Refuting Laura Ries

Recently, I came across this post by Laura Ries, one half of the famous Ries & Ries duo:http://ries.typepad.com/ries_blog/2008/01/after-a-brand-o.html where she argues that the recent re-branding of Xerox with a new logo fails to serve the purpose.Xerox has long been identified with the ubiquitous photocopier.So common did the process perforate into the general population's awareness that the word "Xerox" soon became a verb.Laura argues that Xerox became so synonymous with photocopying that its forays into other business domains failed to take off.People believed that Xerox was good only at photocopying and viewed the other businesses with skepticism.Its popularity became its bane.But with due respect to Laura,I tend to disagree.I wil cite the example of the Tata group in this respect. Although a family business venture, it benefitted immensely from having visionaries at its helm.Right from establishing Tata Steel at Jamshedpur in 1907 to the formation of Tata Aviation, the forerunner of Tata Airlines and Air India, which was later nationalised ,its actions always earned the respect and trust of the people.And it was this trust that it built its business empire on.Agricultural appliances to Multi-utility vehicles,Broadband services to E-learning. You name it and chances are that Tata has a presence in that domain. With global powerhouses like Tata Consultancy Services and Tata Steel in its kitty its not surprising that the Tata empire has been growing at a steady pace.And what with the Rupees 1 lakh car Nano being unveiled recently, it is poised to do to india what Henry Ford did to USA in the early part of the 20'th century.Further, I would like to reiterate that although I am a bit skeptical about Tata diversifying into too many business domains, I am convinced that it has managed to do well only because of the respect and trust it enjoys among the people.The same holds true for Xerox .With a high brand recall and impressive track record, it is also in a similar position.With a proper vision and practicality it, too, can surely consolidate on the trust it enjoys to diversify into other business domains and do well in re-inventing itself.I wouldn't put a termination to their re-branding efforts but would like them to take the challenge head-on.