A brand new outlook

Aubrey Ghose, CEO of AIS>Brandlab, has a philosophy that is based on trust and integrity. He talks to Sangeetha Swaroop about changing people's perspectives surrounding consumerism at a time when many have lost faith in the economic system.

If you had to choose between a $6 pair of jeans found at a reputed department store, or a $600 pair from a high-end boutique, what would you choose?

Even if production costs for the two are roughly the same, your purchasing choice, says Aubrey Ghose, chief executive of AIS>Brandlab, a brand-design firm that specialises in brand-building, "will be based on the emotional value you are prepared to associate with your experience of that brand."

In other words, the value of that pair of jeans, "is not its monetary value. Its value lies in how it makes you feel when you wear that brand, or when you are seen using that brand," says Ghose.

And that, in a nutshell, sums up the power of branding, the business Ghose is into. He explains: "Branding is more like brain surgery, for what we are doing is creating a selling space in the mind of the consumer. We are actually going into their brain and creating a selling space for a particular product or service."

When Ghose entered this field over two decades ago in London, the concept of branding was just beginning to take root. "I have been a part of the entrepreneurial group that has been developing the concept of branding over the past 20 years. I have collaborated with a lot of great minds and talent in the industry," he says. "But today, the value of branding is universally acknowledged; the biggest change has been the realisation that the value of any business lies in its brand equity."

Designing a brand is not merely about getting the logo right, or producing fabulous advertisements, he says. "The four pillars of the business are studying and spotting trends, designing creative interior solutions, training staff who are true ambassadors of the brand, and providing effective advertising and communication. These elements provide a solid foundation for the brand and set the tone of voice of the brand."

Born and educated in London, Ghose started his professional career with international consultancies like Fitch, BDG and HLS, and was co-founder of Allen International. He set up AIS>Brandlab in Barcelona in 2003, then branched out to London before

opening the Dubai office. Eighteen months ago, Ghose graduated with a degree in architecture from London's South Bank University. He also holds a degree in design and art from the Royal Academy of Arts.

His professional career has been devoted exclusively to building brands in the minds of consumers through the application of original, innovative and high-quality concepts.

However, since the start of the global economic downturn, and because of the enormous changes that are taking place, "consumers around the world are re-evaluating their relationships with brands," he says. "This means they are valuing them less emotionally and spend less on them." Ghose's theory is backed up by recent market research that AIS>Brandlab launched on its website asking consumers, industry experts and others to respond to a survey about how the new economic reality is affecting them.

The change in scenario that the world is experiencing is what he refers to as the 'New World Order', and the official data gained from this research, and the trends that are emerging therein, will form the basis of his new book, that is due to be published at the end of this year.

I, ME, MYSELF

I am a trend spotter who works out what works and what doesn't. Spotting a trend is one thing, but the trick is to understand the relevance of trends.

To do this, you need to have a deep understanding of the sectors you are looking for trends in. For instance, fashion as a sector is very different from banking or telecommunications.

It is easy to have blue-sky thinking; the key is to understand the relevance of a trend to that particular sector.

I look at brands like I look at people. Just as you form an instant opinion about a person you meet for the first time, consumers consider brands in a similar way. 'Can this brand make my life better?' is the first question one asks. And if they like it, and if the brand treats them with respect, they build a relationship with it in the same way that a human relationship is built – on trust, loyalty and long-term commitment.

I believe the true value of something lies in how it makes me feel. It has nothing to do with how much I paid for it, or even how much I use it. It's intricately related to how I feel in its presence. It should be something that makes me feel good.

I think a lasting impression is created when that which you engage with is true. Truth is the most valuable commodity, and truth is what I value the most. A lot of brands lie, and you cannot sustain that. Sustainability in terms of brand image is about honesty. I think impressions are like that: if they are true, they last; if they're not, they don't.

I believe originality is creating something new, not like something else. This is the goal I strive for.

