Vinay Kanchan
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Igniting the Branding Renaissance

The early part of the fourteenth century, ushered in a magical period in Europe, indeed in all of human consciousness. Following hot on the heels of the depressing mediocrity of the Dark Ages, came an era of outstanding human thought, aptly called 'The Renaissance'.

And it was indeed a rebirth in the cerebral process; as new ground was uncovered in the arts, sciences and just about any domain of human endeavor. In fact this awakening in human thinking; is often cited as one of the primary triggers for modern day civilization.

Perhaps the seeds were laid down at that time for the present day marketplace, even maybe for the subsequent explosion of brands in the twentieth century, through the surge of ‘Avant-garde’ ideas like individualism. Today as brands try to shoulder past each other, in a crowded market place and seek consumer attention, maybe The Renaissance still has a lot of inspiration to offer. Here are but a few stimulating strokes, that this creatively fertile saga, paints for brand custodians to take cognizance of.

Positioning by immediate context

One aspect which causes the achievements of The Renaissance, to register even more strongly, is because of what came before it. Prior to this era, Europe was subject to the Dark Ages. That time when free thinking was ruthlessly suppressed, and religious intolerance and rigidity, resulted in an absolute paucity of great ideas. Hence when The Renaissance came around, all its exciting new and brave concepts, stood out absolutely emphatically. Just like the blackness of the night, helps the break of dawn appear more spectacular; the Dark Ages made the phenomenon of The Renaissance shine that extra bit brightly.

New brands are often faced with the challenge of putting life before them in context. One of the reasons, why Apple burst onto the personal computer market with such fruitful purpose, is because of the manner in which it managed to reposition IBM, and the prevailing world of the category. By celebrating an inclusive individualism (a throwback to The Renaissance); Apple stood out in stark contrast to the rather intimidating, mechanistic and almost pedantic perceptions of those around then. Brands which have the capability and confidence to ring in a new era, sometimes find themselves at the cusp of a revolution that leads to increased market share.

Borrowing ideas from the past

Many historians believe that the seminal reason why The Renaissance took place; was because after nearly a thousand years, Europe rediscovered great writings of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Both these civilizations were responsible for the discovery of some fundamental concepts, and revisiting the brilliant thinking of that time, helped ignite minds in a completely different millennium. This intellectual cross fertilization really powered The Renaissance Express on the right track.

Innovation is a constant demand of today’s branding world. And the quest for new ideas is never an easy process. Teams search far and wide for inspirational sparks. But often the past presents some really compelling possibilities. When Baron Pierre De Coubertin was toying with the idea of a sporting platform to promote harmony amongst nations, he was reviving an ancient Greek tradition. However that ‘borrowing’ in no way, has dimmed the charisma and equity of the modern Olympics movement. Brand managers have to get over the mental hurdle; that just because it has happened before, it does not necessarily mean that it has lost all relevance today.

Nurturing a favorable climate

For creativity to really blossom, an environment which is conducive has to be created. It would be interesting to ponder how much of The Renaissance would have been possible, had it not been for the presence of some truly high profile patrons. Many of these, like the Medici family, provided the creative heavyweights of that time financial stability. This allowed the artists to uninhibitedly express their talents, and create masterpieces which probably will stand the test of time.

The culture which companies promote often can be directly correlated, to how innovative they turn out to be. Many corporate brands have realized this. In fact new age technological giants like 3M, HP and Google, allow for a proportion of official time, where employees can chase completely independent projects. Such concessions are very important steps towards facilitating workplaces, where breakthrough ideas are always around the corner.

Celebrating real heroes

Finally one of the reasons, why people look back at The Renaissance with such fondness, is because of its heroes. Men like Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello, Dante and many more. These were legendary polymaths whose work still resonates today. Their sheer enigma added a potent human angle to an era, and helped make it all the more relatable for coming generations. In essence these men stressed the importance of heroes, whenever it came to truly making an impression on human perception.

These days celebrity endorsement is a much resorted to tactical maneuver in the branding repertoire. However this does not quite capture the spirit of this concept, as implied by The Renaissance. When India’s knowledge process outsourcing revolution began, many young people looked at careers within these corporate brands with uncertainty. But it was once they started to witness the lives of people from their immediate circle, change dramatically for the better; that they began to view this new field with fresh respect. Those heroes-a distant cousin, a building acquaintance, a friend’s sister; all contributed massively in the opening of an entire new sector to young Indian minds. Heroes truly strike a chord, when their connection with the brand is genuine.

Eventually branding can be interpreted as the process of cultivating marketing works of art. This ideal entails examining periods in our civilization, which became brands in themselves, and learning from them. One such is The Renaissance. When one begins this practice, one not only adds flavor to the strategic thought process, but also pays homage to the past masters. And that is perhaps why the Mona Lisa appears to smile, when people look at her.

(First carried in The Financial Express)

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