Merchandising NaMo: How Modi’s name moves millions

Not only is Narendra Modi the most searched and followed Indian leader, he also has the highest number of Twitter and Facebook followers. That is because, for the first time in Indian political history, a serving Prime Minister has also turned himself into a brand. In years and decades to come, especially if he returns to power, brand Modi will be studied and taught in business management schools the world over. Make no mistake—NaMo is one of India’s most successful and recognisable products, a marketing miracle.

From a humble “chaiwala” to India’s PM, his is the story of a unique and heady rise that can inspire an ordinary Indian to believe that he or she can aspire for the highest office of the land. No wonder brand NaMo enjoys unsurpassed credibility and loyalty among the masses. Both hard sell and invention have gone into the making of the NaMo brand, accruing to it millions of customers and consumers. The secret to its success is continuous and relentless communication, whether through innovative outreach programmes such as “Mann ki Baat” or unprecedented social media initiatives handled by a team of professionals.

Now that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections are less than 90 days away, NaMo marketing is likely to be cranked up to fever pitch. Indian consumers would have already noticed Modi t-shirts saying “Keep calm and trust Modi” or “NaMo again” hats and mugs. The colour is usually saffron, recognisably identifiable with the BJP. Just to make doubly sure, sometimes the products also have the party’s election symbol, the lotus. There are catch slogans besides, such as “Modi-fied India,” linking with widely publicised Government campaigns and schemes such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India, Beti Bachao. In fact, the proceeds of all sales of Modi merchandise go to Namami Gange, one of Modi’s favourite schemes. Cleaning the Ganga, India’s sacred river, which also resonates with Hindu votes.

Apparently, Modi urges party workers to pay for these products themselves, adding to their value as virtuous spending. Most of the merchandise is easily available through the NaMo app already downloaded over 5 million times.

The party believes that “Besides providing a platform to buy various articles, different historical flagship schemes of our PM… will be branded through this application, which will ultimately unite millions of people across the country.” What is more, FlyKart, the host platform of the app, seems a direct lift-off, or should we say, parody of India’s largest online seller, Flipkart. The consumer experience, however, isn’t quite like that of Flipkart, with products taking as long as 15 days to arrive. But major retailers like Amazon, Flipkart, and PayTM also stock hundreds of NaMo products for sale.

Those with a keen sense of business, if not intellectual property rights, are bound to wonder, “But who owns the brand?” The answer is the party, BJP. Though FlyKart has the exclusive licence to franchise NaMo products, the party owns the brand. The stakes, however, are massive. Not so much in terms of actual revenues, which are believed to run into crores, but the overall value of returning Modi to power, which is almost immeasurable or monetisable. For the ruling party, therefore, the success of the NaMo brand is not how much money it actually makes, but how many people it reaches and touches. Or, speaking more bluntly, how many people end up voting for, or being inclined to, Modi as a consequence. 

While the PM himself has no hesitation or embarrassment in selling NaMo products the question is whether the aggressive marketing of Modi merchandise will really succeed in returning him to power. Will the “Modi magic” work again in the 2019 general elections? Marketing alone, no matter how persuasive or effective, cannot win elections. What is needed is a deep connect with the people which wins their trust. Modi needs to inaugurate a nation-wide blitzkrieg, carefully planned and scripted, to convince the people that he is the best bet as India’s Prime Minister.

That will create the wave, the emotional upsurge, needed to swing voters back to BJP. The fact is that the key lies with the common people of the land whose lives Modi and his government have changed through their many schemes. From opening Jan Dhan accounts, to supplying gas cylinders, to delivering electricity, roads, and affordable homes to remote regions of the country, Modi’s policies have actually transformed India. A grateful populace, aware of the benefits of his leadership, is bound to vote him back whether they buy Modi Merchandise or not. That is the strength of Superbrand Modi — much beyond the usual larger than life cut-outs, posters, statuary, or even propaganda disguised as cinema, so popular in the South.

Author is Director, IIAS, Shimla Views are personal