--------------By Henry Song

 

A news report came up the other day with a title " India Scores over China in Brand Power ''which said  " Brand India is rising faster than Brand China on a global sliding scale of consumer preferences'' and "India ranked 18^th overall and a significant three places ahead of China''.According to the reporter, this finding was based on the Nation Brands Index from London that conducted a study of brand reputations in 25 countries.

 

As a thoughtful reader, I could hardly make sense out of the report. You guys in India nowadays try your utmost to compare India with China harbouring an untold hope of beating China here and there. Okay, to be ambitious is not to be reproached, but not in a illusive way, be pragmatic instead . What is the bloody brand? It is just a label, an advertisement, even a propaganda.

 

The brand is to make its product more attractive to consumers. In most of cases, with most famous and welcome brands like Nike, Nestle, Lux, etc. as exceptions, brand and product are not necessarily inter-linked. In another word, brand might not certainly manifest its goods, sometimes belies the latter. So, the criterion for judging good or bad of a commodity is not its brand but its quality.

 

Here I am not in a position to comment on NBI's study, though I quite disagree even doubt its findings, because China has become No.2 exporter in the world and its products are welcomed everywhere. As far as India is concerned, it's a bit naïve, if not funny, to be self – enjoyful to claim that it ranked three places ahead of China and deal it "significant'' !  Just look at your goods at markets. I had some bitter experiences. I purchased some things, after coming to Mumbai, a bed sheet, a pillow – cover and a towel, which are much costly than those in China, but what I emphasize here is the quality. Bed sheet is slippery that every morning I have to drag it up which went half down during the night; pillow cover is colour fading and whenever I washed it, my hands were coloured with dark indigo which got rid of several days. For towel, normally it's rectangular, the one produced here is however almost square. When you squeeze it out of water, it's annoying to fold it twice and too thick to wrench. Helplessly I divided it into two pieces, but it became too small for use. Ha, I remember that the bath soap I bought was bad smelled, then I had to throw all the six pieces into rubbish. Why six?  Because that was package sale, you could not buy one of it! So much disgusting for it. By mentioning the above I just intend to tell people do not take brand too earnestly and seriously. If you did, you might be trapped some day.

 

This is just metaphor to a Chinese proverb - Feed Oneself on Illusions – a hungry man met with a Taoist who was a magician and asked him his needs. The man answered he was desperately needy for something to eat. Easy the Taoist said and drew a pan - cake on a paper which became a real cake in a sudden after magician manoeuvre. The hunger snatched and ate it, but felt nothing in stomach. He went further to beg the Taoist conjuring gold for him, the latter smiled and vanished all of a sudden. The brand is no more than a loaf on paper that is not very reliable to be taken as granted for the goods.

 

The report also boasted that " India scored a healthy seven for its overall cultural appeal and five for its cultural heritage". Truly it is, but the undeniable fact is that most of Indian culture and cultural heritage are related to religion – Hinduism and theology. How about China? Most probably nobody could challenge or disagree, if I say China is a country of rich culture and splendid cultural heritage. The Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Ming Tombs in Beijing, Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, picturesque landscape including magnificent mountains like Taishan, Huangshan, Lushan, E'meishan, Songshan, Wuyishan, attractive rivers like Yangzi, Yellow River, Lijiang River etc. and beautiful lakes like West Lake in Hangzhou, Taihu Lake in Jiangsu and Dongtinghu in Hunan, Tianchi and Khanas lakes in Xinjiang; it's tiresome to list and impossible to tell completely. Besides landscapes, gardens and architectures ancient or modern all over China, we also have typical Buddhist temples especially in big and deep mountains. All those have been visited and admired by millions of tourists the world over.

 

I firmly believe that if the guys of NBI had visited China just once, they ought to change their mindset and make adjustment of their findings. Seeing is believing. Data of a study or investigation through mail or E – mail is merely for reference, just "software'', not "hardware'', its credibility may be doubtful even controversial. I might be most safe to say that those who know China well or have visited China will agree with my argument. The Chief Protocol of Maharashtra State is one of them who paid a visit recently to Shanghai and Beijing and told me that he was deeply impressed by the swift economic development in China – urban construction, transportation, beautification, plentiful supply, harmonious life, tranquil environment, no beggars, no slum inhabitants, one word – perfect. Is what he experienced not more explanatory and convincible than the theoretical finding of a study?

 

What I wrote here is not to belittle the role of brand, especially those famous brands which enjoy popularity and favor among consumers. What I want to say is that manufacturers should care and pay more attention of the quality of their products. You may make it perfect of your brand and spend big money in advertisements, but consumers are the best judges of your goods and they could be cheated once or twice, not for ever. Same reason, neither a country's export should depend on brands, however glittering they may be, but you have to make your products real thing to raise the credibility of their brands.