A report by Brand Finance Plc., a UK based independent brand valuation consultant, has estimated that the top 500 global brands lost about 25% of their value in 2008 due to the global financial meltdown. But the 'Tata' brand held up relatively well against this, eroding by less than 16%. Tata is the only Indian brand in the top 100 of the rankings, and held the 51st position for 2009, up six places from its ranking for 2008. The consultant found the Tata brand to be worth US$ 9.9 bn and its 16% decline in value was moderate against the huge 40% to 60% slump in brand value of many iconic brands over the same period. For example, brand Citi recorded a 59% erosion in value, Dell 60%, Mercedes-Benz 48%, and AIG 62%. Mr. Gopalakrishnan, the executive director of Tata Sons said that the brand didn't take a hard hit in relative terms for various reasons, and that "The brand has been built on a platform of a century of ethical behaviour." Couldn't agree more! Incidentally, the year saw Wal-Mart emerge as the world's top-ranked brand, thus displacing Coca-Cola which held top spot last year.
It is important to look at the holistic picture and have an individual opinion rather than get swayed away by the public consensus. This is the view of the man who pioneered the retailing boom in India - Mr. Kishore Biyani, the founder of India’s largest retailing company - Pantaloon. In an article in the Wall street Journal, Mr. Biyani wrote, "Almost daily doses of bad news on television screens and newspapers have possibly done as much damage to the economy as the events on either side of the Atlantic." I completely agree with him. Mr. Biyani’s predicament is based on the fact that an overwhelming majority of Indian consumers are self-employed, who can neither get laid off nor can have pay cuts. Consider some statistics he has provided. The share of the national income represented by proprietor-run concerns and partnerships is 35%. The share of companies is around 15%, government around 25%, and agriculture around 25%. Combine agriculture and the self-employed in industry a...
Comments