Spotting super export brands

After awarding superbrands status to over 100 consumer brands in the country, Superbrands India, modelled after its parent company in the UK, is eyeing the export and business brands in the country.

"Exports from India are taking centrestage, though we still lag behind China," says Superbrands India's chief executive officer Anmol Dar.

Chalking out a set of parameters to judge the export superbrands will the toughest part of the project, he feels as there are nearly 20,000 exporters in India dealing in a wide range of product categories.

He expects to join hands with the export promotion councils to work on the export super brands project.

Two weeks back, Superbrands India announced its plan to select India's best business or corporate brands. Of the 700 corporate brands shortlisted, it expects at least 100 to make it to the "superbrands" status.

The council for judging the corporate brands in nearly 75 categories has been appointed and boasts of names like Mukesh D. Ambani, chairman & managing director of Reliance Industries, R. Gopalakrishnan, executive director of Tata Sons, Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman & group managing director of Bharti Enterprises and Nandan Nilekani, CEO, president & managing director of Infosys Technologies among others.

The UK based organisation that operates in 38 countries came to India in 2002 to felicitate the strongest brands in different categories. Worldwide, the organisation makes money from the books it publishes on the selected superbrands and the events it creates around them.

The stories of the "superbrands" are captured in a glossy and the participating brands are expected to buy copies of the book.

Currently, the organisation's first book on consumer superbrands is in the process of being printed. Nearly 17,000 copies of the 224-page book will hit the stands soon. The event, a "tribute" to the selected consumer brands will be held in Mumbai in July-August.

Dar says that getting the superbrands status is considered prestigious by the brands.

As proof, he points to the numerous consumer brands, such as Jet Airways, Sahara Airlines, Colour Plus and Cinthol, that use the Superbrands logo in their advertising campaigns.