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Branding was the initial step that companies used, to differentiate themselves and attract the 'knowledge rich' consumers to make repeat purchases and increase their bottom lines. But even differentiation has reached its limit and the ever-demanding consumer's attention is scarce today.
Co-branding gives companies a wider playing field to differentiate their products and give their consumers a whole new experience, while keeping the core brand values same.

Promotional co-branding, ingredient co-branding, value chain co-branding and innovation based co-branding have contributed to companies' kitties to varying degrees. But now, marketers need to go a step further in order to grab the customers' attention. It is here that 'brand flavouring', a concept that I have introduced, will give marketers that extra mindshare of the consumers.

'Brand flavouring' requires a careful amalgamation of two or more brands, wherein the overall product has a unique appeal, while the participating brands' values are still the same. It is like the unique taste that you get when you have an ice cream with a gulab jamun or an ice cream with Pepsi. Note that the individual tastes are still retained here. Add a few nuts to the above combination and the experience can get even better!

In this paper, I will present co-branding as it prevails in the Indian context. I will then discuss various possibilities using the brand flavoring concept which will take co-branding to 'that higher step' in India.

Co-Branding in India

Co-branding is now increasingly featuring in the marketing strategies of many Indian companies. Companies have realised that smart co-branding can help them boost their brand image, improve sales through sharing of distribution networks, enhance customer loyalty, increase customer base, enter new segments and garner a host of such advantages with little extra expenses.

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* Contributed by -
Santosh Kumar Vuppala,
Batch of 2007, PG Program in Communications Management,
Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad.