The evolution of the human race has been going on for thousands of years, yet there is hardly any change in any human being’s basic needs. The need for food, clothing, and shelter is universally consistent amongst all of us; irrespective of what race, gender, culture, religion or nationality we belong to.
Having said that, why is it that we have evolved so rapidly in different directions, particularly if we review the influences of culture, race, religion and nationality on our lifestyles? I am sure anthropologists have studied these aspects at a much detailed level and can offer a lot more insight on the topic, yet on a psychological level this has a lot to do with how we see ourselves and how we wish to be seen. What I am trying to discuss here is that the very need of humans to be seen by others in a certain way or class or belief system etc.; is the very reason why brands were created.
If we take a closer look at brands we see reflections of personalities of different types. These personalities depict lifestyles, professions, belief systems, acceptance in social classes and much more. In essence, by creating brands human have actually provided directions of personality types which we associate with and develop a relationship with over a period of time. In other words brands also shape our opinions and belief systems, thereby playing an active role in the evolution of humans and societies. What is really important to note in this discussion is that we need to see brands at a much larger level than just cars, designer labels for clothing/accessories or FMCG’s.
The world of branding extends to anything and everything that we see around us. We can see how the term branding applies to Nations, Political Candidates, Social Causes, Educational Institutes, Competitions/Events, Evangelists…and the list goes on and on. The most important lesson here is that branding has the potential to change, adapt, give meaning and purpose to what matters to us. Thus it is time that we learn this art so that we can apply it in different walks of life to build the self-esteem of our nation, which needs rigorous image-lifting.
I strongly feel that a nation with so much human capital and talent needs to channel itself in meaningful and purposeful belief systems. A lot of new and creative experimentation is taking place in our cinema industry, which I hope will open our minds towards new influences and perspectives that challenge norms. We have been too stagnant for too long; if there is a time this is it. We need to move with confidence and take bold actions to bring change; change that really influences and motivates towards affirmative action.