Jury divided on Brand Modi

MUMBAI: For a nation that is bereft of global brands of its own, is Modi its biggest brand? The jury appeared to be divided on this.
Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO, Yes Bank, said it is thanks to Brand Modi that India has moved into high gear. “With the recent fillip that ‘Brand India’ has got on the global stage over the last 6 months, the government should partner with the private sector to drive ‘Brand India’ to ensure exponential growth of the Indian industry,” Kapoor said.
The panel at the Times Litfest Power Breakfast appeared to be divided on this. According to Swaminathan Aiyar, consulting editor, TOI, it is incorrect to describe Modi as a brand. “He won an election six months back. Obama had a decisive victory but his ratings are now down to 38%”. Swami said that in recent years, American businesses have turned viciously against India. “An American businessman speaking about India told me there is a lot of sizzle, but where is the steak? If the sizzle is followed by a drizzle, it ends with a fizzle,” said Aiyer.
Abanti Sankaranarayanan, marketing director of Alcobev giant Diageo said while there was not much change on the ground, there were indications that work was in progress at the top levels. Designer Rajeev Sethi, whose art walk is the centerpiece of Mumbai Airport's T2 terminal, pointed out that the ‘make in India’ campaign comes a bit late—60 years after Japan and 30 years after China started its manufacturing campaign. — Mayur Shetty