Modi's MBA - Mastering Business with Attiitude

BJP’s leader Narendra Modi's election juggernaut in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls is an example of how to prepare and successfully implement a marketing and branding campaign. Irrespective of your faith, ideology and voting decision, there has been no escaping Modi. His image and in-your-face messaging have overshadowed all other brands - even that of his own party. This case study looks at the strategy and tactics behind the creation of Brand Modi.

Pitching a specific leader as a driver of change and to mobilise voters' support is hardly a new political strategy. After all, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had projected L.K. Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee its prime ministerial candidates in the past (remember the Ab ki baari Atal Bihari slogan in 1996?). The Congress party's projection of Indira Gandhi as the country's tallest leader with its 'Indira lao desh bachao' tagline in the 1970s is another such example. But the personal rhetoric had been tied, and sometimes made subservient, to the political parties to which these leaders belonged. With his landslide win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi has rewritten the rules of the game and redefined Indian politics. Brand Modi has not only captured popular imagination but also trumped Brand BJP. How did it happen?

David Aaker, American marketing guru and author of several books on branding, wrote in an April 2012 blog post that every person has a brand that affects how the person is perceived and whether he or she is liked and respected. This brand, he says, can be actively managed with discipline and consistency over time, or it can be allowed to drift. Modi and his marketing team showed oodles of both once he was anointed the BJP's prime ministerial candidate on September 13 last year. In fact, they had been at it from much before.

Right from the outset, the party under Modi set itself stretch targets – which focused the efforts of all the stakeholders to one central objective: Mission 272+. This was the ultimate goal of getting the BJP a majority of its own even while focusing on building the right alliances in the right states and voter niches.

Equally important, the BJP was a perfectly aligned force from teeth to tail – from the one leader (Modi) who led the fight from the front, to the last karyakarta, the BJP and RSS foot soldiers, who felt they had a personal stake in this election. When there is such an alignment from top to bottom, it is no surprise that the end-results have been so gratifying.

The chemistry between top and bottom was electrifying. Unlike the Congress, where the bosses kept themselves cocooned and the workers ran a disprited campaign, in the BJP the boss led from the front – driving the enthusiasm of the cadre. The boss put in a grueling 20-hour day, cross-crossing addressing over 450 rallies in a few months, and addressing even larger audiences with his unique 3D projection technology which enabled him to be in several places at the same time.

In the run-up to the election, we had run a story on the management lessons we could learn from Modi’s campaign. It is worth recalling it again in the context of the success of the BJP and Modi today (16 May). These are some of the things one can learn from the success of the Modi juggernaut.

First, declare your ambitions and goals clearly.

Rarely in Indian elections have we seen any candidate clearly state what he wants and what he hopes to achieve if he gets what he wants. While others pussyfoot around the idea and act coy, Modi has always been clear he wanted to be PM. This is the main reason why many voters are clear about giving him a chance.

This is simple logic. Consider that there are three applicants for a job. The first applicant says it does not matter if he gets the job or not, for he is on to higher things. The second applicant says everyone else is a crook and doesn’t deserve the job. The final applicant says he wants the job and he is best qualified for it. He is willing to work hard and brandishes his past achievements to support his candidature.

Who will you give the job to? The chances are you will consider the person who is keen on the job, seems to have the qualifications, and willing to toil for it.

This is the power of goal clarity and focus.

Second, set stretch targets and align your entire team to the final goal.

This time, the BJP’s stretch target was Mission 272+ - getting a majority for the BJP on its own. The power of the stretch target is simple: when you have to achieve so much, you have to rise above you normal diffidence and everyday pettiness and get every shoulder to the wheel. You have to make every last workers feel this is his target – and every worker suddenly forget his petty quarrels and works for the larger goal.

The most spectacular part of the Modi campaign was that there was perfect alignment between leader and foot-soldier. If the leader led from the front by going wherever his karyakartas called him, often when his voice was going hoarse, the foot-soldier felt this was his own battle. He was fighting his own cause.

Third, break the final target personal targets into a set of smaller targets and milestones.

Modi’s milestones were clear: First, win Gujarat convincingly, next win public backing for his candidature through carefully-choreographed speeches to specific audiences (starting with the address to the Shriram College of Commerce in January 2013 in Delhi), then win party support by getting the cadre excited at various fora, and then expand his support base by winning votes for his party CMs in various assembly elections (but after sealing his candidature for the top post). After this, get enough votes in crucial states to lead his party to victory and form a government. Modi ran his campaign like a US presidential election - from primaries to the final party nomination and on to voting day .

Fourth, demonstrate strength, then invite stakeholders.

One of the big myths perpetrated by the media is that Modi would never get allies because of 2002. For a while it seemed likely to prove true. But Modi did not bother with this theory. He knew allies would come if they saw winning potential in him. Once he demonstrated public support and the opinion polls started conveying the same groundswell of support across the country, allies started trickling in one by one. It is strength that attracts allies, not entreaties.

