Why brand building matters for startups?: Prof. S. Ramesh Kumar

The ET Brand Equity article ‘Startups-Selling a commodity or Marketing a Brand?’ co-authored by Prof. S. Ramesh Kumar, former faculty, Marketing area, IIMB, draws on Theodore Levitt’s Total Product Concept to offer a structured lens for startup brand-building. The authors argue that without a firmly developed augmented offering, one that creates clear value differentiation in the consumer’s mind, startups inevitably compete as commodities rather than brands. It emphasizes that sustainable brand equity today stems from authenticity, emotional resonance, community-building, and distinctive positioning that extend beyond product features or pricing.