Branding Osama Bin Laden.
An article by article by John Cook called "Branding Bin Laden" which was published in the
April 2008 issue of Radar Magazine is the seed on which this week’s newsletter article is based.
Cook perceptively argues that Osama bin Laden has become a brand as universal as Coca-Cola, with Bin Laden T-shirts selling like hotcakes in Muslim countries. With their mastery of online marketing and social networking tools, Al Qaeda has disseminated their hate-filled but appealingly simple message to youth worldwide. Meanwhile, America's Muslim-centric PR efforts -- including a now-defunct teen magazine and a satellite news network no one watched -- have fizzled like New Coke. Cook sagely notes that the problem is message and credibility as well as method; America's efforts to win Arab hearts and minds are handicapped by Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and its leaders' ignorance of the Muslim world.
Says
Bonnie Walker
While we have been hearing a lot about how Sachin Tendulkar to Amitabh Bachhan is a brand, Tom Peters, a master at self branding advices each individual to become a brand, do you think branding Bin Laden is a conscious attempt?
Cook points to the growing use of Bin Laden's image in the Arab world (and beyond) as a symbol of anti-American sentiment, but not necessarily terrorism. To a degree, it has moved beyond Bin Laden as a person or even what he represents. His symbol is becoming a brand, similar to how the face of Che Guevarra that can still be seen around the world (though ironically it is often in support of global brands and exactly the kind of capitalism he once fought). It's not the people agree with the politics, necessarily (though certainly many do). They are taking an image and assigning a different meaning to it. Brand Bin Laden, Cook argues, has started to stand for defiance of America in any form.
Says
Rohit Bhargava
Keeping the moral and the immoral aside, if you take this as a case study, it all boils down to building and destroying brands.
Assuming that you are on either side, how would you build Osama Bin Laden as a brand or Destroy It !?
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