I must firstly congratulate this year’s Brand Excellence committee for securing the participation of a large number of organizations in this year’s program to ensure greater representation. The brand excellence program needs wider reach to make the awards both material and relevant I am confident that the program will continue to grow in stature if the same commitment and spirit illustrated by this year’s brand excellence committee is sustained.

My colleagues in the jury followed a simple set of principles illustrated in the blue print to select the metal winners. I must state that in the final short list, all brands presented had performed extremely well within each of their respective competitive environments. Each of them had performed well vs. organizational expectations. In the eyes if those who presented these brands, they were sure winners. Deservedly so. Unfortunately, in a competition of this manner, we are able to select only one among many champions. This made our task very difficult. Hence, we have made the difficult choice. But our humble request is that all of you remember, what the jury noted during our sessions, you are all winners.

The winners across the categories had a few traits.

They were able to articulate a clear vision. They were different from those who repeated a stated vision picked from the annual report or another corporate document which was at best academic.

They illustrated a comprehensive understanding of their consumers or customers. They were able to link their strategies to this understanding. They gave an external perspective. They were able to show considerable understanding of their competitors. These considerations helped those organizations to present a compelling case to the jury. Their positioning, strategic differentiation and the means with which they have taken their proposition to their respective target prospects were perhaps the differentiators between the winners and the rest. Not the absence of, rather the extent of these attributes.

Finally, the presentations. It’s like telling a story to your five year old daughter. You need to tell a simple story, connecting one dot with the other and building a compelling case as you go on. The presenters who were able to pick the relevant facts and examples from those that were mere information, were at an advantage over those who could not do so.