Polarisation makes brand, mediocrity is of no boon

Kazi Nazrul Islam, born in a small town, having received education only for a very brief period and being in the nature of a vagabond in his childhood, had preferred remaining anonymous until he wrote some rebellious songs against the British. It did cost him dearly several times -- detention and torture. Nazrul, the national poet of Bangladesh, was unrecognised until he took a firm position, opposing the colonial British rule. Calvin Klein, a small fashion accessory company suddenly hit the market, after airing an advertisement but was later banned for some time because of its preference for "sexiness". Before the scandal, the brand was totally unknown to the people. Now we can buy Calvins; a sheer pay-off for a polarised position. In 2003, a catalogue of Abercrombie & Fithch was withdrawn from the market only days after its release. Because the catalogue was full with some 100 photos that promoted 'group sex'. After that day, the price of the catalogue went up by a record level. Before that, the brand was anonymous. It was a polarised position with a huge risk of rejection. Apple is famous because it has polarised itself by groundbreaking innovations. Enduring with innovation is a tough task. Making people to accept something new is the most daunting task to accomplish. It involves high risks. And to do so, it needs courage. Apple has deliberately taken the risk and walked the path and conquered. Nobel Laurate Dr Muhammad Yunus has become famous because of his polarized idea that none had thought that it could ever be implemented. There were chances for his failure. It was a highly risky jobs for a university teacher with a project in a remote area of Bangladesh. The better way could have, perhaps, been for him to enjoy a regular life. But he had chosen to make a difference and that too, with success. He ultimately became the winner. In the world of brand, polarisation pats off and mediocrity is without any value. A polarised position is highly risky where failure can be disastrous even more than success when it comes - comes, though it may in a glamorous way. But it pays off, if one can hold on to it. Polarisation has a magical power. It ignites an intense response instantly. The opposite option of polarisation is mediocrity: a way of living life by compromise. It does not involve any sacrifice, so does not provide the opportunity for tapping its potential to the optimum level. A mediocre person remains simply a mediocre. Nothing else is required to explain his or her situation. It adds no adjectives. But if one is polarized, then some adjectives do invariably become part of it. Some will call you crazy, some will call you mad and some people will call you simply brilliant. The level of such criticism will increase or decrease, depending on your rate of acceptance and popularity. This even can force you to go through the hazard of isolation. But the truth is that the perfect position has to be taken if you are to become visible. Polarisation makes brand because to become a brand you have to be either loved or hated. Any middle position cannot help branding. The masses can not be branded in any sustained way but Humayun Ahmed can be. Humayun Ahmed, a former university teacher, started as a full-time writer by giving up his teaching profession. The style of his writing has broken the conventional, complicated way of Bengali literature. His move towards simplicity was a critical one in the sense that he was subjected to insense criticism by many established Bengali writers in the earlier period of his writing. But later he won huge ultimately a popularity, even beyond Bangladesh. He has taken the risk of writing in a simple but lucid style. He has, thus, polarized himself at the risk of being criticized and unpopular at the beginning. To become a brand, either you have to a Hitler or a Nelson Mandela. If you are a brand, then people will either love you or hate you but they cannot ignore you. All the good and bad things of this universe are the contributions of polarized people, organizations, ideas or actions. Polarization is synonymous with leadership. It leads the way and shows the path. It does not follow the crowd. It makes the crowd to follow it. It choses itself to be different to act differently and prefers to remain itself deliberately different. All successful persons, brands, organizations etc., are the true creations of planned or unplanned polarisation. Calvin Klein is famous because it polarised itself by going for controversial sexually seductive advertisements. Apple is successful because it has polarized itself by innovation. Ideas that got huge successes are all highly polarized. To become a brand, you either have to be hated or loved. There is no brand for a mediocre. Mediocrity is the life of the masses. What makes Lady Gaga? What makes Nazrul? What makes Surja Sen? Anything but mediocrity. A safe position does not help create any brand; it is a risky position that it does. Now the question is: 'How one can polarize oneself, one's product? If you want to be distinct, then follow Apple. Apple made the world class i-phone; follow Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus he has given innovative ideas for bringing ground breaking changes; or follow Nelson Mandela who sacrificed 27 years of his life for good. The first rule to be distinctive is to make your ideaproduct world class. There is no brand that can become a brand without a world class product. Ensure quality, it will ensure your sell! The second rule, do not go for marketing of your product without making it essential. Look at the facebook, you may not find any website that has not a facebook button. It makes it essential. People will take the responsibility of your marketing if you can delight them. Let them do the job! The third rule, make it free; though Apple produces always new technology but seldom it increases price. The idea of Grameen Bank is a free idea, too. Google, facebook are for free-for-all but are essential. The fourth rule, keep it simple. Simplicity makes a product or an idea or any work the most sophisticated one. Everyone can not be simple and every product likewise can not also be so. Making something simple in this complicated world is one of the most daunting challenges. Think about Apple; Steve Jobs himself said, "we made extremely simple products and we eliminate everything unimportant." You were born polarized. Prove that you are not like anyone else. That really makes sense. That enables you to be distinctive. That makes a brand. Try to be your true self. There are no other powerful brand 'mantra' than this. .............................................. The writer can be reached at email: romel122@gmail.com