Scripting success of iconic Indian brands with IP

Transforming Indian culture, heritage and ingenuity into protectable, monetisable assets, India’s most iconic brands set themselves apart from the rest. More than just businesses, they are symbols of India’s creative strength, deeply rooted in tradition while confidently stepping into the future.

In this case study, the author analyses the threads of IP that strengthen the fabric of iconic Indian-origin brands.

TITAN: Engineering emotion and elegance.

Tata Industries and TIDCO formed a joint venture to bring Titan Watches to market in 1984. Its advent was marked by an iconic advertising campaign by Ogilvy & Mather, where customers walked into stores with newspaper cuttings to buy watches.

Over the years, Titan has built a reputation for crafting timepieces that wed contemporary design with traditional values. Titan has a diverse range of brands, each meticulously crafted to cater to different consumer segments, while maintaining a cohesive brand identity.

• • Watches: The Titan brand has expanded to encompass various sub-brands such as Fastrack, Xylys, Zoop by Titan, Octane Titan, Raga by Titan, Nebula by Titan, Edge by Titan and Sonata.
  • Jewellery: Titan has conquered the art of brand diversification within the jewellery sector, with flagship Tanishq a hallmark of quality, Zoya representing luxury, CaratLane an omni-channel brand and Mia offering contemporary designs tailored for workwear.
  • Eyecare and Accessories: Titanalso boasts a presence in eyecare and accessories.

Titan’s Raga Memoirs collection epitomises the brand’s creative storytelling, with timepieces inspired by childhood memories. Designs like Pinwheel Dreams, Toffee Twist, Candy Swirls and Ladybug Whispers are infused with emotional resonance, combining aesthetics with sentimental values.

Zoya’s Pezzo D’Arte collection, inspired by classical Italian monuments, transforms iconic architectural marvels into wearable art. Similarly, CaratLane pioneers the world’s first true 3D virtual jewellery try-on experience, with strategic use of colour synonymous with the colour purple. Other well-known marks including Tanishq highlight Titan’s ability to maintain and enforce its IP rights across various jurisdictions.

RELAXO: From Hawai Chappal to fashion-forward footwear. From a single product that has become an Indian household staple, Hawai Chappal, Relaxo has stretched its portfolio to over 400 different types of shoes and slippers. The company has grown from a modest investment of just INR10,000 (USD117) to become a market leader today.

The original logo, which evokes nostalgic memories for many Indians, underwent a revamp to stay relevant to contemporary tastes.

Relaxo secured design protection for several parts and features of its footwear, including surface textures and sole designs, while exploiting the mark of its Sparx brand, establishing it as an integral part of its product identity.

In 2022, Relaxo also took legal action against Aqualite India for infringing its unique designs in the Bahamas range, and continues to quietly strengthen its intellectual property portfolio with a series of design registrations for its innovative footwear.

ESCORTS: Engineering an IP-driven legacy.

Escorts Group is established in multiple sectors. A partnership with Ursus of Poland produces Escorts-branded tractors. The iconic Rajdoot motorcycle range was launched with another Polish manufacturer, Cekop. A joint venture with Ford Motor Co was instrumental in Escorts becoming the largest manufacturer of tractors in India, cementing its global presence.

In 2020, Escorts acquired a stake in Japan’s Kubota Corporation. Escorts group is owned by Har Parsad & Company, named after the grandfather of the company’s managing director. The brand has also entered into licensing agreements with Escorts Kubota Ltd. which has preserved the legacy and ownership of the Escorts brand within the founder’s family.

MANISH MALHOTRA: Fashion as signature IP.

The Manish Malhotra brand revolves around the designer himself, using the two-letter MM initials abbreviation in its corporate identity.

In 2021, Malhotra made a revolutionary move by launching a virtual store for his Delhi flagship, becoming the first Indian designer with a digital couture experience. Manish Malhotra’s brand has also mastered the art of leveraging licensing agreements, enabling growth into new markets while maintaining control over the core intellectual property.

