Ambani bros seek to end identity confusion

Indrajit Gupta / TNN / Feb 8, 2006, 00:26 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Today, the two groups have worked out how to evolve a corporate group identity, which is distinctive and helps erase the confusion that could arise because of the split.

Ambani bros seek to end identity confusion

MUMBAI: With the legal agreement on the Reliance trademark more or less in place, the limelight will now quietly shift from the team of lawyers and finance wonks to the groups' marketing folks.
Well before the agreement was drafted, both groups had begun putting their best minds to the task of framing an appropriate response to the Reliance trademark issue.
Today, the two groups have worked out how to evolve a corporate group identity, which is distinctive and helps erase the confusion that could arise because of the split.
Since the flagship RIL continues to be with him, Mukesh believes he has the upper hand. "While some amount of confusion may exist, we don't have to go out of our way to dispel it,"says a source inside the group.

At its core, the belief is that much of the Reliance identity is synonymous with Reliance Industries. After all, that's what gives it the international stature and scale. He is, therefore, focusing on remaining wedded to the original RIL identity as far as possible.
The group identity will remain equally focused: it plans to use"The RIL Group"as its umbrella brand, with a gold and blue combination signaling the new colours.

Even the legend"Growth is Life"is expected to stay."We are working on the assumption that growth and life captures much of what the group is about. 'Growth is the lifeblood of a competitive environment.
And 'life' subsumes more or less all the dimensions we would want to address,"said a source inside Mukesh's camp.
So if major global corporate brands like BP tend to align themselves with a value like sustainability, Mukesh believes that these themes fall well within the purview of its all-encompassing 'life' theme.
However, it won't be a complete cakewalk. When Mukesh had charted the groups entry into petroleum retailing, infocomm and life sciences, he had envisaged that these new businesses would be the new face of Reliance.
So with the help of global design firm, Minale, he had drawn up a new corporate identity. The idea was to help Reliance make the transition from an industrial brand to a customer-centric brand.
So what does Anil do? The younger Ambani sibling is keen to project himself as the new face of Reliance.
Some months ago, he engaged global brand guru David A Aaker to help him draw up a new brand architecture which would straddle the businesses of communication, financial services, infrastructure, entertainment and information, which are also in sync with Reliance's new face.
Sources say Anil could use Reliance One or Reliance Next as his group identity.
Mukesh has no plans to bring in his own name into this branding exercise. However, by all indications, Anil is clear that his group - be it Reliance Next or Reliance One - will have the legend,"An Anil Dhirubhai Ambani enterprise".
Anil has the option to stick to the orange colour that exists with Reliance Energy. But one thing is for sure: Infocomm's green and blue colours will change.
Anil wants to chart a new course, and remove all vestiges of the old RIL. Except perhaps the name.

End of Article