Brands Are No Longer Symbols or Assets —They Are Systems in the Intent Economy of the New World. Dr. Erich Joachimsthaler, Pioneering Global Brand Strategist. Picture by Bibhash Lodh/BS News Agency.
Tapashi Kundu, BS News Agency, Kolkata: In the new world of brand landscape, intent has emerged as the new currency, redefining how brands create and sustain value. Speaking at the 24th edition of the Brand Conclave in Kolkata, Dr. Erich Joachimsthaler, CEO, Vivaldi Partners Group and international branding expert, advised business leaders that brands are more than just products or symbols—they are powerful mental constructs, existing in consumers’ minds as perceptions and associations.
He traced the evolution of branding through major developments in the discipline, including frameworks such as the Brand Identity Prism and the Brand Equity Model, highlighting how these shifts have shaped modern brand thinking.
While customer-focused branding architecture has existed for a long time, branding of “machines” has become new essential today,” noted Dr Erich Joachimsthaler.
Mr Debashis Dutta, Managing Director, BGS Group, emphasized that in today’s evolving landscape, brands have moved beyond being mere intangible assets. He pointed out how branding started functioning as powerful engines of value, driving influence and impact across the entire business ecosystem.
Mr Sanjay Srinivas, Vice President, Marketing, ITC Limited, PCPB observed that the fundamental strategic question facing organizations has shifted. Rather than focusing on “What is our AI strategy?”, he noted that businesses must now examine, “how is AI reshaping the entire value creation system around us?”
Reflecting on the legacy of the Brand Conclave, Mr Rupak Barua, MD and CEO, Woodlands Hospital said that over its 23 remarkable years, the conclave has evolved beyond a masterclass to become a movement in itself.
Mr Animesh Roy, Chief Services & Solutions (Pravesh Business), Tata Steel Limited, introduced the speakers and highlighted the vast untapped potential that artificial intelligence holds for branding. Summing up the discussions, Mr Namit Bajoria, Founder and Managing Director, Kutchina Homemakers Pvt. Ltd. remarked that AI is not a concept of the future but a reality of the present. The conclave saw the participation of hundreds of business stakeholders from across industries.