ISSUE GEN Z

THE ECONOMIC TIMES THE AUGUST 09-15, 2017 INSIDEBE PAPA DON’T PREACH! BETA, CAN YOU TEACH? For the special issue themed around Gen Z and Y, Brand Equity gets CXOs across GEN Z ON YOUR ADVERTISING categories to share data-mining done with their own millennial-samples at home and at “YOUR STRATEGY IS SAD work — children, friends of kids and employees — and how those firsthand insights and AF. THAT BRAND THO...” By Amit Bapna & Ravi Balakrishnan On XX 2 anecdotes helped fine-tuning strategies.

Sunil Kataria My kids are the biggest Business Head – critics of ad scripts and SAARC, Godrej especially the ones which Consumer Product are related to kids or Limited (GCPL) teenagers. “MOST BRANDS STARTED PREPARING TOO LATE” Lloyd Mathias One often uses ‘in-house’ Insights from Benoit Former head of PC samples, comprising Vancauwenberghe of Brussels- Marketing for HP Asia employees or children based Gen Y and Z specialist shop Pacific & Japan of colleagues to validate already existing concepts EXPERT SPEAK and campaigns 10 Things That Marketers Have Taught Us About Centennials Sanjay Sharma They would eventually BY INVITATION CEO, MTR Foods adopt packaged foods that WHAT WE DON’T WANT? give them the convenience Harshil Karia busts some to make Indian food easily, myths about this hot- mostly because they might button market not have the knowledge or the time for it. On XX 3 Govind Shrikhande e had firsthand It’s a tough ask marketing to a anonymity admits that while she gap.” While working on the much Street fashion must be value- experience of generation that appears to be born does not have empirical evidence talked about Mirinda - ‘Release the Customer Care Associate priced for Gen Z is neither & Managing Director, looking at clothes to last long just how tough with an overactive BS detector. to back her belief, she is fairly cer- pressure’ campaign, the agency Shoppers Stop nor are they wanting to wear it is, advertising Making the job tougher is misun- tain that these people – at least in consciously steered clear of writ- them multiple times W to Generation Z. derstandings, oversimplifications the Indian context – are a long way ing a script. “We didn’t feel equal HORNOKPLEASE At a screening and stereotypes by over-exuber- from taking the cause-led position to the task of writing one in their of Kung Fu Panda 3, one of the com- ant marketers and consultants. yet and wonders why brands are voice so we got them to do it for us”, Targeted These are people who do not mercials shown was Share The So, depending on who you be- taking that stance when address- Paul shares. Vipul Prakash have to deal with the duality Advertising, Senior Vice President – of the analogue and digital Load for Ariel, the one where the lieve, this is a generation of potty- ing them. She would love to be Some of the marketers trying to Spoon-fed Beverage Category, era, being born into the father belatedly realises the error mouthed commitment-phobes, proven wrong on this, she says. go inside the minds of Gen-Y and PepsiCo India digital age of his ways and promises to help tindering their way through According to Josy Paul, chair- Gen-Z have a home advantage: Because that’s how we around the house more. While the dysfunctional relationships. man and chief creative officer, a child or at least an employee centennials like ad left all the 30 pluses in the audi- Or a sainted, saintly bunch who BBDO India, “They are wired so or a dozen who fall under this everything anyway This generation cannot be Arvind Bhandari talked to but only stimulated ence, sighing and reflective, we never met a cause or agenda they differently, there’s a sense of them grouping. Here’s what some of On 4 XX General Manager - to interact, making the brand heard a 10 year old kid pipe up with couldn’t get behind. A senior being alien, and it’s not a genera- them learnt. Dairy, Nestlé India the platform and reason. “Huh? All that for this?!” marketing head, on condition of tion gap and there’s no emotional >Continued on Page 4