I realised my potential very early. I am dyslexic, so I can't spell or write well, and I am dreadful at math. When I was young, a lot of people told me I was stupid. Dyslexia wasn't understood then the way it is now. It wasn't perceived as being real; there were no specific teaching methodology or tricks to help a child with this learning disability. I was constantly made aware of how 'stupid' I was and interestingly, this only heightened my awareness of what I could do, which is drawing.

I knew early on that this skill is what would carry me through life.

I rely on my staff. From a business point of view, having the right people and the right talent is the difference between success and failure. I've been truly blessed in this respect. In terms of my social life, however, I rely on my wife – I wouldn't have had a friend if it hadn't been for her!

I have implicit faith in God.

I learn through experience – that's the biggest learning curve there is. We often think we are right all the time, but this is rarely the case for most of us. Over the years, there are times when we've been misguided, when we've misjudged, but the beauty of those moments is when they make you stronger and you can learn from them.

I enjoy golf. You learn a lot about a person when you play golf. You have a round with somebody and you come out of it knowing them infinitely better.

If I could have changed one thing in my life, I would have gone into business earlier. That's my advice for everyone: if you are toying with the idea of venturing out on your own, just do it.

Me and the art of branding

Branding is about trust; brands that do well are those that have integrity, care about their customers and treat them well.

With AIS>Brandlab, we've taken a holistic approach to branding.

We are involved in architecture and interior design, staff training, graphics, communication and advertising.

Most CEOs today are really consumed with their brand and its value; and what was once considered a secondary thing, is now given prime focus.

Me and the challenges of trendspotting

The challenges are now heightened, simply because this is a time of massive change. Spotting trends now is certainly more relevant than spotting them under stable conditions.

Industry experts have a natural intuition to judge whether what we are saying is right or not. I like that we are constantly being challenged by them and that we are constantly testing our ideas and views against the reactions of the large brands we work with. Clients have the best sense of their business and their customers, and they are a great mirror against which we can see our trends reflecting.

We don't set trends, but we understand the trends that are coming from the consumer mindset, and we design for them, for a future that we cannot know. All designers are therefore, trendspotters and visionaries for the future, and trend analysis helps us in getting it right.

Me and the ability to influence others

Through the different sectors and brands we work with, we are touching the visual lives of literally millions of consumers around the planet. What I love about it – and what keeps me so engaged – is when the designs we do influence other designers. A lot of designers dislike being copied. But I really enjoy it; it is the highest form of flattery.

Me and setting up AIS>Brandlab, Dubai

Our head office is in Barcelona, but we opened here to serve our clients in the Middle East better. I think Dubai is a place of tremendous optimism and it has an amazing vision for the future. It is one of the most innovative places I know. Despite the economic uncertainties, this spirit will continue, because it is in its blood, in its history.

Having an office here is also a great springboard to enter the Asian region and other Middle Eastern countries.

Me and conferences

I speak at conferences and I am asked to chair them as well. I've done six this year already and I have four more scheduled until December. I call these my little adventures because I learn so much, especially from the other speakers, as well as from immersing myself completely in a particular sector, be it food retailing, fashion or banking. I get an enormous injection of energy doing these conferences. I love the learning experience that comes with conducting them.

Me and my love of Barcelona

When, on our first visit to Barcelona in 1994, my wife and I were treated to a weekend break that involved two days of skiing on the outskirts of the city, followed by some of the best food we'd ever tasted and a great night out, rounded off with volleyball on the beach, I instantly fell in love with the place. In which other city can you ski, enjoy great food and play out in the sun – all on the same day? Later, when the time came to set up my business, Barcelona was the perfect choice – the city has great architecture, a love for design and a passion for creativity.

It is a great place to attract fresh talent too. It also gave me the opportunity to move out of the London scene and yet still be close to it.

Me and the New World Order

The turmoil the world is going through now has brought about a massive shift in consumer perception. It is changing the way people think, shop and behave. It is a misconception that these changes are bad; rather, they are for the greater good. We have grown up thinking that the planet can sustain us, but now we know that we are destroying it because we are over-consuming. Secondly, we have grown up thinking that banks will fund every whim we have, but now we know that they can't.

