Indian exotica in foreign lands

Indian products seem to be a rage with some segments of foreigners. Why? Given the cost involved, what does it spell for these Indian brands to set up retail/franchise stores?

Mumbai

Ratnesh, Indian products that link their brand ethos to their unique and exotic origins have done well in overseas markets in recent decades. Clear examples are FabIndia, HiDesign and Shahnaz Husain herbals for sure. Add Atmosphere (the fabric and furnishing firm which is doing well in Dubai and Singapore) as well.

Indian products pack origin-exotica. The overseas audience gets excited by this. India is also seen as a relatively innocent marketing destination. Marketers of such products are not seen to be in the league of the slick and glib. To that extent, we stand out on the marketing-innocence score as well, as opposed to brands with origins in Europe or the Americas, for that matter.

The costs overseas are exorbitant. To be able to stand out in the retail environment overseas one needs deep pockets. Only the really confident brands establish such hubs. Brands such as Himalaya Herbals and Atmosphere from India have taken brave steps in this route.

The cost that you incur on outlets you establish in overseas destinations need to be amortised over time most of the time.

As I travel in India, there are brands from India and there are brands from Kerala. Am I right? And the celebrity is big here?

New Delhi

Rick, it took some time for me to understand your question really. But I think I did. Finally.

Kerala brands are a cluster of their own. These brands do position themselves differently from national brands. These brands have emerged with strong regional identities very closely linked to God’s own country.

These are reasonably deep-investment brands in the realm of retail, particularly jewellery and garments. The investments made by companies such as Muthoot, Malabar, Kalyan and Joy Alukkas are centred on celebrities. What started with a focus on Kerala celebrities such as Mohanlal, Mammootty and more has now gone on to embrace all of Bollywood as well. Cricket is just a step away, I guess.

Kerala brands are now going national and global, by embracing the national celebrity at large. Such an embrace of the larger diaspora audience by roping in all-India-centric celebrities means these brands have a footprint that is bigger than Kerala. It will stand them in good stead, as these brands become household names in both a Malappuram as well as a Manhattan. Wait for that!

Advertising awards are held by many. We have the Goafest ahead as well. How do these awards help? Are they for real?

Hyderabad

Manini, there are awards and awards. In reality they are a celebration. This celebration must, however, have the basis of a logic. A logic that sets the better ones apart. Goafest is certainly one of those better ones, I guess.

Personally though, I just do not believe in advertising awards. Ads are created by creative advertising people and the same people award themselves? Something must be wrong somewhere. I have been on juries, and I typically plug the case of a client jury awarding creatives rather than a creative jury awarding creatives. We need 100 per cent client juries to judge advertising awards. This is a missing element in most awards.

Harish Bijoor is a brand strategy expert and CEO of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. Mail your questions to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in

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