EDITOR'S DESK

Our cover story discusses the nuances of rebranding. What exactly is rebranding? Rebranding could, of course, include change of brand name, logo or house color; but it is much more than that. Rebranding is what takes a brand from where it is today to where it wants to be tomorrow. This would require a clear understanding of the brand’s current position, the desired new position and also the means of getting there. In essence, rebranding involves changing or updating the identity and image of a brand – either a corporate brand or a product brand. Rebranding may be explained as the process by which a product or service developed under one brand or corporate identity is marketed with a different identity or affiliation. This could involve changes in the brand’s name, logo, image, marketing strategy and advertising themes. It usually leads to repositioning of the brand. Rebranding could include repositioning, but repositioning by itself does not imply rebranding.

This brings us to another concept covered in this issue – repositioning, or, more specifically, brand repositioning. Brand repositioning is the process of changing the consumer perceptions and appeal of a brand in order to strengthen its position in the current market or to attract new market segments. This may be done by changing some elements of the marketing mix, and may or may not involve modification of the product. The article included in this issue explains the recent repositioning of Wal-Mart from “Always Low Price” to “Save Money, Live Better”, in response to consumers’ inclination to save money under the current recessionary circumstances.

We also carry three articles on advertising. The first article explains the revival of the scooter market in India by the introduction of gearless scooters and how this industry is thriving through appropriate positioning and advertising for women riders. Another article analyzes advertisements under two broad categories – ‘informational’ and ‘transformational’ and concludes that the latter, which take the affective or emotional route to influencing consumer behavior, are in general more successful than the former, which take the cognitive route. We also have an article on new humor in advertising. Through numerous examples, this article explains how the nature of humor adopted in present-day advertisements has undergone a change keeping in tune with the transformations in society, culture and technology.

This issue also has several other articles such as those on marketing strategy in the print media, emergence of new mall formats, rural consumer behavior, etc. Trust that you would find the content enriching and interesting.

- R Harish