SIDETAKE Instagram Stories has emerged as a clear favourite for marketers over Snapchat THE POSTER BOY FOR GENZ Marketers seem to have set- and over. Still, executives are not clients proactively asking us to do tled on Instagram Stories as a ruling out Snapchat completely, more on Instagram Stories every clear favorite, prefering it over given its recent investments in cre- week,” said Ben Kunz, SVP of mar- ON THE COUNTRYSIDE Snapchat. Instagram’s pure ative tools, ad targeting and perfor- keting and content at media agency scale, evident in its reach, tar- mance measurement . Mediassociates, whose clients geting and retargeting capabili- A year since Instagram launched include HP, Marriott and Black and Akash Thosar ties, has made it an attractive its Snapchat clone, Instagram Decker among others. “I can’t recall Marathi blockbuster Sairat star ’s social media bet for brands. Stories, marketers seem to have a similar conversation related to Half of the businesses on settled on a clear favorite. Snapchat.” “We’re seeing clients put and brand consumption habits explain why he resonates with Instagram produced a story in Instagram’s pure scale, evident in Snapchat back into the box it has the last month, according to the its reach, targeting and retarget- tried to grow out of - a niche plat- centennials of Tier 2, 3 towns platform , and its average usage ing capabilities, has made it an form for younger, digital natives,” ing the first Marathi movie to of the camera, just being myself has also jumped to 32 minutes attractive bet for brands, who said Tom Buontempo, president at SHEPHALI BHATT ` per day for those under 25, and have been moving “millions of social media agency Attention. BY earn 100 crore at the box office. and somehow it worked.” Parshya 24 minutes per day for those 25 dollars” to run ads on it. “We have Source: Business Insider MUMBAI Critical acclaim for the director, (Prashant Kale - the character he the actors, the music, and ap- plays in the movie) is a friend’s Till April’16, Akash Thosar was plause from both Marathi and friend, far from affluent but an an ordinary college student and non-Marathi speaking audience ace at both academics and sport, wrestler hailing from a small teh- - the movie fetched it all. and above all, an earnest village BY RAJIV SINGH & sil (Jeyur) in the Solapur district Thosar got more than just that. boy who doesn’t let the concept of RAVI BALAKRISHNAN of Maharashtra. By the end of the Bollywood bigwigs like Aamir rich and poor come in the way of Why is Maa still the Baap of DELHI & MUMBAI month, Thosar had become the Khan (also his favourite actor love. “I think I am Parshya. I was star of Nagraj Manjule’s Sairat of all time), Amitabh Bachchan, in Thane for the film’s promotion Scene 1: A visibly-hassled mother - a Zee Studios regional produc- and Salman Khan, openly and I heard some guys saying: shouts at her child for not study- tion with a budget of `4 crore. praised the 24-year- Kuch nahi yeh apne jaisa hi hai. ing properly. The child’s grand- Centennial Marketing? Sairat ended up becom- old’s acting prowess Bas iski kismat khul gayi hai (He’s mother, in turn, gently chides her Is it time to throw the mummy out with the bathwater? on social media. one of us. Just that fortune has daughter by apologising for fo- The latter two smiled on him). I think they loved cusing too much on marks when were also seen the movie because they saw them- she was a child. While the under- promoting selves in Parshya.” lying idea is noble, the tool used Thosar’s second Inevitably, post Sairat, Thosar by Cadbury Bournvita is age-old: Marathi film ‘F.U.’ had become the poster boy for mothers! on Twitter a few Gen Z of Tier 2,3 towns. Despite Scene 2: A mother worried about months ago. living in a Tier 1 city now (Pune), lack of complete nutrition for But Thosar’s social her children. Enter Horlicks these NO TEXTS SINCE media habits and with packed nutrients and vi- dreams of brand consump- tamins, which claims to make stardom had no I’M OFF WHAT- tion patterns are no- ‘kids’ taller, sharper and stron- Bournvita place in pehal- where close to what ger.’ Another malt-based drink wan Thosar’s SAPP. IT’S LIKE you’d expect from for ‘kids’ (not Junior Horlicks) “Over time, parents have evolved mind. He an urban celeb. between 7-15 years is being mar- and moved from authoritarian recalls: “I PEOPLE HAD keted via mother! figures to mentors to their chil- was wait- NICE THINGS TO No Snapchat, From Horlicks to Bournvita dren. The brand has continued to ing for my Insta, Pinsta to Dettol to Colgate, you name a partner mothers in their efforts bus at the SAY ONLY TILL I Thosar is not on brand used by children up to 15 to prepare children for achieve- village bus Snapchat, Twitter, years and you will see a mom in ment in life.” Bournvita has tran- stop when WAS ON THE APP or WhatsApp. the commercial. This is the sad sitioned from physical sports to Nagraj sir’s “I used to be on reality of marketing to the cen- other spheres of success, but the brother spotted me and asked WhatsApp but uninstalled it after tennial generation—those born mum remains at the centre. me to come for an audition. I Sairat. Just too many messages. after 2000 —in India. In spite of In the bargain, the centennial thought it would be for a Now that I am not on the app, no India boasting of among the larg- Horlicks consumer is missed out here. 5-10 minute role. Who one messages me anymore. It’s est centennial populations in the Many ads in this and adjacent would’ve thought I’ll get like people had nice things to say world, brands still shy away from Shah, associate director – mar- categories do not consider the to play the male lead?” about me only till the time I was directly talking to them. MANY ADS DO NOT keting (gum, candy & beverages), real consumer or acknowledge While the success of on WhatsApp,” he quips. Thosar Blame it on the ‘intermedi- India at Mondelez acknowledges, their role in the decision mak- his debut has encouraged has a Facebook and Instagram ary way’ of reaching the target ACKNOWLEDGE THE “Gen Z look to express their indi- ing process. Over decades, the him to pursue a career in account that his production team group. Marketers in India have ROLE OF GEN Z IN THE viduality through the jobs they difference between buying and acting, Thosar admits (Aatpaat) manages for him. “I traditionally targeted the ‘buy- perform or the brands they pur- decision-making aka the one he didn’t actually act look at them twice or thrice daily, ing consumer.’ Unfortunately, DECISION MAKING chase.” The role of the mother who pays out and the one who in Sairat. “I kept maybe.” A far cry from the twice the centennial is not lining up has evolved through the course of uses or decides, has eased. The standing in front in 30 minutes that appears to be to buy certain products and ser- PROCESS Bournvita’s Taiyaari Jeet Ki cam- prescriptive-buy syndrome is no the urban norm: to which he says, vices, reckons brand strategist paign. From the Sarah Connor longer valid. A 7-year old child to- “Well, that’s your job. I don’t have Harish Bijoor. Though a centen- brands have taken the route of school of “tough love” where the day is insistent on the brand he or such obligations.” We couldn’t nial consumer uses toothpaste marketing to the buyer rather mother, in a memorable commer- she uses, and the new-age parent muster the courage to tell him of her choice at home, she is not than the consumer. cial, drove her son to beat her in yields. “Not talking directly is most people don’t do it out of pro- the paying consumer. “It is the The focus at Bournvita is still a foot race, to a more placid pro- missing a massive opportunity,” fessional obligations! Mom who pays out or at times, the very much the mother of the cen- gressive ideal in the grandma adds Bijoor. >Continued on Page 2 Dad,” he says. Over the decades, tennial audience, even as Amit script outlined above. Says Shah, >Continued on Page 2 “Think of discomfort as currency - it’s the price 2 you pay to learn some pretty crucial things.” - Lilly Singh, YouTube celeb AUGUST 09-15, 2017 The Gen Z of Advertising on Your Advertising “Your strategy is sad AF. That brand tho...” How do you ‘fix’ a few of the world’s leading brands? Our panel of centennials weighs in. By Shephali Bhatt Brand I like; strategy maybe Brand Equity assembles the future creators of brands’ , 24 Arun Ashokkumar As an ardent lover of Bira, I don’t like Aditya Dutta Media director, PHD , 27 marketing and media strategy, the people who ‘dab’ at Senior art director, Publicis Brand I like; the fact that they are primarily focused a great idea and diss a bad one. They’ve redefined collo- strategy maybe on building product awareness only. The quial language and now they want to redefine your com- Google Maps is one of the most end result - people walk into places with helpful apps on my phone. the quest to quench their thirst and find that their munication strategy too. If your brand has made it to this But its outdoor ads don’t help beloved brew is not available there. list, take heed and thank us (and our young panel) later. anyone. What I’d do if I could? What I’d do if I could? If I were to strategise their marketing, I would use the power P.S. I’d possibly push for the out- of geo-fencing on mobile to run tactical call to action driven AF: Gen Z’s vocabulary for all things superlative. door ads to give real time infor- campaigns around their point of sale during popular con- Expands to ‘as f*ck’ mation near traffic prone areas: sumption intervals. With mobile, I have the option to target Showing people which roads people above the legal drinking age and exactly around the tho: When Gen Z says ‘though’, they do with the letters are packed, and which are not, point of sale. Imagine a catchy message thrown at you with they please, and leave you with ‘ugh’ even if it’s in a handful of the exact directions to the location of where your favourite places. I think people will brew is available. Don’t you think, you would rush to take [email protected] find it really useful. this detour?

