| They could be a marketers most reliable barometer of changing consumer attitudes-be tunes into teenagers who are as old as itself |
|
|
THIS ones for an about generation BE-people who have practically grown up with Brand Equity and are as old as we are this year. Its a generation that takes for granted changes, which previous ones have still not stopped marvelling at. While todays managers grapple with fragmentation of media, multiple brands competing in all sectors, and struggle to harness new technology, todays 15-year-olds do not consider the current environment particularly complex; it being the only reality they are exposed to. While we have had some of the best minds in marketing weigh-in with their perspectives on change over the last 15 years, its time to go straight to the people who eagerly incorporate these shifts into their lifestyles. Its fitting to have their opinions on brands, advertising and media-and to ask questions every marketer wishes he had the answers to. From their favourite categories, brands, advertising and celebrities, to their thoughts on Sholay -the film thats launched a 1,000 ad spin-offs, youll find it all here. And sure enough, our 15-year-old respondents did not disappoint. They are not a particulariy homogenous bunch-in fact, teenagers down south seem to have entirely different cues, not just on areas like entertainment but on a few not-so-evident ones like choice of brands.
For advertisers attempting to get in touch with this constituency, some lessons are obvious-ads featuring celebrities certainly do have an advantage-ads with Amitabh Bachchan (for Cadbury Dairy Milk); Shahrukh Khan and Surya (Pepsi) are among the best liked. But an entertaining commercial can get you even more attention at a significantly lower budget as is exemplified by the recent ad for Surf. The more important lesson is that formulaic ads dont have takers among the young. The age of boring or brainwashing consumers into buying seems to be on its last legs.
Theres also a high correlation between the ads liked and categories shopped for. Clothes, the number one category shopped for nationally, does not figure in the favourite ad lists; but Cadbury and Pepsi are among the top snack foods-the second most attractive category for 15-year-olds. A dark horse in this segment is stationery. In an age where computers are ubiquitous, old-fashioned ball pens still have a great demand. Teenagers are very brand-conscious even in a low-involvement category like pens-Cello Grippers, Reynolds and Add Gel are the top three brands. Interestingly enough, Parker, while figuring low on the national averages, is particularly popular in Mumbai with 29% of respondents shopping for it-no surprise really, since its endorser, Amitabh Bachchan is the citys favourit celebrity, trouncing even Shahrukh Khan.
While the tastes of teenagers seems conservative in some regards-soaps figure along with more obvious choices like KBC and WWE among their most watched TV programmes-there are indications of change. Technology is affecting their lives in several unique ways-while CD players still lead nationally, a staggering 53% of the respondents in Mumbai consider mp3 the format of choice for listening to music, and Bangalore is not too far behind will 45%. The teenagers also seem to want to discover India before venturing abroad-74% are more agreeable to travelling within the country the figure is highest in Chennai at 90%.
The 15-year-olds are at a stage of great experimentation with every facet of their lives. The popularity of media like MP3 indicates that they are more concerned with the end product than the legitimacy of its delivery mechanism. Marketers will have to work hard to remain in the loop while attempting to communicate to this segment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post your Comments