Branding & Positioning debuts in the Indian IT industry

Branding….segmenting….positioning…marketing mantras that you would usually associate with consumer goods & services companies, which rely on the power of their brands to carve out a unique place in the consumer’s mindspace. Often, the very existence of the company is defined in terms of its brand’s core values and how consumers perceive it.

The (Indian) IT/software industry has traditionally adopted a hands-off approach to branding as a philosophy. But this trend seems to be changing. The last few days have seen the emergence of the very first corporate branding & positioning campaign in the Indian IT/software industry. And the company bucking the trend is none other than HCL, which (though not considered in the same league as the holy troika of the Indian software industry i.e. Infosys, Wipro & TCS) was the original Indian ‘garage startup’ way back in the late 1970s.

HCL is the first Indian IT major, that has recognized the power of branding as a business strategy. It is trying to position itself as a pathbreaking, pioneering IT solutions provider. By adopting a high pitched, mass media driven corporate branding campaign, it is trying to differentiate itself from other Indian IT companies. With computers becoming mainstream in Indian society, HCL wishes to reinforce the historical fact that they kickstarted the computer industry in India.

This strategy is being effected through a well crafted, high voltage, multimedia led advertising campaign titled ‘Talking Numbers’. The main protaganists in the campaign’s storyboard are two numbers, Shunya(0) & Uno(1), the ubiquitous binary integers, which are the building blocks of the digital world. The campaign is brilliantly conceived, though its execution could probably have been better.

One might presume that the rationale behind HCL’s current campaign is its more broadbased exposure to the IT industry as compared to others; for HCL is into software consulting services, hardware importing/manufacturing, ISP, BPO/ITES, IT education etc, while other Indian IT majors are essentially software services companies. While that is certainly true, to my mind, the current campaign seems just one part of a well orchestrated corporate branding strategy. For, the ‘Talking Numbers’ campaign was preceeded by the equally thoughtful (and brilliant) ‘Fearless’ campaign in the print media.

The ‘Fearless’ campaign showcased a series of ads highlighting HCL’s heritage as the early risk taker and innovator in the late 1970s. That campaign was extremely bold, audacious and thought provoking; for it celebrated the spirit of entrepreneurship and risk taking, very ‘unIndian’ values in a nation that regards having a well paying, stable job in a big company as the epitome of one’s professional existence..

The two campaigns seen in continuation, are indicative of HCL’s belief in corporate branding as a strategic initiative.

Hats off to India’s first startup that had the courage to think differently….