, 22 Joel Thottan Shiv Parashar, 23 Assistant curator, Terribly Tiny Tales Copywriter, Enormous

Brand I like; strategy maybe I have had Cricbuzz on my phone since 2015 when it burst onto the scene with its ‘Cricket ka keeda’ campaign. Its communication was fun and managed to grab eyeballs. But for me, it left a bad af- tertaste with its slight sexist undertones and the fact that the com- munication hinged on cricket puns that have been around for de- Brand I like; strategy maybe cades. I’ve been using LinkedIn since my early college days. Under the guise of focusing on ‘big marketing professionals’, it has com- What I’d do if I could? pletely disregarded its younger audience. Of course I’ll pay for I prefer communication that’s relevant today. A well-used pop your LinkedIn Premium with my credit card. But first, at least culture reference automatically makes the brand cooler. Since help me get a job. Cricbuzz is an app, I would do a digital-heavy campaign. What I’d do if I could? My strategy would be to focus on capturing the whirlwind of Most industry biggies already know how to use LinkedIn either emotions a fan feels when his team plays. I would create an from referrals or business schools. Many graduates and free- enduring relationship. Do away with the puns and instead tell lancers don’t. And given a chance, that’s what I’d tap into. Send passionate fan stories. In that respect, I love what Virgin Mobile representatives to colleges, conduct sessions teaching students did with the ‘Indian Panga League’. to build their CV or portfolio and finally get them to register. Even launch a LinkedIn student package/program connecting companies to them. I feel a lot of fresh talent didn’t make it to the right places because they didn’t know how to get in touch. From the Maybe, it’s time LinkedIn solved that. Seniors’ Club

Continued from Page 1 >> THE POSTER BOY FOR GENZ ON THE COUNTRYSIDE Peeyush Sharma, 30 Director media solutions, Starcom MediaVest Group An Apple person or part of the Mango people? Thosar isn’t at all brand-ob- sessed. He has obsessions, Brand I like; strategy maybe of course. Trekking is one Bookmyshow, one of the very few profitable Indian start-ups, of them. “Anything is fine - has a fantastic product which has helped it become a distinct Nike, Adidas, even Reebok leader in the online ticketing space. The brand offers not only is good.” He prefers talking movie tickets but has expanded to events and experiences as about the trekking rather well. It currently focuses on communicating functional benefits than the accessories. “I have in the movie ticketing space with a mix of print and digital, and trekked across Maharashtra. used TV a couple of years ago to showcase the convenience of Me and my friends make easy the product. treks difficult. Where ev- What I’d do if I could? eryone will take a I would use media to build strong associations in the larger “ex- bus or train, we periences” domain, led by movies, but extending into the other walk all the way. categories it lists on the platform as well. Content marketing That’s what makes focusing on these experiences, distributed with tactical paid it fun.” Thosar, un- media pushes from their owned media assets and building vis- like many urban ible associations with large scale marquee events would be key iGeneration-ers, pillars to the strategy. doesn’t care too much about queu- ing up to buy the latest Apple prod- Continued from Page 1 >> ucts. “I have a ANY BRAND IS FINE: Samsung S7 and an iPhone. I don’t NIKE, ADIDAS OR use the latter too REEBOK. I’M OBSESSED Why is Maa still the Baap of Centennial Marketing? much.” Incidentally, Ameen Khwaja, founder WITH TREKKING AND Mothers, contend marketing ex- oning. Last year, Boost launched and CEO of LatestOne.com perts, are no longer the same ap- special packs along with Blippar, (accessories portal with tier NOT WITH BRANDS proval authority they used to be. wherein kids could scan the pack 2, 3 as its primary TG) talks “Gen Z doesn’t need mothers to to see interesting 3D content com- about GenZ beyond tier 1 ex- connect them to the marketplace,” ing alive, activated across 3 mil- hibiting similar behaviour. says Ashita Aggarwal, head of lion packs. He says: “They are moving marketing at SP Jain Institute of “In order to connect with centen- away from or rejecting con- The same Parshya uptown Management and Research. “This nials meaningfully, brands don’t ventional brands and conven- Thosar says his personality or life generation decides for them- just need to connect but stay en- tional forms of luxury. It’s not haven’t changed much despite the selves.” gaged,” says Vikram Bahl, area about price anymore. It is about sudden fame. “People’s outlook has The success of many commu- marketing lead - nutrition and individual satisfaction.” changed, that’s all. In the last year nity based portals and pages on GI, GSK Consumer Healthcare. I have seen aai (my mother) make Facebook and Twitter, which Centennials, he lets on, are more tea for countless relatives who I speak directly to the audience, aware, do their own research, and APP-TITUDE TEST didn’t even know existed - people using a vocabulary they are famil- influence mothers more than ever who surfaced only after the movie iar with, and pegs that appeal to sumer durables, not talking to before. At the same time, moth- SERVICE APPS ON THE PHONE: became popular.” That fervour has them, are ample evidence of their them or missing their aspirations TECHNICALLY, AN ers too are getting more digitally Ola, Uber, gaming apps, and also gone down with time. willingness to engage. Maybe the could turn counter-productive. savvy. “There is a growing trend Amazon. He bought a keyboard Yet, he never steps out of the house reason is the residual memory of “The path to reach to centenni- UNDER-16 IS A CHILD. of mothers who are ‘enablers,’ for his assembled PC just last without a mask covering his face. the marketers themselves, people als is not mothers but peers,” says helping centennials make the week. BUT FOR MARKETERS “It’s better to not be recognised from the Deewar generation, in Aggarwal. It is high time brands right choice, rather than forcing a Video bites: otherwise wherever you go pub- which Shashi Kapoor immor- changed the narrative. TO TREAT THEM AS choice” says Bahl. YouTube, Netflix, lic gathers around.” And then the talised moms with his dialogue: GSK, for its part, reckons Boost And so, for brands, it seems, and Amazon Prime worst of outcomes: People want to “Mere paas maa hai.” has reaped rich rewards for hav- SUCH IS SUICIDAL ‘maa’ will continue to remain the News source: click selfies. “And nobody stops But that was the 1970s. This is ing a centennial-centric approach. launch pad. Hardly sur prising in a Regional newspapers at one, alright. Everyone wants to 2017. Technically, an under-16 In April this year, it launched a country where ad folks and clients and FB videos have 4-5 trials, then click one with would still be categorised as a branded digital series for Boost Boost asked viewers to share their are known to say: “My mum loved their friend, one for their friend, child, but for marketers to treat with Virat Kohli, wherein the practice videos and win a chance it”, often considered the final and App he can’t do without: one solo. How many selfies, god- them as such is suicidal. When Indian cricket captain was shown to train with Kohli. The outreach most valuable critique of any piece Basic music app on dammit!” children are influencing parents coaching a kid to ‘play a bigger aimed at 8-12 year olds, was a big of advertising the phone [email protected] in buying cars and big-ticket con- game.’ As part of the campaign, success, by the company’s reck- [email protected] “Very few people get to build a business like this. Trading 3 that for some short-term gain isn’t very interesting.” THE ECONOMIC TIMES AUGUST 09-15, 2017 — Evan Spiegel, Snap Inc. “Most“Most brands started preparing too late” Some insights from Benoit Vancauwenberghe of Brussels-based Gen Y and Z specialist shop 20Something. By Amit Bapna become reluctant. We spend most of our first meetings helping clients unlearn assumptions and relearn ways of approaching new genera- tions. This can result in a few run-ins when we suggest creative ideas and strategies tailored to Gen Y and X and that clash with their rigid ways of working. Changing is not easy. Imagine after all the years of putting your pants on with the right leg as the first leg going in, having to suddenly change to the left one in a day. It is dif- ficult, indeed.

