When bKash is a verb: The invisible strength of good branding 

During a recent retreat to my village, one fine morning, I stopped by a small roadside tea stall to have a cup of milky tea. As I was enjoying it, I noticed a young man come in and ask the shopkeeper if he could "bKash". The tea seller nodded and proceeded with the formalities, like asking for the number, amount etc.

For a while, I was a little taken aback, as the small shop was studded inch-by-inch with glaring posters of Rocket, Nagad and a few of Upay, the other notable financial service (MFS) providers besides bKash. 

When the transaction ended and the man went away, I asked the tea maker if he could provide services for any MFS. He understood the intent of my query and replied with a slight grin that everyone uses the word "bKash" to send or receive or pay bills through mobile, no matter which MFS provider. I took no time to understand the value of good branding. 

We have seen how people wear jerseys of Argentina or Brazil during the World Cup season. The back of their jerseys are adorned with the name of their favourite players like Messi and Maradona. Many die-hard fans even hoist the flags of their favourite teams as the World Cup nears. They are touched by the essence of branding.

On the golf course, no matter where and who plays, a remarkable hit is often applauded as a Tiger Wood stroke. In the food domain, Hyderabadi biryani or French toast or Tangail sweetmeat or Thai papaya have top marketing value, even if they are prepared or produced miles away from their places of origin. There can be a plethora of such examples. Indeed, it is all due to the strength of acceptability of the users or consumers, which helps in establishing the brand. 

Branding has a simmering value. It is the distinct identity of a product or service, or even a personality, that is pegged strongly in the mind of people. It sets a relationship, at times too intense, with the user or consumer. Sometimes, the power of that relationship is so strong that it goes beyond mere brand loyalty, and develops into an instinctive aspect of our behaviour. Perhaps that is why bKash has become successful in becoming a good catchword in the domain of mobile money transactions, whether for sending or receiving money or for payment of bills, including those for public utility services, educational fees, shopping, remittances and so forth. 

Global headline maker and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and several other branding pundits have often said, "brand is just a perception". However, it is beyond that holistic observation in a case like this. The word bKash is now almost synonymous with financial operations through the use of mobile phones. Grammatically too, any name should be a noun, but in this case, it has transformed into a verb.

That underlines the invisible strength of good branding, which does not necessarily have to come from any form of a massive campaign backed by demeaning, misleading or distasteful smear at competitors, but from the confidence, trust and convenience of the users or consumers.

Mohiuddin Babar is the CEO at Bizcare.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.