Opinion Marketing machine of the monarchy

Marketing is supposedly an American invention. But its roots certainly lay in undiluted marketing practices polished over centuries by the British monarchy

June 10, 2012 03:51 AM IST First published on: Jun 10, 2012 at 03:51 AM IST

Marketing is supposedly an American invention. But its roots certainly lay in undiluted marketing practices polished over centuries by the British monarchy. Last week,the UK declared four celebratory days,with holidays for banks,schools and offices on 4-5 June 2012 to mark the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Since inception with Alfred the Great in 849,British Royalty has undoubtedly been the UKs stellar brand.

Take how adroitly royalty managed the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle,the worlds largest inhabited castle. The fire destroyed the castles vital historic parts. The question was who would pay the estimated £60 million for restoration? The Queen suggested taxpayers,but Britains Parliament under Prime Minister John Major refused as it was a private royal home. British monarchy found an out-of-the-box solution in April 1993. So many people stand outside the huge grilled Palace gates to watch the changing of the Royal guards. Why not raise money from them by opening up Windsor Castle at £3 per entry,and Buckingham Palace at £8 per admission for the next five years? The repair finally cost £36.5 million,the Queens personal contribution was £2 million. Whats interesting is that the public is still visiting Royal residences,only paying double now,£18 per visit to Buckingham Palace.

People pay good money to learn such marketing theories at Harvard,INSEAD,Columbia and LSE. But without going anywhere,merely by exposing British dynasty loot collected over centuries from various colonies,monarchical marketing found an inventive way to restore Windsor Castle.

Visiting Royal residences,the monarchs subjects continue to smell the British Empire where The sun never sets. This marketing jargon means Great Britain continues to prevail in the cultural imagination of their colonised countries throughout the world. Even today,Elizabeth II,whos still head of state of 16 nations,knows how to conduct a monarchical mela(festivity). In the 1,000-boat flotilla on River Thames marking her Jubilee,shed invited the 54 Commonwealth members to keep alive The sun never sets on the British Empire nostalgia. Its another British monarchical marketing master stroke,from looting wealth to Commonwealth. When you see the Indian flag in the pageant,you dont know whether you should feel pride or humiliation.

Has Monarchy marketing taken a lesson from Walter Disney,who ingeniously built a smelly rat to become the iconic Mickey Mouse who is loved worldwide? Like selling Disneyland merchandise,souvenir shops outside Royal Palaces peddle ornamental crockery,Victorian pillboxes,thimbles,Guardsmens red dress with furry headgear,and aprons saying,God Save the Queen. Other merchandise By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen include cigarettes,tea,whiskey,chocolates,luggage. Aside from exorbitantly priced limited and special edition keepsakes,you even get Imperial Russian mementoes made through traditional 250-year-old methods,hand finished using 22 carat gold. Such votives were personal gifts exchanged among Russian,Danish and British royal families. After all,the last Czar Nicholas II and King George V,grandfather of Elizabeth II,were cousins; their mothers were sisters. Actually countries like Holland,Belgium,Sweden,Denmark and Spain still have monarchs,but its Britains Queen who still rules feudal-style over subjects,not citizens.

If you rewind the entire marketing chapter of mass consumption,it strengthened after World War II. Theres a clear demarcation between luxury and mass consumption goods. Unique luxury products,from garments,jewellery,cutlery to travelling coaches,were created for royalty to flaunt and distinguish their superior class from the masses. European countries like England and France with long history of kingdoms have preserved their code of luxury goods that command premium prices in the world. In spite of US marketing skills,a luxury product can never originate from USA which has no royal tradition. The difference from traditional monarchy is that without possessing royal blood,you can enjoy their luxurious life if youre rich. Whats more,the nobility today,comprising remnants of the disintegrated Roman and other Western Empires,are even selling off Royal titles,so forsums of money you can become a Duke or a Countess too.

British monarchys marketing machine has been so active that according to BBC,80% Britons still want the monarchy. It gained a fillip after Prince William married commoner Kate Middleton. However,anti-Monarchists exist too. Britains Republic Party says the Royal family is brainwashing common people to stay subjugated and support its upkeep with public funds.

In having a President of India,we imitated the British monarchys titular head system,but will anybody ever buy a souvenir saying God save the President when that person changes every five years? If UK Republics have their way and monarchy is abolished,the UK has to rethink the countrys marketing as its biggest brand pull,Her Majesty,would be lost.

Shombit Sengupta is an international creative business strategy consultant to top management. Reach him at http://www.shiningconsulting.com