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Branding the maestros
Do Indian classical musicians need branding?
Chennai
Ankita, a quick answer on this one. Yes. A big yes. Yes, yes, yes, said three times over and underlined even.
Who doesn’t need branding really? I know it sounds crass in a terrain called classical music, but let me explain in a manner that is hopefully benign and sensitive.
Let’s start. In the beginning is the brand. Let’s start with the brand then.
My definition of a brand: The brand is a thought that lives in people’s minds. Brands that invest in keeping their “thought” alive, peppy, contemporary, relevant to the generation, original in impact and innovative in their offerings tend to thrive and do well. Those that don’t, die and get pushed into the outermost periphery of near-oblivion in the person’s mind. And remember, this is a “person” and not a “consumer” I am talking about. Brands live in people’s minds. And these people are not necessarily consumers or fans, as yet.
Out here in the realm of classical music, there is first the mother brand “classical music” itself, and then there is every practitioner of it. Branding has a role to play in both spheres.
When I think classical music, I think it does a few things that brands do well. To that extent there is an umbilical connect between classical music and branding. I know the purist will baulk at the thought, but let me be. For now.
The clear point is that if you actually invest branding effort in the space of classical music, it can leap out of the closet classical music is otherwise getting into, thanks to the pressures of other forms of audio and visual forms of entertainment and enrichment alike.
What is the core purpose and benefit of branding?
Chennai
Jaya, the brand is a thought. A thought that lives in a person’s mind. The purpose of branding is to first instil this powerful thought in the mind of a person, and then deepen its presence, relevance, originality and innovation.
The benefit of branding is end-monetisation. Monetisation need not come about immediately, but it will. Later than sooner is even better.
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