‘A Brand Is A Dynamic Organism With A Life-Cycle And Not A Static Object That You Define And Promote’

‘Change is the only constant’, goes the saying, and living upto this adage to the hilt is Amadeus India, who has recently changed its logo and subsequently revamped its corporate identity. Karun Budhraja, deputy general manager, marketing and corporate communications Indian sub-continent talks to Raadia Mukadam about Amadeus’ new positioning. Excerpts.

Why did Amadeus decide to go for an image revamp?

New revenue generating systems and techniques are the present global order’s realities. With technology churning out new surprises at the click of a mouse, acceptance of this ‘Schumacher’ era is a must. But mere acceptance is not enough, timely and strategic implementation to shifting market fundamentals is what matters. One of the biggest challenges today, is of branding and imaging. Just like our customers, we are all bombarded by thousands of new brands popping every minute of the day. David Ogilvy, a guru of the iconoclastic advertising world, once said a brand is the intangible sum of a product’s attributes: its name, packaging, price, history, reputation, and the way it is advertised. A brand develops through repetition, consistency and fulfilment. But in constantly changing market conditions, new players arrive, customer expectations change, as does the company’s strategy. In such a scenario, a brand change is an eventuality. Taking this thinking forward Amadeus has opted for a brand change. However, the change is not a radical one, we are merely corporatising our image further.

What does Amadeus hope to achieve by this process?

When a brand is changed there are a few things it does on the face of it and there are some which are what I call a ripple effect change. Brand change for us in Amadeus signifies growth, movement and change. It is an indication of a company which is on the move and constantly evolving. Growth is also another major characteristic of a brand change. Whereas on the other hand, a brand change creates a ripple effect, inducing the ‘stopping power’ of the reader or viewer from the time of its implementation. The audience is forced to stop, look and most often talk about the new brand identity. The moment a reader or a service user notices a change, he either dwells on it or questions it, in both cases we would have accomplished our objective. Having said that, my role as a marketing professional and the person responsible for the new look is fulfiled. The moment the reader decides to re-look at the brand for whatever reason, the company then has attained what it endeavoured to do.

What does the new brand reflect?

I think of a brand as a dynamic, living organism with a life-cycle rather than just a static object that you define and then promote. Yes, there is a beginning and an end to a brand’s life; but with the right nourishment, the life span can be prolonged. And if done correctly, an effective brand will spawn new life before it expires. In our case, the Amadeus brand if perceived as a person has the traits of a young, dynamic individual full of verve and zest, adept at providing a gamut of solutions to complex problems.

Will this also affect Amadeus’ market share?

In today’s market, consumers tend to view a brand’s image as an integral part of the product or service they are purchasing. They are not only buying the actual product or service, but the status, prestige and the perceived benefits associated with the organisation that is doing the selling. A sum total of those intangible qualities that differentiate the item of choice from all other similar offerings in the marketplace. In a market place cluttered by clones and homogeneous products and services, it is important to create a brand image that differentiates itself from competitors and suggests integrity, dependability, and high quality with an emphasis on excellent service. This is the key to ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. Thus, creating a brand identity that sets one apart from the others offering similar services is a key factor in retaining and expanding one’s share of the pie.