The Gen-Y and Gen-Z Conundrum They are different. Being already in their late teens during the recession, Gen Y have grown to be more attracted to bargains. They have witnessed the boom of the low-cost transporta- tion industry, and for them saving money has become something like a game. Therefore, ap- proaching them with bargains and promises of Benoit Vancauwenberghe, saving money is efficient. Co-founder, 20Something Gen Z are digitally native. They were born ‘social’. Therefore, this means because of the media they follow and platforms they use, he USP of the Belgium- they seek and value individuality. This is cru- based 20Something is its cial for brands that want to approach Gen Z. expertise in understand- Furthermore, attention spans of Z are much ing of Generations Y and Z, shorter, due to their environment that is char- as per its co-founder Benoit acterised by constant updates and notifications. TVancauwenberghe. The uniquely Therefore, to get attention what is required is to positioned company was founded disrupt the flow of information and go straight eight years ago, on the back of growing frustra- to the point by being present on many unconven- tion and a realisation that his worldview did not The 20Something team members and the action at the workplace tional platforms. mean much for agency-CEOs, at that time. So, he decided to reinvent the agency model and got about a shift. The digital revolution transferred than people belonging to it? It is equally impor- should know that this generation are not the lead- What next? onboard 20 somethings to show marketers how power to the newer generations, tired of brands tant to understand the needs and wants of this ers of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. We have refused overtures from big networks so to talk ‘to’ and ‘for’ that generation. It seems to that were too self-centric. cohort and integrate them in the way of working. far, as we wish to remain autonomous. But who have worked well with a client roster that in- There is a high level of autonomy, flexible/agile Run-ins while pitching knows? We may just end up joining hands with cludes Brussels Airlines, Samsonite-American The ‘what’ of 20Something culture and a sizable value given to work-life bal- to a 40-plus client: a consulting outfit like Accenture or Deloitte Tourister combine for the non-US markets, The USP is our expertise in Millennials. While ance. To work with this generation, they have to The challenge is that while many clients want to instead of an ad agency. French beer brand Desperados and American we ‘talk the talk’ by approaching Gen Y and Gen be treated like entrepreneurs, not as employees. change and adapt, when it is time for action they [email protected] whiskey Jack Daniel’s, Aiki noodles, Limo soft Z around the globe, we also ‘walk the walk’ in drink etc. Excerpts from a long-distance interview that we work with the newest generation by in- Where marketers missed the bus with Vancauwenberghe tegrating this group in our agency. We do this Most brands started preparing themselves too through our ‘Limited Edition’ structure which late. They’ve been waiting a long time, hoping EXPERT SPEAK The ‘why’ of 20Something is an agency within an agency and is operated by that they wouldn’t need to change much in or- The reason we (initially four founders, of which students. Their opinions and propositions are der to reach the youngest generations. However, Dr Ryan Wallman, head of copy at Australian healthcare two are still with the company) decided to launch strongly taken into consideration with a view to now they’re panicking and don’t know how to agency Wellmark with a tongue in cheek sequel to his ‘10 20Something was due to the frustration of seeing strengthen our expertise on those generations. change their strateg y. Some of them wi l l give ev- things that marketers have taught us about millennials’. one of the most influential generations not being We see them as an internal resource that can tel l erything to catch up to understand this emerg- heard or taken seriously. There was a time when us exactly how Gen Y thinks, what they like and ing group, others will fail to do so. brands and agencies had all the power when it would recommend. A word of advice: observe this generation, talk 10 Things That Marketers Have came to dictating patterns of consumption. with people from this group, and initiate reverse However, the rise of Gen Y, which was completely The ‘how’ of 20Something mentoring. Make it a win-win by teaching them underestimated by marketers at first, brought At the end of the day, who knows Gen Y better your universe and learning from theirs. Brands Taught Us About Centennials First, the correct name for because they are young and tions adore advertising. this generation is ‘centenni- cool, and we want to be young Centennials will only deal 1als’. This is an immutable fact, and cool too. with brands that have a clear- BY INVITATION which exemplifies our cer- Centennials are a completely ly defined purpose. Worker tainty about these people. homogeneous group. This exploitation,8 tax evasion, Er, come to think of it, the cor- may be because they are global domination – that kind rect name could be Gen Z. Or robots. We haven’t5 confirmed of thing. iGen. Look, it’s not important,2 this yet, as none of us has ever Centennials value authentic- OK? spoken to one. ity above all else. Fortunately, What We Don’t Want? Centennials are different Before marketing to centen- you can learn how to feign9 from millennials. For example, nials, you need to earn their authenticity at any marketing Harshil Karia, managing director and co-founder, Schbang they are not subject to the respect. The easiest way to