Indian Marketers Have Failed India

Across the leading economies of the world, economic nationalism is being resurrected and globalization is being looked at askance. The sovereign right of a nation state to act and its conflict with the obligations of various multilateral agreements is at the top of the agenda for political action. From Brexit to ‘Trump Tariffs’, the world is in ferment.

- Shubhranshu Singh

The top most economic entities of the world are as many corporations as nations. These are large businesses that can withstand shocks across multiple national reversals and tide over downturns because of brand strength. Multinational, Transnational, Multilocal, Global – call them by any name, but they are dominant in world economic flows. They rule consumer minds and leverage their preference.

India, given its emergent status as a Top 5 world economy with one of the highest growth rates in the world is an aberration. We have no global brands of any consequence. Legions of much feted marketers who are amongst the best in the world have not made one global Indian brand possible. Certainly none with any immediate recall or recognition.

Thinking Indian? Think of the Taj Mahal, snake charmers and yoga!

Why is this the case?

Indian talent has always served Western brands. Our domestic market didn’t have strength enough to give sustenance to any international expansion for businesses and brands. Prior to 1991, we lived in a moribund economy where private businesses were fettered and starved for capital. But I will come back to that later.