The Tamil Nadu state election results were announced yesterday. It created an earthquake of sorts and ushered in a new political era. Vijay, among the top film stars, decided to leave his career at its peak and serve the people through electoral politics. He started Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) as an alternative to Dravidian (DMK & AIADMK) and National Parties (BJP & INC)

I keenly follow politics both at the state and national level. Though I thought it was a welcome move I had doubts about his ability to convert votes into seats. This is because winning is just about a simple majority. The first across the post. Tamil Nadu politics is deeply rooted in caste and community equations. Added to this are the regional powerhouses within each party plus the money (cash for votes) deployed in the final stages of the election. To be honest, I thought TVK will lose its deposit in many constituencies. Well, the people's mandate has proved everyone wrong. And I stand corrected and humbled. 

As I look back, this is a classic David vs. Goliath battle we all grew up listening to. In the modern political context, this is happening quite regularly. In fact, our neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal have given positive verdicts to the challengers. This isn’t just a political upset. It’s a masterclass in strategy, positioning and execution.

In the business world we have seen this quite often. A startup or new innovation challenging an established company and taking them down - Apple vs. Blackberry, Netflix vs. Blockbuster, Marico vs. Unilever and so on. Seen through a business lens, this mandate offers some clear and practical lessons. Here are a few that MSMEs and startups can take away.

1. What problem are you solving?

This is the single most important factor. But given the population size, how does one go about identifying it? I think Vijay's team tackled this by identifying the competitor first and then working backwards to see the problem people had with them. He positioned the party as the answer to it.

Within that, there are multiple issues - corruption, nepotism, bureaucratic red tape, poor quality of government services, etc. Since there were many, they simply packaged it into one bundle and labelled it as evil. It was a strong analogy and very relatable for the customers. Many slogans were built around this.

2. What's your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)?

It was very clear from the start because it was the fan base which got converted into the party. But the fan base alone won't suffice to win elections. They wanted to target multiple segments and this is where I think they created the concept of ideological leaders. To the uninitiated, there are 5 leaders from whom the party derives its ideology. Each leader represents a different strand of thought and identity. This way, even competing segments felt, “Ok, I’m included in this.”

So, in your business, who are you targeting?

3. Know your competitor

From the very start, the competitor was called out. Vijay didn't fight the battle on many fronts and lose energy. He concentrated all efforts on one competitor. In business, you can adopt this as long as there is an underlying distrust or discomfort among users. In this case, people were looking for an alternative and this was provided.

From our own backyard, I recollect stories of Zendesk & Freshdesk (now Freshworks). Freshworks simply called out the flaws of the competitor. They were able to do it only because they had a thorough understanding of the competitor’s product and features.

4. Consistent messaging

The focus was only on one competitor, with no deviations. The seeds were sown consistently in the minds of people. As the message kept spreading, even the fencesitters started noticing. Vijay was very strident in targeting one competitor on all platforms. He refused to acknowledge a tripolar contest and made it a bipolar contest. This way, the message he sent was very clear and simple - I’m the alternative.

So, what is the message you are leaving in your target market?

5. Branding

This is a case of personal branding coming to the fore. But equally important is the visual element of “Whistle”. I don’t know who chose that symbol, but the moment it was released, I felt this could be a gamechanger. Old timers know, people in rural, semi-urban and even in a few urban pockets blindly vote for the symbol. Think of Rising Sun, Two Leaves, or Mango. It is deeply embedded in people’s psyche. This is one reason why Naam Tamilar Katchi fought to get back the Farmer symbol.

It is not easy to popularise a symbol with a limited budget. That is why many parties look for a strong visual. Whistle is low cost, widely used, and hence creates an immediate connect. MSMEs and startups, think about your own logo. Is it connecting back to your core identity and values? Is it easy to make it popular?

6. Converting loyalists into evangelists

A loyalist stays true to you, but an evangelist does the work for you. Much like Apple fans or Harley owners, the evangelist carried the message. This is despite Vijay campaigning in very few places. In one statement, he said, “I may not be able to visit everywhere, but I will ensure Whistle enters every home.” This is where the loyalists got converted into evangelists and started carrying his message to every nook and corner.

They even forced people to vote as per their choice. This may not be right, because voting is a personal choice and a fundamental right. But the larger lesson here is about the raving fans who made it possible. In marketing, we have heard about decision-makers, influencers, etc. This is a classic example of influencers forcing decision-makers.

So, how are you going to get your customers to become evangelists?

Conclusion

In conclusion, this is a classic case study for all entrepreneurs and business owners. David didn't defeat Goliath by being stronger. He won by being smarter, focused and deeply connected to his cause. That is exactly what this election demonstrated and this is what every MSME and startup must internalise. Clarity beats resources. Consistency beats noise. And raving fans beat paid armies, every single time.

Kudos to the brilliant political strategists and the entire team behind the scenes who made this remarkable victory possible.