Brand Kalam
Image Courtesy: Oilpixel – Digital Portrait Painting
How an ordinary man, rose to become an extraordinary statesman
“I am not handsome but I can give my hand to someone who need help… Because beauty is required in heart not in face….” ― APJ Abdul Kalam Azad
Do you want to create a brand that stands tallest in the crowded marketplace and communicates its unique message in the most heart-tugging way?
Then take a leaf out of ex president, late Abdul Kalam, whose personal image and style were a complete reflection of his heart-centered marketing. Believing that true beauty is defined by who we are rather than how we look – he was not ashamed to sport his unruly, defied-all-description, dreadlocks, complete with the two Grecian curls? He was okay being less-than-perfect— but not okay with being less than true.
The most successful brands are those that reflect a happy synchronicity between their intrinsic value) and their extrinsic worth, i.e. the way they are perceived by outsiders. Such brands recognize and respect who you are on the inside, before they earn this honor from the outside. Kalam worked hard on building a brand that communicates his originality inside-out to his millions of fans. That’s how it made a big impact.
When APJ Abdul Kalam sauntered his way into the Rashtrapati Bhavan as the 11th president, buoyed by record 9,22,844 votes, one invalidated ballot paper famously said, “Abdul Kalam will look better with a haircut.” People laughed but banished the thought, as did the new president.
It takes a supremely confident person to defy conformity, to challenge status quo, do the unthinkable, disagree with the norm, leap ahead on the learning curve and reveal the idiosyncrasies of an unconventional mind. But then not everyone is APJ Kalam. “My hair grows and grows, you cannot stop it – that fellow grows, it grows wild,” he once told an amused media person.
It’s true, physical appearances can be of advantage, but those gains neutralize when bigger issues come into the picture. The glow of self-confidence is what makes a brand attractive, don’t you think?
For me, true beauty comes from being comfortable in your skin – warts and all. Happy in being who I am, and experiencing the same beauty reflected all around me. If you find yourself vulnerable and doubting your self-worth, recall the words of Khalil Gibran, “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.”
Allow the light in your heart to shine on you and cast some light on others, and, you can emerge as a strong, lovable brand. Ultimately, branding is nothing but a perfect alignment between the image and the message, don’t you agree?