There is also a general loss of trust in the leaders who govern us. Acts of terrorism have served as a wake-up call to consumers worldwide, resulting in their being more engaged.

And finally, as a result of the above three trends, consumers are beginning to re-evaluate their relationship with brands. Until now, people allowed brands to do the thinking for them.

I spent much of my life getting people to buy things that they already had two of, but brands are now changing to be either more disposable or reusable.

The New World Order is the result of these four truths, and accordingly, businesses need to reevaluate themselves and see how relevant they are to the changes that are happening around them.

Me and my new book

We work with around a 100 brands, and our research tool on our website to gauge consumer reaction to the new economic reality has given us a real sense of the sea-change that is happening in the mind of the consumer. That was definitely one driver for the book; I wanted an outlet for that research. The other real motivators are the four trends that are happening around the world.

We are seeing how these four truths are influencing people and I believe that now is the ideal time to get the book out.

We are launching one chapter a month on the website, which started at the end of June, and the five-chapter book will launched by end 2009.

Me and my interest in design and architecture

Studying art and design in London in the '80s was a really enjoyable part of my life because that's when I actually became a designer. At the time London was, and today it still is, the best place for creative talent to exist.

I am not an architect; I only have a degree in architecture. Architecture is long-lasting, and involves a lengthy timeframe to complete, but I wanted faster results, and branding and design gave me that opportunity.

I started doing exhibition design, where you only have two weeks, and your design lives for just a day or two.

I loved doing that; but the funny thing is I've now come full circle as brands are designed to last for generations.

Me and my family

Being in Dubai has given me more time to be with the family. My wife, Jacqui, is a yoga instructor and we all practice yoga together; it is one of the things that bind us.

My son, Connor, 19, has just started university in Nottingham, and his leaving home has been tough on all

of us. Sarah, 16, has really grown to love her new friends here, and we trust her to go out and enjoy time with them. One of the driving forces that made us move to Dubai was that this is a safe place for children.

Emily, 10, is the star of the family.

She is enjoying being in Dubai but is missing Connor a lot. She is a keen observer of the changes in sea life

on the beach. My parents live in London. My mother is Irish and my dad Indian. They are quite upset that we have moved the girls out here to Dubai but they do come and visit us often.

As a child, were you enamoured of brands?

Do brands influence you?

My favourite brand as a child was Lego. I was attracted to the vibrant, primary colours, and fascinated by how I could build things with it. In a way, these colourful interlocking plastic bricks have had an influence on me; my work is also about building and creating things.

The brands that influence my life the most are the ones that I closely work with and those that I helped to build and design.

Besides the main 'four truths', what are the other key trends that are currently prevailing?

Consumer buying behaviour is changing enormously. In five years we will see a complete reversal of patterns in online shopping – from the current 10 per cent it will jump to being the choice of 60 per cent of shoppers worldwide.

Eighty per cent of consumers today indulge in 'graze shopping' - in small shops in high streets, or going from one store to the other in a mall. Cities and towns in Europe are designed around high street shopping, and malls here too follow a similar pattern. But in the New World Order this segment of consumers will no longer exist. Only 10 per cent will shop the way we know it today.

Luxury but experiential shopping that offers a complete experience is what the remaining 30 per cent of consumers will then enjoy. Places like the Apple stores are an example of this emerging trend.

Why a New World Order? Why do we need to change?

One of the great misconceptions about what is going on in the world at the moment is seen in the questioning: 'when is the recovery going to happen?'; 'when are we going to go back?'

We are never going back! We will only go forward to something new and better, to a more just world.

What are your other interests?

I am very active with a charity called Future Hope that provides a home, education, medical aid and opportunity to the street children of Kolkata.

What I find amazing about it is how a child's life, from the very moment he/she is taken off the street, is literally changed forever. I am aware that my children enjoy a privileged lifestyle here and this summer, we

will be working with the founder of the charity in Kolkata. Future Hope will be launched in Dubai later this year.