Many years ago, a thin, bespectacled old man wrapped in a piece of Khadi, led the campaign to free India from British rule. A few months ago, it was the turn of another bespectacled old man, walking in the former’s footsteps, to lead India against corruption.
We look at brand Anna Hazare and what it can teach us.
Anna’s popularity soared as he became the symbol for a cause the entire country identified with.
Lesson: let your brand stand for a simple value/ ideal/ notion, which makes it easier for people to relate to it.
During the peak of his campaign, his team used various media channels to connect with the public. It gave the campaign and the brand ample mind-space.
Lesson: use the right media channel for better brand recall.
Things became a shade less rosy, when members of the Anna team began to express different views on the same topics.
Lesson: ensure your brand speaks the same language consistently; confusing or contradictory statements hurt credibility.
Multiple statements on multiple issues – from a minister being slapped to campaigns during elections – kept team Anna in focus, but began to subtract from the overall impact the brand had earlier created.
Lesson: communicate with stakeholders but don’t create a communication clutter.
The recent second fast didn’t create as much of a stir as the first one did. The crowd response was weaker too.
Lesson: don’t take your audience for granted. The same strategy may not work twice.
According to media reports about the event (fast in Mumbai), it was a case of Anna retiring hurt, thanks to the lukewarm response. But brand Hazare is still potent enough to grab the headlines. Let’s wait and watch to see if it takes a stronger hue – after all, the Lokpal Bill is yet to be passed.
