Vinay Kanchan

The early part of the 14th century ushered in a magical period in Europe, indeed in all of human consciousness. Following hot on the heels of the depressing mediocrity of the Dark Ages came an era of outstanding human thought, aptly called the ?Renaissance?. It was a rebirth in the cerebral process; as new ground was uncovered in the arts, sciences and just about any domain of human endeavour.

Perhaps the seeds were sown at that time for the present day marketplace, even maybe for the subsequent explosion of brands in the twentieth century, through the surge of ?avant-garde? ideas such as individualism. Today as brands try to shoulder past each other in a crowded market place, the Renaissance still has a lot of inspiration to offer.

Positioning by immediate context

One of the reasons why the achievements of the Renaissance register even more strongly is because of what came before it. Prior to this, Europe was subject to the Dark Ages. At that time free thinking was ruthlessly suppressed, and religious intolerance and rigidity prevailed resulting in an absolute paucity of great ideas. Hence, when the Renaissance came around all its exciting new and brave concepts stood out absolutely emphatically.

New brands are often faced with the challenge of putting life before them in context. One of the reasons why Apple burst onto the personal computer market with such fruitful purpose is the manner in which it managed to reposition IBM. By celebrating an inclusive individualism (a throwback to the Renaissance); Apple positioned itself in stark contrast to the rather intimidating, mechanistic and almost pedantic perceptions of the PC brands that existed then. Brands which have the capability and confidence to ring in a new era, sometimes find themselves at the cusp of a revolution that leads to increased market salience.

Borrowing ideas from the past

Many historians believe that the seminal reason why the Renaissance took place was because after nearly a thousand years, Europe rediscovered great writings of the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Both these civilizations were responsible for the discovery of some fundamental concepts, and revisiting the brilliant thinking of that time helped ignite minds in a completely different millennium. This intellectual cross fertilization really powered the ?Renaissance Express? on the right track.

Innovation is a constant demand of today?s branding world. Teams search far and wide for inspirational sparks. But often the past presents some really compelling possibilities. When Baron Pierre De Coubertin was toying with the idea of a sporting platform to promote harmony amongst nations, he was reviving an ancient Greek tradition. However, that ?borrowing? in no way has dimmed the charisma of the modern Olympics movement. Brand managers have to get over the mental hurdle that just because it has happened before it does not have relevance today.

Nurturing a favourable climate

For creativity to really blossom, an environment which is conducive has to be created. It would be interesting to ponder how much of the Renaissance would have been possible, had it not been for the presence of some truly high-profile patrons. Many of these, like the Medici family, provided the creative heavyweights of that time financial stability. This allowed the artists to uninhibitedly express their talents, and create masterpieces which probably will stand the test of time.

The culture which companies promote often can be directly co-related to how innovative they turn out to be. Many corporate brands have realized this. In fact, new-age technological giants such as 3M, HP or Google allow for a proportion of official time, where employees can chase completely independent projects. Such concessions are very important steps towards facilitating workplaces, where breakthrough ideas are always around the corner.

Celebrating real heroes

Finally, one of the reasons why people look back at the Renaissance with such fondness is its heroes?men such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello and Dante. Their sheer enigma added a potent human angle to an era, and helped make it all the more relatable for coming generations. In essence, these men stressed the importance of heroes whenever it came to truly making an impression on human perception.

These days celebrity endorsement is a tactical manoeuvre in the branding repertoire. However, this does not quite capture the spirit of this concept, as implied by the Renaissance. When India?s knowledge process outsourcing revolution began, many young people looked at careers within these corporate brands with uncertainty. But once they saw the lives of people from their immediate circle change dramatically for the better, they began to view this new field with respect. Those heroes?a distant cousin, a building acquaintance, a friend?s sister; all contributed massively in the opening of an entire new sector to young Indian minds.

Eventually branding can be interpreted as the process of cultivating marketing works of art. This ideal entails examining periods in our civilization which became brands in themselves and learning from them. One such is the Renaissance. When one begins this practice, one not only adds flavour to the strategic thought-process, but also pays homage to the past masters. And that is perhaps why the Mona Lisa appears to smile, when people look at her.

The writer is a brand ideation consultant and creative thinking trainer. He is also the author of

The Madness Starts at 9.