Amazon, Asian Paints and Tata Tea: India's most purposeful brands

Kantar, the insights and consulting company, released the 2021 edition of its annual BrandZ India report. This year the report focused on purposeful brands during the pandemic. 

The research analysed 418 brand cases for this project from 2020-21. Brand perception and brand equity metrics were considered for these brands across 30 categories and over 12,000 respondents were interviewed across 18 urban markets. 

Amazon, Asian Paints, and Tata Tea emerged as the most purposeful leaders in India across technology, non-FMCG and FMCG categories. 

In the technology category, Zomato ranks second, followed by, YouTube. Google and Swiggy share the fourth position, and Flipkart closes the list at number five. 

The non-FMCG category is dominated by telecom brands, with Samsung and Jio sharing the second position, followed by MRF, Tata Housing and Airtel. 

In the FMCG category, Surf Excel ranks second, followed by Taj Mahal. Parachute and Maggi share the fourth position, and Britannia closes the list at number five.

Key highlights of the report: 

• For purpose-driven brands amplifying or communicating purpose is critical

• Tech brands show how everyday convenience contributes to brand purpose. During the pandemic, these brands have been able to scale up and showcase a wide range of products plus enter new categories at a time when consumers were desperate for at-home and delivery solutions 

• FMCG brands are focusing on reducing their carbon footprint and taking a social stance. These brands score high on brand purpose confirming that purpose and profit go hand-in-hand

• Non-FMCG brands are adopting marketing strategies that promote the brand beyond the function of product or service; the key is to do more than just meet consumers immediate needs

• 77% of Indian consumers are actively engaging with sustainability. These consumers will invest time and money in companies that try to do good 

Deepender Rana, executive managing director- South Asia, insights division, Kantar, said, “Brand Purpose provides an anchor amidst constant uncertainty, both as a North Star for brands, but also as reassurance to consumers. Purpose as a contributor to brand equity is 10 times more important in India, in comparison to globally. It shows that a larger societal purpose is even more critical to success for brands in India. Vague slogans and one-off corporate charity events do not work, and it is not about jumping on the bandwagon of the latest fashionable cause either. Instead, real purpose flows from and builds on a brand's existing core values and DNA. It reinforces the need to understand and measure if a brand’s purpose is perceived as adding real meaning to consumers lives.”

Soumya Mohanty, managing director- client and quantitative, insights division, Kantar, stated, “Purpose can work as a strategy for brands, when it’s based on the right consumer insights, and executed effectively. In India, Kantar BrandZ data suggest that a brand’s Purpose ranking has a direct impact on its Meaningfulness score – which in turn is one of the cores, proven building blocks of brand value growth.”