Anna Hazare: Brand Personified.

Anna Hazare, the man needs no introduction. But why am I writing about him? I am here to write about the Brand Anna.  The factors which created a BRAND out of a common man in the nation which is known to be most depressed, swayed by the westernization, in the corporate race and has practically started adopting corrupt practices as a default virtue.

How 'Brand Anna' Emerged?

1.       The PROMISE.

A Brand is a Promise. Think of all the brands you align with – isn’t it the promise which they keep that keeps you loyal towards the Brand. Anna has only one promise to keep and he with his team is ardent about it. He emerged as a brand because he offered a promise which everybody is seeking. He emerged as it is a brand who is promising a benefit to all with absolute no offence.

2.       Representation of PROMISE – the Connect.

Brand Anna – is not a personal brand. It is a brand which depicts power to powerless, direction to directionless, motive to motto less and a hope to hopeless. With the media intervention the representation has gone up by leaps. People are relating and participating. Engagement has increased – thanks to Social Media. Be it facebook communities, Pic Badges, twitter or you tube videos.

People are connecting by all ways possible. The youth is participating – the college goers, the working class. Even the old and the homemakers are showing enthusiastic participation. Look at the  numbers, this Brand estimates almost 77-80%  coverage on top 10 News Channel for half of August, facebook registered more than 150 pages for the brand, Times Now reports more than 8000 videos to be received for the motion and their No Bribes initiative. For two days, the Twitter hash tag #isupportannahazare was the top-trending topic.  And there is no denying the fact – which thousands have stepped out from their comfort zones to add up to the Brand Power.

3.       Brand Symbolism

Tri-color & Mahatma Gandhi indeed are the prime Brand Ensembles. Both are national symbols and give some kind of rush of emotions to each & every countrymen. I must say, that the symbolism which is created earlier by the brand team and then by the freelancers and now even people are making profits from the Brand Merchandise is amazing. The tri-color is the base element and the creative depictions from t-shirts to Gandhi caps everything is fashionable. I am sure you are aware of the ‘Mein Anna hun ’ caps have reached the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week.

4.       Brand Anna – the way forward.

Brand intentions are good and I support them but somewhere I had doubts on certain ways adopted. Yes, I am proud that we are the nation which started ‘Satyagraha’ but isn’t fasting unto death an undemocratic idea. I mean no democracy allows suicide.

My say on the Brand- Anna would be:

1. Brand Anna is a social brand with honesty as its main ingredient. It should not be harmed or mis-quoted by over-promotion.
2. Brand should be careful about turning more authoritative then participative.
3. The Brand ambassadors need to be very careful in conduct & practice.
4. It is good to be ardent but not rigid
5. Like every brand – ‘Constant Evolvement’ would be the challenge.

The people associated are great but we need to be careful with our Brand Growth formation. After all it is indeed the 'most favored brand of Indians.'