Since 2020, though, there has been an observable shift in the overall brand landscape, with an elevated emphasis on personalisation. Nerdy Ndegawa, a marketing professional at the Cpluz, notes, 'Personalisation, as it stands, is no longer merely about explaining the choices brands give to customers. Rather, it's about giving our customers the choice of experience.

Environment Conscious

A wave of environmental consciousness washed over the country with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's November 2019 'Go Green' push. Not only has it spiked the demand for eco-friendly products but also introduced Indian companies to sustainable marketing strategies. Neil Armstrong, co-founder of branding agency " Armstrong Axon", emphatically says, "Eco-friendly marketing and branding will take centre stage in the times to come as India moves towards becoming a self-reliant nation." Today, environmental responsibility transcends the visual elements of branding strategies: a new rule of thumb everyone seems to be following. Brands now not only contribute to initiatives that reduce carbon footprints but also craft meaningful narratives around eco-friendliness, enhancing their brand image on the whole.

The Diminishing Role of Branded Content

A recurrent trend found in the narrative of Indian branding is the diminishing role of promotional content. While brands still hold onto traditional marketing strategies they did in the past, the impact it holds has seen a significant downturn over the years. With the ever-increasing cut throat competition of modern-day branding, Indians, today, are steadily well-versed in recognising promotional content from real content - thereby dramatically reducing the effectiveness of the former. Marketing experts have now shifted their focus on putting real emphasis on content that practices storytelling and innovation.

Alternatives to Conventional Marketing Strategies

Several other modern-day branding strategies have emerged as alternatives to conventional marketing and promotional strategies. Branded content was once popular to catch the attention of audiences in the Indian terrain. However, with rise in consumer awareness, the narrative took a different turn, with consumers loudly rebelling against "promotional" content to "real" content.

Arrival of Influencer Marketing

Influencer Marketing is a growing force in the new branding dynamics of India. As the levels of consumer cynicism rise, Indian audiences are giving more heed to peer recommendations than official promotional content. Cpluz respondent Shikha Dewan subscribed to the Donald Trump-devised wisdom―'Fake it 'til you make it' could prove the deciding formula in Influencer Marketing.

What Lies Ahead?

Considering the irrationality of the pandemic and its influence on markets across the globe, coupled with the reluctance of companies to contain their operations – the impact of the pandemic on the Indian branding industry has been colossal. The unprecedented impact disrupted the conventional marketing trends of the industry and expedited the growth of digital-centric branding strategies. Soneja V. Deshpande, advisor at the Bright Shores Cohort highlighted, as he endeavored to outline the actual implications of the pandemic on India based branding, 'Packages started to be designed with digital platforms as a crucial module. Indian brands and designers placed more emphasis on accurate quotation from existing material, virtual experience as opposed to material delivery of solutions, and multi-sided branding with social messages, sustainability, encourage seamlessly enforcing wellness and health.'

Indian branding industry has erupted and evolved gradually, consistently securing a strong foothold in the global market. With digital platforms, global connections & capitalising on real trends, we can expect the industry to reach unprecedented heights in the near future.

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