Manish Malhotra took IP action in Pakistan in 2014 against a textile firm to defend his trademark, claiming cross-border reputation through global recognition, even when the mark at that time was not registered in Pakistan. The brand is a prime example of how intellectual property can be leveraged to build a global fashion empire.

HERO MOTOCORP:

Engineering brilliance, Protected. Hero MotoCorp utilises its logo as a symbol of movement, speed and forward-thinking innovation. The company’s tagline, “Hum Main Hai Hero” (“We have a Hero within us”), connects the brand with its everyday consumers.

The company has trademarked its “X” logos, which appear in the Xtreme, Xpulse and Xtreme 160R street bike models, known for their unique, protected design elements.

TCS: IP as the backbone of global digital leadership.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a flagship of the Tata Group, is the master brand representing the company’s identity in the global market. TCS has formed a variety of brand collaborations and strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings and drive innovation, including collaborations with Microsoft for Azure cloud platform, Google Cloud, IBM, Oracla and Cisco.

TCS promotes a co-innovation model where it collaborates with clients to develop and protect IP. Through joint development programmes, TCS helps clients protect their innovations which are co-owned or exclusively licensed. TCS has leveraged its IP assets to create new business models and revenue streams.

BABA: Legacy and innovation in a zarda wrap.

The company started from a little shop in the humble lanes of Chandni Chow market in Delhi popular for making the tradition Indian sweet rice dessert, zarda, commonly enjoyed at festivals, weddings and special occasions.

Over decades of consistent use, “BABA” transcended its etymological neutrality to become a symbol of sensory experiences encapsulated in the “House of BABA” marks such as BABA 120, BABA 600 Plus and BABA ONE. The protected association with black and gold packaging is not merely aesthetic but a critical branding element.

The company’s communication strategy includes the use of emotionally echoing taglines such as “Andaz Jo Rivaaz Ban Jaaye”, increasing consumer recall.

THE PARK Hotels: Curating experiences through IP.

THE PARK’s IP lies in strategic locations of its hotel, restaurant or any other allied services making them unique and iconic, building goodwill by recognising those locations through its IP.

These include Flurys, the iconic Kolkata tearoom on Park Street founded by a Swiss expatriate couple and subsequently acquired by THE PARK.

In wellness and rejuvenation, the AURA Spa, featured across several properties, reflects the brand’s foray into the wellness industry.

The brand’s robust intellectual property portfolio and national recognition played a vital role last year when Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited (ASPHL), parent company of THE PARK Hotels, marked a significant milestone by going public through an initial public offering (IPO) that reinforced the market’s confidence in its legacy and growth strategy.

Taj & Indian Hotels: The soul of Indian hospitality.

The Taj brand under The Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) created and introduced the novel concept and feeling of ‘Tajness’, protecting its unique experience including smell, touch, feel and taste. It can be experienced from the uniform Jasmine fragrance to signature dishes available across its hotel brands.

IHCL is the first in the country to protect architectural image of the iconic Taj Mahal Palace hotel, Mumbai as a trademark. Additionally, the artistic and structural blueprints of this heritage property are safeguarded under the Copyright Act and the Designs Act, 2000.

Its revival at the Gateway of India signals how legacy IP can be rejuvenated to meet modern market sensibilities while preserving historical brand value.

IHCL’s customer loyalty programmes such as the Taj InnerCircle programme Epicure involve proprietary processes, branding and user data that are also protected under various IP laws.

Key takeaway

The strength of a brand lies not only in its public perception but also in the legal fortification of its unique attributes through intellectual property.

From evocative logos and distinctive designs to technological innovations and strategic brand extensions, each element plays a pivotal role in shaping a brand’s identity and competitive advantage.

These case studies underline how visionary branding combined with diligent IP protection and innovative consumer engagement can transform a name into a cultural and commercial legacy.

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