MAM
Passion, innovation, leap of faith separates good brands from great ones: Mallya
NEW DELHI: Passion, innovation and leap of faith is what separates good brands from great brands, according to flamboyant entrepreneur Vijay Mallya whose business empire spreads across liquor, airlines and media and entertainment industries.
Speaking at the concluding day of the 6th CII Marketing Summit 2005 organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here today, Mallya dwelt on the rise and development of the Kingfisher beer and airlines brand.
In his own inimitable style he explained how the Kingfisher brand creation and management has transcended the traditional parameters of branding and striven to create a unique experience that encapsulates the passion and excitement that the brand has come to represent today.
And, Mallya did not forget to mention — while tracing the development of Kingfisher — that this conversion of the brand equity and image was done by investing a mere Rs 200,000 when he decided to chart a different path for Kingfisher in the United Breweries stable.
United Breweries is the holding company under which Mallya carries out his various liquor-related businesses, including various mergers and acquisitions.
With government-imposed stringent restriction on marketing and communication of alcoholic beverages, Mallya regaled the audience with a story of how he would spend times in pubs and bars in Bangalore experiencing consumers first hand and noting their attitudes and behavior towards different drinks and brands.
Acknowledging that the alcohol industry has one of the highest loyalty rates in any category, Mallya, however, stated that he built the brand embodying the spirit and passion, coupled with the aspirations and upward mobility of the young consumers he encountered in the pubs of Bangalore.
“Everything that went into the brand development and franchise had to connote the strong passion and excitement that is associated with the (Kingfisher) brand,” Mallya said.
With both the speaker and the audience not satisfied with just listening to the outlines of the brand building exercise relating to Kingfisher, Mallya then went on to speak about the then unconventional methods of marketing that used in developing the equity of the brand.
From sponsoring music bands and associating music with Kingfisher to fashion shows and showcasing designers at international events, to sponsoring the West Indies cricket team (which he said was to capture the Calypso passion), Mallya said, “tried to think like a Kingfisher and build that personality into the brand.”
Giving the brand a personality through these factors helped create a unique proposition, which denoted just one thing — the ‘King of Good Times’ — and that was the mantra that has been communicated, according to Mallya who sports his salt and pepper beard and hair with great aplomb.
Dwelling on Kingfisher Airlines, Mallya highlighted some key brand development initiatives. From referring to all passengers as guests, the brand was created with the same ideals and passions that dictate the main Kingfisher brand.
“The airline could never be a low cost airline, because Kingfisher does not stand for low cost. It stands for superior value at a great price,” he explained, adding the target consumer was the same for the airline as was for his beverage brands.
The airline, which has now carried over 50,000 guests, is built around the Kingfisher class of travel that Mallya described as better than economy and even better than business. The proposition of best value and other brand parameters of the Kingfisher brand, such as fashion, music and good times, have all been incorporated into the airline’s service and operations.
“This can be seen in the crew, the entertainment service on board, the food, etc,” Mallya said.
And does he still carry out first hand surveys in the pubs of the country? Not really, but whenever brand managers and senior marketing professionals are recruited, the first criteria on which he judges them is to see the passion and excitement that they have for the brand.
According to him, he expects the same passion as he has for the brand and that brand managers must truly appreciate the brand and must live it.
Taking from the theme of the conference and the theme paper, prepared by CII and the Knowledge Partner, Henley Centre, Mallya highlighted the fact that the basic marketing mindset must change in order to build powerful brands.
He said that passion, innovation and a leap of faith from the traditional parameters and criteria of brand building is what separates good brands from great brands.
Coming from a man who is regarded as the Richard Branson of India, the audience couldn’t but agree with Mallya.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
