A brand that had the first movers advantage in India and still commands the highest subscriber base, Airtel has moved on to ‘express’ itself on the global stage post one of the biggest acquisitions in Africa while preparing for imminent 3G war
One dream can change the world....one raised finger can break a billion hearts, two can win a world war. A whisper can inspire hope, a touch can instill faith, some voices can move a nation, some can dissolve boundaries. One act of defiance can spark a revolution, one hundred thousand candles can end a war - the power of human expression and the brand that has always asked us to Express Yourself, Airtel has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years to become one of the global telecom giants today. With a turnover in excess of $7 billion, it has become the 5th largest mobile operator in the world in terms of subscriber base and the 3rd largest, single country mobile operator. The brand has won an array of awards including “Most Preferred Cellular Service Provider Brand” award for six years in a row that only touches the tip of the iceberg!“The power to keep in touch” started Airtel’s communication in the early years which stood for efficiency and unflinching strength of service. The “Touch Tomorrow” campaign soon followed with a consumer appeal and established a bond with consumers. “Live every Moment” took shape of the ‘leadership of more’ – of a brand that promised unlimited freedom to communicate spontaneously, not only in words but through exchange of ideas and emotions. The brand espoused the idea that consumers could now live every dream, every desire, every ambition, every thought…in essence they could ‘live every moment’.
Express Yourself, Airtel and arguably, Indian telecom’s most famous campaign ended up taking an encompassing view of telecom services as a whole and thereby creating a leadership in consumer mindspace as well. But, despite the continuity of Express Yourself, Airtel’s breakthrough campaign “barriers break when people talk” touched chords from the individual to the humanitarian level. A R Rahman’s impeccable Airtel signature tune has immortalized the brand and it remains one of the most downloaded ring tones in India. Prasad Narsimhan, ex-CMO of Virgin Mobile comments on branding in telecom, “Recent customer research confirms that branding is the single most important factor in customer choice and telecom brands further need to strengthen their differentiation in manners that are more relevant, desirable and defensible”.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
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