Brand Dialogue brings Dutch branding ethos to India

Started by Williem Woudenberg and supported by the Embassy of Netherlands, Brand Dialogue already boasts of clients such as Delhi Airport, Metro Cash and Carry and Flipkart



Sohini Sen | Mumbai | September 27, 2013

Brand Dialogue, the European brand communications consultancy with headquarters in Amsterdam, has entered the Indian market bringing the Dutch design ethos celebrated the world over.

Brand Dialogue, which works closely with leading Dutch design agencies – specialists in visual branding, internet and digital, advertising, brand naming, retail, packaging and product design – is well known the world over for its work for Heineken International (corporate branding), Philips (brand consultancy, naming/labelling, annual reports), ABN AMRO Bank (corporate branding), Rabobank (corporate branding, internet, marketing communications) among others.

In India, Brand Dialogue has already worked on big projects such as Delhi Airport (branding, advertising), Metro India (retail, packaging) and Businessworld (branding, advertising).

Willem Woudenberg

“At Brand Dialogue, we believe in simple and surprising ideas for complex problems, which are relevant in the Indian context with varied regional and cultural influences. For a small country like The Netherlands, India is an important international market. As a brand communications and design consultancy, we see huge potential in India in this space. Considering the country's richness and diversity of culture, we can assist brands in simplifying complexity; thereby moving with the theme 'Simple Solutions, Bright Design,'" said Willem Woudenberg, Founder & CEO, Brand Dialogue.

In India, Brand Dialogue is supported by the Embassy of Netherlands and the Consulate in Mumbai. Together with their support Brand Dialogue also organises seminars and master classes. The company has brought its core philosophy of 'We promise, We do' to the Indian market, i.e., to present solutions and deliverables which are real and targeted towards end impact.

According to Woudenberg, Indian companies must prepare for the new age, where the quality and line of products, the presentation of shops, and the role of technology are becoming highly influential. Design and branding will be of enormous help in creating greater impact and loyalty of customers. Referring to the divergent nature of the North and South regions of the country, he said it is not a problem that they cannot solve. Brand Dialogue has a customised approach which is designed after understanding the requirements of the customers, who maybe residing in any part of the country or the world.

The company helps the client in strengthening its positioning, identity and communication, so as to present a more positive picture to the target audience, and to improve results. Brand Dialogue does this in various ways, depending on what is required but usually always involves a robust analysis and focused advice. The process involves an identity scan, a study whereby they work with research consultancies for quantitative research and organise feedback panels or identity workshops for the client's customers or staff, giving advice on the client's identity and market position, and finally implementation of the strategy. The final costing is charged on the basis of the results achieved.

So far in India, Brand Dialogue has done projects for Delhi Airport and Businessworld amongst others. They are also doing packaging works for Metro Cash and Carry and Flipkart. One of the unique things the company is known for in the Netherland is city branding. By attaching an image to a city, the company hopes to portray it in a certain way and help its image.

"City branding and city marketing have a great impact on the way a city is known and perceived, abroad and also in India. It gives the city a profile, at the same time making it better recognised. The idea of giving a city a brand-identity was conceptualised through Amsterdam which was an image makeover for the city. The 'I Amsterdam' motto is well known and helps to differentiate the city in relation to other cities like Paris, Berlin and London. Another good example is the City of Melbourne. We indeed would like to do uptake a similar initiative for cities in India. It starts with answering what are the strengths of these cities and how do they want to differentiate themselves from other cities? Plus what their aspirations are for the near future? We would take that as a starting point for brand building. I know for instance about thoughts to profile Delhi as the cultural city in India," commented Woudenberg.

Brand Dialogue's background is different from most other branding and design agencies. They are a group of branding specialties in digital, advertising, packaging and consultancy. Their specialties mean that Brand Dialogue can go deeper and have more effect on business goals. They are also independent, and not part of an international group. So this means they have no expensive overheads. This makes Brand Dialogue more cost-effective, yet can bring international experience to support Indian companies for their future.

Sohini.Sen@BestMediaInfo.com

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