Perhaps a reinforcement of how image, design and packaging are key. So we were pleasantly surprised when branding guru Shombit Sengupta answered the question thus: “Its product quality that comes first, always. Everything else comes later.” He added, “A brand or a business should satisfy functional, rational and emotional sequence through which a sustainable product is created. Its not just design that can make a product a success.” Sengupta spoke to MBAUniverse.com on the sidelines of his book launch, titled ‘Jalebi Management’, in the New Delhi on July 4. The book, published by Sage India, was launched by Delhi Chief Minister Mrs Shiela Dixit and management expert Gurucharan Das.
When MBAUniverse.com asked Sengupta to share with us how Indian brands can come global brands, he bluntly said, “No Indian brand at the moment has the quality and appeal that came make it an international brand.” He added, “Look at what Japan and South Korea has done. Hyundai said they wanted to copy Jaguar, and actually their Sonata today is a better car than the original! Same is true for Samsung.”
Sengupta’s book Jalebi Management centers around the thought: how can Jalebi which represents the sweet desire of a billion plus people weave global business? Western nations are using India for backend support and development, but how can India emerge as a great inventive nation with innovation power.
The book talks about how struggle for existence often leads to innovation. It gives examples of World War I and World War II, and how immediately after the war innovations like Computer, Television and organ transplant surfaced.
Sengupta, now a French national, was born to a refugee family near Calcutta, went to art school, couldn’t finish the course, journeyed to France in 1973 at 19 with just $8 in his pocket. There he swept the floor for four years before landing his first job by drawing a quick portrait of the interviewer as he had no diploma to show. His first milestone was 1978 when he did a campaign for Amnesty International. He later joined a product design firm and then a consulting one and the next six years were an intensive learning process.
In 1984, Sengupta founded Shining Emotional Surplus with the promise to “make our clients shine.” It was a big commercial success. In 1996 he came back to India at the behest of Danone’s vice chairman Jacques Vincent to work on Britannia. His landmark works in India were creating the Tiger biscuit brand with which Britannia tapped the rural market segment, rebranding of Lakme, Wipro and many more. His Indian clients include Britannia, Wipro, Mahindra, Marico and more recently Reliance and Onida.
