The Big B

I have been out of Blogosphere for quite sometime. A lot of things have changed over the period.

Back then, Lalit Modi was still the IPL Commisioner. Sania Mirza was single, with Ayesha Sidiqqui making news. SC’s verdict on Manu Sharma’s appeal was pending.
Hopes were high on Mumbai Indians, winning the IPL-3.

1 Month and 18 days later:
The name and face of Chirayu Amin emerges as the new IPL Chief. Sania is happily wedded to Shoiab. We are testimony to the fact of SC upholding Delhi High Court Decision on Jessica Lal case. Finally, team CSK, sweeps IPL Season-3 Trophy.

Huh!! A season so transitory…a period full of surprises.

Media, the common thread, was seen switching and swapping the front page menu. With Cricket and Tennis as the header and footer, the print media conveniently moved geopolitical and defense issues to secondary columns.

If we look at it closely, it’s ultimately the brand image that takes the lead. Be it a product or a person, Brand IPL or Brand Sania, what makes news is the “Brand Image”.
An image that carves out of the joint and combined attention it gets.
It’s surprising to hear, when some people blame the media for coverage on Sania issue. What they fail to see, perhaps, is that, we are closely linked in creation of this Brand.

The rise and stardom of IPL is no different. They say Lalit Modi built the brand. It might probably be more appropriate to say, he promoted the brand. The brand got built in the process of its promotion. BCCI today abrogates from taking any responsibility on the bidding malfunctions. But IPL could not have become Brand IPL without BCCI fathering it.
As Suhel Seth, rightly says, “Brands cannot be built in isolation”.