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The pre-election campaign and the poll outcome of Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election deserve to be examined as a case study for any student of marketing who wants a street-smart understanding of the difference between building a brand and executing a specific advertising campaign.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, branding and advertising are not identical processes. Advertising a product is only one component of a broader branding strategy, which also includes elements such as sponsorship and logo licensing.

To borrow author Naomi Klein’s distinction: “Think of the brand as the core meaning of the modern corporation, and the advertisement as one vehicle used to transmit that meaning to the world.”

With that framework in mind, consider the brand identity and value of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, the two principal contenders in this election. 

BNP, first and foremost, is an established brand. It is widely recognised, and the product it offers has been tried and tested. The party has governed more than once and produced two leaders – Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia – who endure the judgment of history and remain etched in collective memory.

In brand terminology, BNP possesses tried and tested flagship products.

Its misdeeds are overshadowed by its achievements and, in a straightforward assessment of brand value, this has sustained a generally positive imprint of its logo in the public psyche. Consumers understand what they are likely to receive from this brand, and........

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