Milk packet with ‘founded by IIM Alumni’ tag starts debate online

Team Udayavani, Mar 14, 2022, 2:02 PM IST

For years, having a degree from one of the country’s premier universities, especially the prestigious IITs and IIMs,  has been the largest aspiration for desi parents and students alike. It has nothing to do with your academics, but announcing to friends and family that you’ve enrolled in a reputable college is something we Indians enjoy doing.

On Twitter, an image of a milk packet with the caption ‘IIM alumni’ has gone viral. Could this be a case gone too far?

While this may appear to be a trivial issue, it has caused quite a stir on Twitter.

Twitter user Namanbir Singh shared a photo of the milk packet, writing, “What’s the point of writing your college name on a MILK PACKET!???

He further added, “To clarify, no hate for the company or their products. But trust should be built (sic) on the basis of quality, not college tags.”

What's the point of writing your college name on a MILK PACKET!???! ? pic.twitter.com/TgE2uicXQg

— Namanbir Singh? (@realNamanbir) March 13, 2022

He added, “I have noticed that a lot of people are insulting the college, while it’s not their fault. The individual is at fault as he used his college as a marketing tag.”

I have noticed that a lot of people are insulting the college, while it's not their fault.

The individual is at the fault as he used his college as a marketing tag.

— Namanbir Singh? (@realNamanbir) March 14, 2022

While some users believed that displaying your diploma from a reputable college would increase consumer trust, others said it was unnecessary. Some even suggested that mentioning the college may be a good marketing strategy.

A certain amount of credibility is attached to companies founded by IIT/IIM alumni

How do u otherwise differentiate their product from the rest…the promoters r first generation entrepreneurs putting in personal savings and hours of research to come up with a good product. https://t.co/2AJ9bdc61H

— Tanvee ||?☆♡?♡☆? (@wesaidwhatnow) March 14, 2022

Not just IIM, but this pattern is followed by ISB alumnus too. I have FHE on "You are following an ISB alumni" sticker on cars.
My life's purpose was found on tailgating this car ?? https://t.co/xd6Q4BUJCT

— Swagat Bhowmik ?? (@sixty9strings) March 14, 2022

Its smart. Not because it adds to the value of the product. But it is a fact that the middle class (target audience for Country Delight) absolutely lusts for IIM/IIT & they are cashing in. Hell, my daughter's playschool used to write "founded by IIT/IIM alumni". https://t.co/czpWVmnbr3

— Nidhi Shankar (@BoldMonk_) March 14, 2022

I don't know why folks are seething on this line of advertising. If you can rope in random low IQ Celebs to establish trust and sell your products, no harm in using educational background which a majority of aspirational Indians can relate with. https://t.co/oLcaRiaDyE

— Anubis (@wild_mccandless) March 14, 2022

That's the beauty of IIT/IIM/Harvard alum, they are always kind enough to let you know where they studied ☺️ https://t.co/59yiWzaCxP

— Maadhav A. Kumar (@Maadhavak) March 14, 2022

A bollywood celeb does not endorse “NSD alum”

If a founder has to use his college degree to impress his users, its a shows of lazy business branding.

— ish.eth #hiring (@ishgoel) March 13, 2022