conference. and a millennial himself busts some myths about this hot- breathless3 obsession of every earn6 the respect of young Centennials have very short marketer on the planet. Yet. people is to make sweeping attention spans and are eas- button market Despite having no money, generalisations about them. ily distracted. Anyway, this centennials will soon be the Centennials hate advertising. is10 getting boring. Isn’t there a Millennials and Generation-Z: I Each millennial is his or her own most important target mar- This makes them unique,7 be- new generation we can talk think one of India’s most misunder- advertisement and his or her own ket in every category.4 This is cause people in other genera- Tata Tea: Jago Re about? stood generations as far as market- campaign community. Everyone wants to post, ers are concerned. I am one and I’ve sing, dance, and build followings sat in boardrooms where I’ve heard a around themselves. They don’t want variety of sweeping generalizations to belong, or be tied down into some- which I haven’t ever agreed with! So, thing and get defined by it. It comes I jumped at this opportunity to give back to the point that a millennial my (or rather our) side of the story. could be a totally different person Roughly 60% of this country is every two years. They’re about re- below 30. You can’t put a finger on invention as opposed to definition. reading this new breed of Indian. In Brands that can aid re-invention terms of mindset, there is no right or and either be at the cutting edge of wrong. You could be child-married, culture or be so utilitarian in terms of consistency and price that they tips, wants to have a worldview and become almost second nature, are wants to have their opinion known. likely to thrive. Case in point: the number of young The final myth: digital is the ‘Holy Indians from the likes of AIB to an Grail’. To “own” millennials, market- average Joe in Kanpur who put up ers will need to understand how they long sermons about how Trump com- link with each other, with brands, ing to power is the End of The World. with influencers, with media plat- Brands playing on sentiments of forms and devices. India’s millen- nationalism would do well if they nials haven’t yet shifted their enter- enable Indian youth to engage in the tainment preferences online. Less Pepsi lip service they pay their country. Or than 2% of 18-34-years old changed campaign provide them with a new way to be the channel during commercials, seen or think how the nation is gov- compared with 5.5% of 35-54-years erned. The same applies to entrepre- old and more than 8% of viewers 55 lesbian or someone who doesn’t be- tween the different people he or she neurship. The Bansals have prob- and older. Given their engagement lieve in marriage. You could be po- can be. It isn’t uncommon to see a ably given this halo of millennials with other devices, however, mil- litically charged, indifferent or even millennial have a completely dif- being entrepreneurially inclined. lennials had the lowest program anti politics. Never has there been ferent outlook within a span of 2-3 However, according to a recent EY engagement and lowest ad memora- a group of people in this country so years. With access to so much infor- survey, 44% prefer staying with one bility scores. So, they’re not paying diametrically diverse, open to differ- mation, with days dragging on and company through their career. Only attention. Hence the thought maybe ent ideas and closed to ‘rules’. nights getting harder, 22% want to start up. let’s catch them on digital. There one This is also by far the most wasteful it is a generation that The number who even- sees stats like Facebook ads drive generation India has seen. I remem- treats time differently. ONE OF THE tually do is smaller. 5% incremental reach for SEC AB as ber sitting in a meeting with a ma- I think one of the BIGGEST MYTHS What’s also interest- compared to TV - however the truth jor alcohol manufacturer, gloating biggest myths is that ing about millennials is the average amount a user spends about a spike in vodka consumption they’re nationalistic, IS THEY’RE and Gen Z is that ‘new’ on a video on Facebook is 1.3 seconds. in middle India, post-2 0 0 8. The cur ve politically motivated or ‘novel’ or ‘notewor- In such a short span how much can be was scary and suddenly vertical; and charged. Perhaps NATIONALISTIC thy’ doesn’t remain that communicated? This is not to say that the sort that marketers love. But it this is because of the for too long. As soon as a digital doesn’t work but it certainly tells you something about the mind- halo of people like POLITICALLY first batch have shared isn’t a ‘deploy and win’ medium set of millennials. Consumption of Kanhaiya Kumar or MOTIVATED something and achieved where one size fits all. alcohol is one story. Another is re- the disproportionate glory, it loses its appeal. It’s an interesting, differentiated vealed when you walk around key media coverage given AND CHARGED Lest the others seem and diversified generation, one that landmarks and can smell all sorts to cases like Jessica “Me Too”. doesn’t pay attention and would of substances in the air. Weed being Lal’s, where a large number of youth That brings me to the next myth. rather build its own brand or com- circulated as early as grade 11 is not took to the streets or Anna Hazare’s Brands believe millennials want munity, assimilating other brands unheard of. Not only Punjab, in my movement against corruption. In to connect in “communities”. and communities. One that’s happy reading every major Indian city is India, young people have always Sunsilk Gang of Girls, Jaago Re, moonlighting among various per- Udta. Here’s a generation that