Narendra Modi - A Marketing strategy viewpoint

Having stayed in Gujarat initially as a student for 2 years and then worked for 3 years way back in the mid eighties I can claim some knowledge and understanding of the state and its people.

The first thing that stuck me when I started working was not just the friendly demeanour or excellent relationships that people forged easily  or even the tasty food, but the remarkable work ethic from a business point of view. I have interacted with many other people across the country but I think I would  not be wrong if I say that the Gujarati citizen is unique. There is none like him when it comes to business acumen. So much so that even the government babu who elsewhere behaves differently is also unique. Just to share a few anecdotes.

I needed a driving license and that too in 1 day since the next day by 730 AM I was boarding a train back home. Got hold of a agent to help me and within a few hours he literally carried me from table to table and got every formality completed  at lightning speed including arranging a scooter for my driving test.  In the end we realised that the clerk handling the license book was on leave. The agent ensured that he collected the license book by going to the clerks house and at 7 AM in the morning was at the railway station to hand it over to me.  Since then I have renewed my DL in 2 states  and I know what I went through even with a agent. Outstanding service in Gujarat.

I utilised the services of a vendor  in a project I was managing who could not depute a supervisor for the work  and  I ended up supervising the work  myself. When the time for the payment came I was stunned when the vendor said “Sir, this work was done by you, not me. You have got this work done very well on your own. So why are you working here ? I will support you with my men, materials and funds, start a business of your own and you can become very successful instead of slogging in this job”. I was stunned at the suggestion and the offer which none elsewhere would offer.

The HBJ pipeline project started in the ‘80’s and the Gujarat investment corporation funded a 5 star hotel, gave it to Welcome group to manage and  for the next few years had 100% occupancy and raked in profits.  Today this  decision would have become a scam of gigantic proportions even if no bribes were involved.

A journalist once asked an  IAS officer that in a particular industrial area  some 90 % of industries were not doing well and so the entire efforts  of the government were a failure.  The officer replied that the majority of the investments were in the 10% of industries which were earning huge profits  and  it is the  overall investment/ profit that must be seen and not the number  of industries earning profits. Brilliant.

I still find a fresh innovative approach  in Gujarat that is missing in other parts of India.

So what has this to do with Modi ?

Like many of his critics I also believe that he had a great state, great people and a great culture on which to build upon. However what must be acknowledged is  that he has managed to harness this capability to push Gujarat  from a lower  orbit to a higher orbit with  many new ideas, innovations and  results  based approach.  Whether Modi can work the same magic in a Bihar or Bengal is a question but that he has been able to provide astute and excellent  leadership is a fact.  A Shivraj Chauhan and Raman have also won repeated elections for BJP, Sheila Dixit has done a hat trick for Congress so it is not there are no other leaders who have done well in electoral politics.

So the question that comes to my mind is that  what is it that attracts attention to Modi  wherein he has become the darling of the social media since it is not that he is some kind of a messiah that has come down to earth to make him stand apart tall and towering compared to everyone else. I recently heard him speak in Hindi which was excellent but in English he did not ignite any spark at all.

My take is  that while his performance and leadership surely bestowed upon him  substantial aura it is his opponents from Congress, JD(U), SP, Left who have catapulted him to the top of the heap.  It is their single minded obsession and strategy  to oppose Modi and burn him at the stake as it were that has today resulted in a towering man who is feted and fawned upon as the PM aspirant of India.  Every attempt of these opponents to crucify him has only drawn more attention to him, his work and his results.  Gujarat would have obtained  a high rank anyway but thanks to his opponents the rank has made international headlines. It is somewhat akin to some  sports events in USA. They are all called world series, world championships etc but it is essentially a internal American sports event. But the world stands up to notice 2 local states play a game thinking it  an international event.

This is nothing but brilliant marketing and Modi has done just  that. He has seized the opportunity to build his personal brand  and every day even today the Congress, JD(U), Left etc add to the brand building.  Just for a minute let us assume that these  political opponents had not decided to target him, he would have today been one more excellent CM with a promising future but not the giant he has become.

Even today I find it  extremely  amusing that the various die hard congress supporters  jump to compare Rahul  Gandhi to Modi and in the process make a hash of things. Rahul may be the sincere well meaning person with a great capability and future but the fact is that he is young, never held a constitutional post  and his supporters rush to compare him to Modi who has been CM thrice.  Any person with above average intelligence in Modi’s place would still come out winner against Rahul Gandhi due to the fact of his having held office.  Today Rahul Gandhi is that coach who can maybe bring  numerous gold medals but Modi is the athlete who has already been there done that  on the field and it is completely unfair to compare the two. Remember it is Sachin who is the brand not Achrekar his coach. Likewise Modi the brand is being created by Congress and other opponents  with a single minded devotion.

Watch any TV show, media  interview, SM and you will find Congress  supporters  drag in Modi even if there is no relevance to the subject at hand. They talk of Modi more than what the man himself does or for that matter even BJP does.  The sound bytes on  Modi if counted I am sure will show Congress / others  topping the charts with BJP  far behind.  

To me this is a classic case study of where your competitor builds your brand for you and I think some biz school would do well to conduct a study on this subject and make it a marketing/branding strategy paper.  As a marketing brand strategy I find this hilariously stupid.