A creative conversation between Des and Tina, Brandopia's mythical brand developers
DES: In Part 1, we discussed how Lanka (Not its real name), an independent restaurant located in a mid-sized town near London's Gatwick Airport, should re-focus itself on the smaller but available Sri Lankan market in the UK - dominated by the Indian curry houses.
TINA: Here in Part 2, we'll focus on a brand strategy based on building a cultural bridge between Sri Lanka and Britain.
DES: So passports in hand, let's take a virtual trip - first to Sri Lanka and then to Blighty.
TINA: But not to the usual tourist hotspots. What we're looking for are cultural clashes and contradictions to inspire a big cultural brand idea.
DES: Well in Sri Lanka, the obvious culture clash is between the Tamils and the Sinhalese - a feud that's been going on for decades.
TINA: But interestingly, the country's most popular sport - Cricket - brings these two warring factions closer together - in a game gifted by the British.
DES: It's also hard not to notice that within the Ceylon Tea estates, a minor revolution is going on where owners, managers and workers are starting to integrate both Tamils and Sinhalese.
TINA: 'Tea for Two' - Sri Lanka's gift to Britain - has over time become a symbolic self-identity and self-expression concept for both nations.
DES: Ceylon Tea and English Cricket - the perfect cultural symbols for Lanka to build a cultural bridge between Sri Lanka and Britain.
TINA: So Des, to bring this powerful big brand idea to life, which branding programme would you suggest launching first?
DES: 'Save-the-British-Cuppa' from the onslaught of the coffee bean is a media-oriented programme Lanka could consider launching before, during and after the English cricket season - co-branding with the various tea councils and their tea brands
'Brand' the Marketect says:
"First go beyond your product or service concept when trying to find a big cultural brand idea to position your brand. Then use your brand as a megaphone to help broadcast your market segment's self-identity and self-expression values."'Brand' the Marketect asks:
"Now let's have some great examples of co-branded cultural ideas in your part of the world please."
