Triumphant Trudeau

By Nishthar Idroos –January 21, 2016

Nishthar Idroos

The year 2015 was eventful for both Sri Lanka and Canada. Both countries elected new leaders to take the nations forward, hopefully. The eventual winners were up against formidable contenders. The new winners promised radical departures from the status quo. Maithripala Sirisena and his combined coalition promulgated a manifesto titled “A compassionate “Maithri” governance” dubbed in the vernacular as Yahapalanaya. The immediate aftermath of this incredible victory enthroning President Maithripala Sirisena was conspicuously palpable.

Let’s digress for a minute from the subject matter. Students of Marketing study what’s known as a Brand Promise? It’s a crucial, significant and vital element of a Brand. It’s all about experiences  and benefits associated with a product in its current and prospective consumers’ minds. Best brands deliver on their brand promise. It’s the holistic and superlative performance of the brand that determines its success and sustainability. Consumers develop expectations for the brand. They sincerely trust that the brand will deliver on those expectations. Good brands follow through on their commitments to consumers. There’s nothing that erodes confidence in a brand (or a leader) quite like undelivered promises.

This principal is universal and widely applicable for ethical mind capture as an essential prerequisite for Sales and Marketing. This is how the process of conveying and convincing takes shape in the actual dynamics of Business, more specifically Marketing. In the last couple of decades politicians have increasingly resorted to Marketing and necessarily so. Not all candidates are marketable yet most try. Just as Brand Apple has a certain brand promise so did brand JFK, JR, Obama and Trudeau.

In Sri Lanka the letters JR may be considered a powerful brand, for sure I do. Some may disagree vehemently. In my opinion it had and still has high Brand recognition and promise. Not just local but global brand recognition. He was our first president- The right honorable JR Jayewardene. The old fox had unique brand attributes. He was bold, courageous with a vision. He wanted to reintegrate Sri Lanka with the evolving world fraternity after years of self-imposed isolation.

His international standing was established. To get an audience with President Ronald Reagan as an equal and engage with him intimately was a definite first at that time. Exchanging sharp wits with repartees in the White House lawn completes the story. This was JR. His connection with the then Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher was even stronger. The liberal international trade he envisioned worked for Sri Lanka and the legacy continues. No doubt the bloke was a polarizing figure. He earned the ire and vilification of some, nonetheless his credentials were indisputable. In retrospect and after five more Executive Presidents his positives far outweigh the negatives.

Forty three year old Justin Trudeau son of famous former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau became Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister in October of 2015. The Trudeau Brand resonates extremely well within Canada, if I may add, with a twinge of symphonic romance. His iconic father bequeathed an enviable a legacy. I dare say it’s entrenched and is rendered virtually unsurpassable.

The senior Trudeau painstakingly instilled true Canadian values which we present Canadians cherish. Freedom, equality, inclusiveness, respect for cultural differences, commitment to social justice, compromise and co-existence, sponsoring refugees are values that are sacrosanct. None dare fiddle with it.

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