Babita Baruah is a marketing and branding powerhouse and a sought-after name in her industry. Well known for turning around big brands and enhancing their images, Baruah has proved that she has what it takes to lead the pack.

A maverick in her field with over two decades into the journey, her first stint was at a leading advertising agency HTA Calcutta (1996), now, J Walter Thompson, India, where she learnt the ropes as a management trainee.

Now, nearly two decades later, Baruah, Managing Partner, heading WPP GTB India, a global, industry-leading communications agency, judiciously juggles her time between work, mentoring, lectures, home and continues to deliver results on all fronts.  Baruah comes across as a compelling storyteller who speaks and blogs for resisting the comforts of conformity - as she redefines the new woman of her generation.

This top executive spent early years of her childhood at Digboi, a charming town in Assam where crude oil was first dug out in 1866 and, subsequently, an oil refinery was set up in 1901 putting it in on the global map.

Her hometown has since been known as the Oil City of Assam, a state which is famous for many things including its rich repertoire of tea, silk and the majestic Brahmaputra.

A leader, when it comes down to championing the cause of gender balance at workplace, she is actively engaged in mentoring the women leaders of tomorrow.

Furthermore, her insight into various branches of the industry, including behavioural sciences, guides her strategies for all the industry related engagements. Her plans consistently fall in line with her ambitious outlook of pushing the boundaries. And her systematic approach does not compromise but, in fact, comes with an emphasis on authenticity and raw honesty.

If the untapped Northeast were to be re-branded, Baruah has a ready-assessment of what would sell. She is already equipped with thought-out strategies regarding marketing and branding of the untapped emerging market -- the Northeast India. And understandably, it would entail lengthy and detailed marketing strategies for re-branding and making Northeast global.

If she were to lend her expertise on devising and repositioning the Northeast brand, it becomes clear that her business mantra will rely heavily on gaining excellence based on consumer trust.

In other words, the success of campaigns is seemingly banking on learning about the real experiences and communicating with the real people - be it the consumers or the guardians of the region. Her goals are immense but never stray from ground realities - a tried and tested vital ingredient for success in her professional journey.

Babita tells The NE Stories what makes “Northeast India” brand limitless and her perspectives on marketing, leadership and more.

Three Golden Rules to Push All Boundaries

I feel a huge sense of admiration for all the upcoming women entrepreneurs of the North East who had to overcome societal barriers, along with their own personal demons. To all these wonderful women, I would say that it is only just the beginning of your journey. As of any fruitful journey, the road is never a straight and smooth one - there will be unexpected obstacles and many sharp turns along the way. Sometimes, you may even have to create your own path. In times of doubt, there are three things that have always kept me grounded:  to never lose sight of the goal, to face fears head-on, and most importantly, to never trade kindness for success.

Business Basics: Brand Promise over Brand Ambassadors

The starting point of any business should lie in the brand promise, and never the brand ambassador. In our industry, it is often said that if we can simply explain our brand promise to our grandmother, we are already halfway there! Only once the brand promise is clearly stated, does the role of an ambassador - if required - comes up.

A widespread misconception about brand ambassadors is that they must be popular Bollywood stars or cricketers; when, in fact, an ambassador may be any individual who can genuinely stand for the brand message and promise. In its essence, a brand ambassador can be anyone who has the credibility to talk about the brand while promoting and being authentic about its benefits - be it an existing consumer, a local personality relevant to the brand or someone within the organisation. Brand ambassadors should only be seen secondary to other important aspects such as building infrastructure and brand promise.

Brand Ambassador Priyanka Chopra for “Awesome Assam” - misplaced or fitting?

My personal view is that it works! It works for a tourism campaign, at least, since it is not targeted at the indigenous people of Assam but for the world at large. Assuming the budget was available, the investment is justified because Priyanka Chopra’s reach is global. It was a good bet for singling out Assam tourism among the clutter of tourism ads not just within India, but across the globe. Having her in the campaign increases the probability of it being noticed, and more importantly, being memorable. The campaign itself was also beautifully scripted and executed.

“Playing at the National and Global Level” - Better days ahead for Assam

Assam has had her share of political upheavals over the years - and it still persists today. In addition, the geographical location in relation to connectivity, the sense of security and safety for travellers, quality of hospitality, climate conditions - all play roles in the nature of tourism in Assam as it is known today. I strongly believe we are moving towards improvements in these directions.

My view is that the industry in Assam must strive to become a benchmark for the best in the world, and not just confined to India’s North East. Often, we become content and complacent with a limited and narrow playing field. To accelerate towards our potential, we should welcome travel bloggers, experts, publications and forums to feature us as a sought-after destination. On the flipside, and as modern technology would have it, there is very little allowance for a drop in standards. All it takes is one negative review to discourage others. I am, however, confident that better days are ahead.

Culture, nature ... and a solid plan

From personal observation, it seems quite evident that culture and beauty work only when travellers are assured of safety, good infrastructure, connectivity. Unless these are in place, it is difficult to attract tourists. What follows are the role of strong marketing, which includes - the right message, on the right channels, at the right time.

The personal experiences of travellers can make or break the pull of any tourism destination. In dealing with each state of the North-East, the rule of thumb would be to research that one unique character which every state stands for, and how that can best be delivered. Strategies should involve getting down to the nitty-gritty to recognise the issues faced by travellers who rate anything below excellent. Next, is to address these issues. Ignoring reviews and feedback lead to losing out on valuable recommendations - something which is what today travellers go by when it comes to vacation planning.

“A New Channel for Us”

Given the current behaviour patterns in the market, and amplified by reports earlier, E-commerce overall is projected to grow even after the COVID-19 bans are lifted by the authorities. To put it simply - for fear of infection, there will be a loss of confidence in buying from physical outlets which leaves the option of e-commerce. Once this becomes a habit, the ease of transaction, choices available, and the speed of execution provided by e-commerce could become things that many of us embrace. But, it is still too early to say.

On correct branding and positioning, and a blueprint for a shared system for the North-East experience

Putting a system together before correctly branding it - the second comes before the first in this case. It is my view that consumers today look for reliability, authenticity and honesty. If a campaign promises something, it has to be delivered. Or else, it is just marketing money wasted.

As for reconstructing the Northeast’s diversity as a shared strength, the states need to come together and align on synergies that everyone can benefit from. Think about presenting the region as one unique experience within which each state will have its own unique offerings; common but primary challenges of infrastructure and safety can be dealt with as one. This will not only optimise resources, but position the North East- as a whole- as a preferred destination.

(The views expressed by Babita are personal and not those of the organisation)