Why we should learn 'Marketing' from the West
On my recent visit to a few Western countries, their Picasso museums and Schonbrunn Palaces , it didn't take me ages to discover that India is not bereft of history, beauty and heritage than any Western than the West.If they have Switzerland, we have the Himachal. If they have Vatican, we have our Taj. Their cities are beautifully planned, but our green fields boast natural beauty too. Yes, their infrastructure is the best in the world, and I rest my case there.
But what is it that makes the West more attractive to the world?
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| Kerala - touted as the Venice of India. Should be the other way round. |
The key is in ‘packaging’. The Westerners are very smart at creating an aura around phenomena which are normal or a tad extraordinary. Take the Venice backwaters for example. Venice is not actually a city ‘on water’ only. It is connected by backwaters, like some areas of Kerala are too. It has road and transport systems as well. But the perception that has been created and communicated well across eras is the novelty of being ‘on water’. Kerala is probably as old as a Venice, but the West spoke first about Venice. And as Ries and Trout say ‘ its all about who said it first’! That’s what marketing is all about…creating ‘me first’ perceptions by hyping up ordinary stuff.
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| Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai (pic copyright of The Word Jockey) |
Ok, now this is a very controversial statement….Pablo Picasso might be revered as the father of modern Art or whatever. And pretty much a hyped fellow I believe. One visit to his gallery and I did not really find anything extraordinary about his work! The Louvre houses better works of art, though most are dedicated to their religious beliefs. I am guaranteed that India or other countries too have a plethora of artists whose art is way more awesome and intriguing. Take our Raza for example. Why then is Picasso is a name to reckon with in the world of Art? Because he was talked about first around the world. His art might have been different, but it wasnt exciting..maybe for the West he was....but I dont see why we in India, which is a treasure trove for Art and Heritage go gaga about him? But I admire the way his works are displayed - with an in-house souvenir gallery where his digital prints sell for as much as 20 Euros! Now that' what I call marketing. I pity that our Prince of Wales Museum (you know its in Mumbai, right?) which is one of the best in the world isn't as talked about as Picasso's. POW has the most amazing collection of remnants, models and antiques from our Indus Valley Civilization to the intricate blue pottery of Jaipur. Its a differnt thing there is not a single souvenir shop around there. And as a local, if I visited the museum in my 28th year of being in Mumbai, which is ..quite...embarassing, how would that German backpacker know of such a beautiful landmark?
To be honest, there is very little dramatic history which the West can associate itself with, except the World Wars maybe which shaped the history and development of an England and France. But most of it is quite bland. Like their food. Where we have the rich mythological culture and the deeply spiritual Vedas, the ultra dramatic Mahabharata and the million stories weaved in, every corner of India is a story in itself. But we still relish their baguettes and talk about them stylishly when we cant even break those stone-breads and when our own bajra rotis are far more savoury with chutney. People are crazy about Flamencos dance as our classical dance performances are avoided even though our own 'flamenco' ie Kathak is far more aesthetic. Wonder why are we so overwhelmed by their culture, which is beautiful no doubt but not more extraordinary than ours,
We are overwhelmed because there is an aura created around that world which is different from ours. We live and breathe in that aura, get intoxicated and make comparisons. The Rich Indian likes Wine, when India is such a hot humid country. Whew. We are not a wine-drinking country people, so why force it on ourselves to be 'cool'? The West has smartly marketed their Wines to expand their foreign exchange treasuries and solve their problem of 'affluence'. And trust me, not many Indian dishes really go well with that wine, however your sommelier tries to match them up. Indian food is quite spicy. Wonder how we can get the real taste of that Apricot or Apple flavour when your taste buds are consumed? Wake up Sid! This is more like a marketing gimmick. Nothing wrong in trying different cultures and experiencing their beauty, but you can't fall victim to 'packaging'. No doubt the West is ages ahead in terms of infrastructure, automation, civic sense et al. No wonder their cities are far more beautiful, spotless, well planned and enjoy excellent weather...and of course, we must travel far and wide to explore and enjoy new experiences in distant lands. But what's important is to learn from the West how they manage to attract the world to their cities, take care of them and maintain such an efficient system.
Let's pick up the good stuff they offer and learn how to Market ourselves. And India.
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5 comments:
informative post
Aptly put Payal..I guess Branding /Marketing is happening in bits and pieces (e.g. AB campaign for Gujarat) but we have a long way to go...
Nice One!!
I always wonder, Y we Indians blindly follow them? The eg u gave of Wine, We Indians have made it a status symbol, and now we also have wine tasting sessions etc!!
You are right, its all about Packaging and first mover advantage!
Jaago Indians jaago!!
I agree that India has a lot to learn about marketing itself and simply about appreciating and promoting its own culture and heritage. Not just the high-tech savviness and Bollywood wonders. I am a practitioner of Kathak dance, and I agree that it is more technical, more dynamic and more complex than Flamenco (though Flamenco is also derived from Kathak--the gypsies were once Kathakas who fled India when it was outlawed; they roamed Europe as dancers).
BUT, to dismiss Picasso's contribution to the world of art is a bit ignorant. True artistic mastery is a timeless thing and its impressions and impact on the world are blind to marketing. There are amazing Indian artists whose work is brilliant. Why do we not know who they are? Why does no one within India know who they are? And why are the classical arts a dying form or art in India? The West is doing its part to keep these art forms alive, particularly in the US.
Yes, the West is considered to be the cradle for the world's influential artists. Yes, it is dismissive of many non-western artists and is an exclusive, white domain. But even given that, I can hardly say that Picasso's work is a dud or un-important. He has influenced thousands of other people, inspired millions of people to appreciate art, to look at the world just a little bit differently. And isn't that what art is for, after all?
Let's hope that Indian artists, classical and modern, will get the much-deserved attention that Shah Rukh, Tendulkar, and the high-tech companies are getting. As long as the Indian middle-class ignores these artists, no one else is going to pay attention. The world's eyes are on India right now. India should use this opportunity to shine the light on its own rich cultural heritage, its artistic traditions and its modern, emerging artists, too.
@all: thanks for your reactions :)really hope we keep our traditions alive and burning. i see a complete lull during festivities esp in our metros...important to use such occasions utilising our cosmo crowds and their spirit. the youth loves the country and her traditions...they are an inspired lot. so we could use them to keep the culture alive n kicking eh?
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