Brand-Aid

It's plain funny how some brands catch the imagination of the "public" in India. Generic products will be called by a brand name; and people insist that it is the right name. For example, when I asked someone at work to get a "photocopy", he tried to correct me by saying, "You mean Xerox?". It's not his fault, I guess. Every street corner in Kolkata you will find a sign boasting "Xerox by Canon" or plain "Xerox", although if you look inside the shop, the machine could be Canon, HP, IBM, etc.

Then, of course, all kind of instant noodle is Maggi. Chocolates, used to be, and sometimes even now, is Cadbury! Luxury buses, even if they are made by Ashok Leyland, Tata, or some other company, boasts of "Volvo" service! My mom says, when she was a kid, detergent powder was referred to as "Surf"! Even now, people buy "Band Aid" instead of "adhesive dressings". I am sure there are so many other examples that I can't recall now!

8 comments:

RB said...

And I have an exam on Brand Management tomorrow. Dr. Sastry's paper. :)

Come, I'll give you some gyaan. :P

Aro said...

hmmm...xerox...I think is the most popular... not used the others...

Aro said...

hmmm...some thing like..France'er Gram Bangla...

R said...

It's a classic case study. For Xerox, the world over. It's a phenomenon people are proud of. I am only amused. Shows how dependent and helplessly blind we've become. :)

Kanika said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kanika said...

well there are n number of examples to that...be it Bisleri aka Mineral water, Dalda aka vanaspati ghee, and Thermos for vaccuum flasks....

When Brands becomes commodities!!! ;)

Subhadip said...

@RB
Theek se padhai karo, aur paper do pehle :P

@Aro
Undoubtedly Xerox. France'er gram bangla - ha ha ha.

@RT
Is it a good thing for the brand?

@Kanu
Oh yeah, Bisleri and Dalda - how could I forget them!

Aarbee said...

It is not really a good thing for the brand. It is called over-positioning. Because if tomorrow, for example, Xerox wants to diversify and manufacture, say, natural, organic substances (or anything equally random!)... it will never be able to create credibility for itself in the market because people cannot get over it being a photocopier machine.