Opinion
Mint Quick Edit | Delhi polls: Brand AAP left its key flanks exposed
Summary
- The BJP’s turfing out of the Aam Aadmi Party from power in Delhi reveals a drop in the latter’s appeal that wasn’t just about lost differentiation, but also brand dissonance.
Delhi’s assembly election results didn’t just put India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) back in power locally after a long gap, it revealed a stark diminution in the appeal of a political brand, AAP, short for the Aam Aadmi Party that got ousted by voters.
Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | Is the BJP set to oust AAP in Delhi?
AAP’s unique selling point was once its anti-corruption stance, which was dealt a hard blow by accusations against its leader Arvind Kejriwal in a liquor-excise policy scandal. On its freebie outreach, the BJP achieved parity in a race that’s easy to join but fiscally reckless.
Also Read: National parties shoot for gold in battle for Delhi
As for ideology, AAP went the safe way, refusing to set itself apart from the BJP. And then, there was brand dissonance too. The “common man" party’s leader was seen leaping from modest to palatial living, which tarnished its claim to represent ordinary folks.
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As Delhi’s polls approached, AAP found itself exposed to attack on its key flanks. While the BJP gets credit for a strategy that exploited those openings to the hilt, the results leave observers of politics with a classic lesson from Marketing 101: Brand differentiation demands brand consistency. And the younger the brand, the longer this rule holds. Older brands, as it happens, have more tactical leeway.
