If you are a fairly networked Hyderabadi, you have quite likely watched the emergence of a brand called Kishan.

From a relatively unknown entity, Kishan established a brand of wines in Hyderabad so effectively that the brand actually became an extension of his name…and he was called, by all his friends and associates…Sula Kishan.

This did not happen by chance, nor did it happen overnight. It took a lot of hard work by Kishan and a lot of multi-level networking. Sampling his products at the slightest opportunity Kishan made Sula a significant brand. As he had done with Riviera before.

Now we’ve had wines in undivided Andhra Pradesh for years. Golconda Ruby Wine was a popular brand. Bosco hung around Hyderabad for a while and the Nine Hills types tried to climb every mountain or hid under every Big Banyan they could find. In that cut throat, competitive environment, for Kishan to have made Sula almost a household name was a marketing miracle if any.

Then something unfortunate happened. Apparently Sula turned out to be a real life four letter word. And Kishan and the company parted ways.

Kishan was down but not out. Don’t worry, I remember him telling me, I’ll get back with something better. It’s taken a while but Kishan promises the wait will be worth it.

I have just been informed that Kishan is poised to launch the Charosa line of wines.

Now I have not had the wines so I cannot say anything about them. Well actually I am not a connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination, so I will not in any case. But I am looking carefully at Kishan.

That is the man. That is the moment. That is the brand.

How will he reposition himself? How soon will it be before Hyderabad starts calling him Charosa Kishan? How soon before the wine glasses of Hyderabad begin singing a new tune from Nashik…Charosa ka Bharosa!!!

Product brands have advertising muscle and marketing money behind them. Kishan only has friends. And it is these friends who have created and recreated the brand Kishan. How will they do it this time? How soon, how effectively? That is what I am going to watch…

care to join me?