Apart from serving as a talking point in limited social interactions, Politics had never dominated my conversations, until recently. A marketer by choice, I’d be found more often engrossed in entertaining radical marketing thoughts [mostly alone].

Like most, my view of politicians was connected to the following words…corrupt, sleazy, drama, lies, lazy, pompous, untrustworthy. Politicians, and politics are two terms that we use in everyday conversations in a derogatory sense or cynically.

“Be wary of X he’s a typical politician” or “Let’s stop the politics here and get down to doing real work”

And politics to me was a stereotype that included:-

1. Sensational scenes at the Parliament / Assembly that ranged from burly men involved in fist fights, to watching porn…
2. News Hour debate where our elected representatives would send articulate speakers to answer the anchor who’d threaten them with ‘India is watching’ punchline to raise the channel TRP.
3. Finally the election season where we’re bullied into forced attention. Ranging from traffic blocks in the name of rallies, to full page ads, to wall posters every traditional media vehicle used to saturate attention with all possible interruption. All this with a single belief that

ATTENTION = TRUST

As a student of Politics in my high school, and a voter in the world’s biggest democracy, I'd always been interested in an angle if politics can be as much a science and art like marketing.

Unfortunately politicians are pretty much like marketers, and fail to acknowledge current realities. Like marketing, politics today has become complicated, omni-channel, multi-device with an ever expanding universe…used to be simple though, not any longer….

And Politicians [and brand marketers] need to pause for a moment and re-think…because

1. Traditional advertising led model is not working any longer and conventional marketing techniques are failing
2. Standard practices, of stamping out psychographic segments and investing in traditional plus reminder media to reach consumers at best generate interactions not the desired actions
3. Today’s consumer has more disposable income, lesser time and infinite choices
4. Brands have been forced to abdicate control to the customer

The monumental success of Narendra Modi led BJP at the 2014-General elections, not just left the world stunned it set me thinking. Such a runaway mandate was not expected and some Newspapers headline screamed ‘TsuNAMO’ comparing the Modi wave to an act of nature.

Narendra Modi and team had a similar uphill task ahead of them when they set out to win India. To compound this further…

A nation where more than 780 languages are spoken and thousands of rituals symbolizing countless religions are practiced. A majority of the 800 million electorate with low faith or zero faith in politicians, couldn't be forced to vote on a one-way forced mass campaign.

Team Namo pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. Influencing large segments of the electorate over a 2 year journey required a professional framework, a value maximization framework. Narendra Modi and team used this framework effectively, which set the ballot boxes on fire.

And the key lessons I learnt from Narendra Modi are:-

#1. Remarkable Product — Nothing can come close to having a remarkable product. And good marketing will most definitely kill a bad product faster. Remember Pepsi Blue, Zune, Orkut and countless other pathetic products which died instantly, thanks to great marketing.

Modi comes across as a magnetic combination of devoted spirit and blazing intellect. He spoke of governance and political intention, freedom and progress and a politics that transcends a history of pettiness and manipulation, toward mindful engagement and long-term vision.

With over a decade of good governance and sustained progress in Gujarat, India saw in Modi the hero they’d been waiting for. Narendra Modi was this remarkable product.

#2.Customer Value Maximization — Modi and team used the Customer Value Maximization framework effectively to influence millions.

Modi, sold us hope….”Achey din aane wale hain” line. This was the ‘Change! We can’ moment for India

Leading from the front Modi converted the PM’s pulpit into a social pulpit, delivering a message that was designed to be taken up and spread by others.

The entire campaign was built on an engaging Communication strategy that was powered by Technology and Analytics. Instead of relying on the traditional one-way, top-down approach to communications, the Team NaMo harnessed the power of public engagement to influence the conversation across various spheres of cross-influence.

Summing up his marketing equation :-

Marketing Success = Communication + Analytics + Technology

Modi is a spirited leader, who is choosing to change the game from the inside. We need more of him. Everywhere…..particularly in the Marketing arena.

And as a marketer he’s taught me what I’d call the most valuable marketing lessons.

#1. Start with a great product

#2. Deploy Customer Value Maximization for maximum results

Here’s an interesting deconstruct on how Narendra Modi used the Customer Value Maximization framework.

For an amazing visual narrative, do look at this interesting deck