Decimating & Constructing a Brand

There's a difference between defaming a brand and decimating it. Defaming is done on purpose, is spiteful and is engineered via bad publicity. Media houses do it, often at times, sparsely at other times to get at someone who isn't liked. The often-time act is well illustrated by how the liberal media went after a personal hero of mine, George Bush. They couldn't say one good thing about him, though they sung and continue to sing praises to his successor. Note, this despite the fact that Bush's successor continued almost all of the former President's policies.

The act of decimation is a masterful one. It involves destructing a brand by breaking it down piece by piece. The brand that's currently going down is Brand Osama. And the perpetrator behind the act is the American Intelligence agency. Killing Osama wasn't and isn't as important as decimating his image. The latter is what buries a brand forver by forcing it either out of memory, or ensuring if recalled, its one lousy remembrance.

How did the Americans do it? They dumped Osama's body at sea. Sure, no country wanted to do a burial, but dumping it at sea brought with it an image of 'casual' handling. Though important, the burial built images of indifference. What happened next? Osama videos were released that presented him as an old man, wrapped and huddling on the floor. What was worse? The videos show Osama watching his own made-up persona on screen. What did these videos do? They compellingly presented the real Osama contrasted from the made-up one, the images reinforcing to us he was mere mortal. That everything else was bogus made-up stuff.

Currently another brand act is on too. Brand Obama. He's constructing an image on a fallen terrorist by taking credit for the fall. Will it work? Can't say, though I don't think so. Because I believe such a tactical construct far from building an identity for Obama will only strengthen the image of his predecessor.

You see, Bush deserves credit. For his guts and his conviction. A li'l over half of America knows that. Its left for the rest now to admit and admire. I sure hope that happens.

Comments

Piyush said…
Sir,
The Arab uprising in Egypt and Libya suggests that principles adopted by US (if not always lived up to) had already won the battle for Islamic hearts & minds, even before brand Osama was found. US democratic ideals kinda inspiration for such Arab nations, and organized by tech offered in California,(where one was founded and the other headquartered) helped in organizing such protests.
Dancing on the streets were right for few in the 1st week of May, but may be for wrong win!!

Regards,
Piyush Agarwal

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