Fifth, eliminate doubters and bring in team players.

This is one of the core philosophies that saw Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer, beat Robert Scott to the South Pole in 1911. Amundsen knew that if his team had to make it first, it needed competent people, but more important, he needed people who would fall in line and not try to be too individualistic. As Morten Hansen writes in this HBR blog: “Amundsen emphasised unity and teamwork over individual competence. He got rid of his best person, Johansen, and booted him from the final assault team because he had quarrelled with Amundsen openly in front of all the others. Amundsen could not risk fracture in his team, which could jeopardise the whole enterprise. Likewise, Bill Gates was quick to manage out people who didn’t fit, including two presidents…”.

 

Five marketing lessons one can learn from Narendra Modi

Carefully thought-through communication strategies have helped Modi expand his base. There are some valuable marketing lessons that can be learnt from Modi, especially to surge ahead during tough economic times.

Here is a look at them...

1. Be a constant innovator

Innovations need to be pulled out of the hat all the time. For instance, during a recent BJP rally in Hyderabad, people were charged an entry fee of Rs 5 to listen to Modi’s address. According to the Gujarat Chief Minister, with this the party is delivering a paradigm shift in the political landscape. The funds from the rally are being donated to the flood-ravaged state of Uttarakhand. But the BJP’s agenda is to prove the popularity of its front-runner for Prime Minister.

Marketing lesson: During difficult times, brands need to understand that innovations in pricing will attract consumers. They will remember the brand for what it did for them during the tough times and will be loyal in the long-run.

2. Strike when the iron is hot

When Modi’s proactive step to help evacuate 15,000 Gujaratis from flood-affected Uttarakhand in two days came under fire from various quarters, the news stunned many. Media investigated to find out if it was true. According to various reports, the Gujarat Disaster Management Authority (GDMA) has become a professional institution, capable of responding to natural or man-made disasters. It has a 24x7 monitoring system and well-publicised helpline numbers known to Gujaratis – both in the country and abroad. Modi has succeeded in conveying to the citizens of Gujarat that the government is always there to serve them. That is why the first response of Gujaratis anywhere in the world is to contact the Chief Minister’s office if they are caught in a calamity.

Marketing lesson: Winning the trust of consumers should be the fundamental focus of brands. Brands shouldn’t turn their backs during crisis; in fact, they need to strategise aggressively to make sure that they are with the consumers all the time.

3. Be a digital expert

The role of digital in any marketing communication can no longer be ignored. The faster the brands get on to digital media, the better for them. According to a report released by Blogworks, since January 2013, mentions of Narendra Modi have seen the highest and most consistent increase; for all other politicians, the shift in mentions has been fluctuating topically every month. Modi’s online mention is said to have increased by 126 per cent since then. Modi is arguably one of the most tech-savvy Chief Ministers in India. He is the first Indian politician to have around 2,263,674 followers on micro-blogging site Twitter. He has at over 3,598,400 likes on his Facebook page. Early last year, he launched iPad and iPhone applications that lead to his blogs, speeches, books and images. He is all over Google+ Hangout, Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube and many other social media platforms. In fact, his official website is one of the most organised political web properties. He has a dedicated digital media team that constantly updates content in his diverse digital network. Last year, Modi claimed that for the first time in the world, an election campaign was being launched using 3D technology and telecast in four places simultaneously.

Marketing lesson: It is very necessary for brands to choose their media wisely. In the digital ecosystem, social media is relatively the cheapest communication vehicle. Brands should buckle up to create impressive impressions that will be value for money as well.

4. Create a direct rapport with the TG

According to various media reports, Modi is scaling up his campaign as the General Elections inch closer. Pulling out all stops to make the BJP's Mission 272-plus a reality - which is vital to his Prime Ministerial dream - Modi will hold mega rallies across the country over the next two months. He recently also encouraged the massive crowd present at the Lal Bahadur Stadium in Hyderabad to say in US President Barack Obama style – ‘Yes we can’ and ‘Yes we’ll do’ – which the people happily responded to.

Marketing lesson: During difficult times, it is better for brands to take to on-ground activities for several reasons. Mass media vehicles might not always help in creating return on investments. Brands generate better results via on-ground activities.

5. Practice what you preach

Modi is considered to be a strong opinionated politician. His ‘Hindutva’ ideology has also fetched him extreme criticism and hate from some factions of the Indian society. Now, Modi is trying to alter his line of thought for the new generation, which involves calling himself a ‘Hindutva Nationalist’.

Marketing lesson: It is very difficult if a brand undergoes changes in its approach during tough times just to gain the attention of consumers. It is better that brands stick to their long running propositions instead.