wants taken to the streets. Be it pre-inde- WeLoveMakeUp are all examples sonality types, ecosystems and to do a lot and forget. We’re highly pendence, in the 70s or even the 90s. that prove otherwise. Millennials, brands. And one that won’t accept schizophrenic. And I think that’s So the idea of Indian Youth being po- according to me, are quite fickle. being put into a homogenous bucket. one of the reasons why there is so litically motivated isn’t new. What They want to plug and play in and out The author is cofounder, much diversity in thinking. This is new however, is that this young of ecosystems as opposed to getting Schbang. Views expressed are also allows millennials to jump be- India now has the world at its finger- entrenched in them. personal. “One child, one teacher, BE CLASSIC 34 one book, one pen can change the world.” . THE ECONOMIC TIMES - Malala Yousafzai, Activist, Nobel Prize Winner AUGUST 09-15, 2017

Continued from Page 1 >> Learnings end, though when I was watching my One learning for marketers is that their daughter chatting up with her friend on HORNOKPLEASE PAPA DON’T PREACH! world is more of reaction than reflec- the phone, I realised how much of the tion, since they can e-publish the small- ‘mutually-exalting’ talk they indulge est feeling and amplify in a jiffy. Their in (perhaps to counter the parents who Targeted Advertising, Spoon-fed BETA, CAN YOU TEACH? passion bears an inverse relation to constantly chide and censure)- though what really matters to them on a daily I must say she backstabbed her the in- Because that’s how we centennials like everything anyway basis (water or electricity breakdowns stant she got off the line. I shared the ex- Arvind Bhandari doing it’ and she is not actively engaging go unnoticed, but gay rights can turn perience with the copywriter and she ucts they (are paid to) endorse often GENERAL MANAGER - DAIRY, NESTLÉ INDIA but merely belonging. And belonging is placid dinner conversation virulent). brought a mild twist, making the whole BY TOYOJA UPADHYAY sell out immediately and therefore so important to her and all of us, so we Humour quickly comes to the rescue script even more real and riveting. It’s MUMBAI brands see it as a guaranteed return Them and Us uneasily gave in. when any problem burdens: AIB jokes, very useful to check the lang uage of the on investment. My wife, Trupti (also an FMCG mar- memes, statics are there on every- millennials when we design our ad copy It’s no secret that Gen Z, the section keter) and I are constantly aware of thing. This gives them great resilience since its a whole lot different from ours, of our population that cannot effec- “The product of my dreams is the language, the words, the sentence and staying power with any problem. and that can be a serious derailer. Like tively compute a world without the beginning to haunt me” structure (and therefore the implied Marital breakdowns, relationship nu- ‘going around’ is lame, you say ‘dating’ internet and its many offerings, is a Soon enough, a product that you casu- logic), the huge obsession with friends ances are openly discussed and wisdom straight off and many more like these, major driving force when it comes to ally looked up online begins to follow and the constant digital conversation acquired. my daughter Rishni tells me. the e-comm biz. According to a study you everywhere. “Maybe it’s fate?” that drives our daughter Rishni (18) Parents are of little help because ei- conducted by IBM in January 2017, You ponder weakly. No such luck - it’s and her friends. I remember how I got ther they know less than them or are Action-plan this new generation is imperative to just code. Since online ads target peo- onto Facebook, just to know what my the subject of these discussions! Since As a marketer, I feel this generation retailers considering they have ac- ple, not websites, accumulated data daughter was up to, only to discover that their world is going to be more fluid cannot be talked to but only stimulat- cess to $44 bil- lion in sheer buying lets sites share information on what the real interaction was happening on than ours, it’s perhaps ok that we let ed to interact, making the brand the power, visitors view or buy. Tracking tech- Snapchat but since Snapchat doesn’t them get prepped like this. platform and reason, at best. Is this with 75% nology permits firms to target ads to save, my wife and I couldn’t pry into her true of their cousins and friends in of the re- electronic computer users as they life. (Believe us, he isn’t the first parent to Inspiration from millennial con- smaller towns and lower down social- spondents move round the web. discover that). Till one day, the screen- versation economic classes? Puzzlingly enough, in the study Data dealers like Acxiom shots of Snapchat, exchanged merrily on One occasion there was an advertising yes, thanks to the digital egalitarian saying that and Datalogix which WhatsApp gave away, what drove their copy presented by the agency where the world. How far are the younger kids be- they spend were snapped up by lives. Shocked beyond our ‘generation’s’ main teen character seemed too ‘social- hind them? Shockingly close, watching more than Facebook in 2013 sensibilities, the only emotional comfort ly- pleasing’ to be real and I didn’t think their siblings and hungrily consuming half of the give advertisers ac- was ‘that everybody in this generation is that could be approved. On the week- WhatsApp etc. money that is avail- cess to billions of able to them each data transactions month - it’s safe to each year, al- Govind Shrikhande sites. Invariably, the sites would have delivery chal- say brands see cen- lowing them CUSTOMER CARE ASSOCIATE & MANAGING DIRECTOR, lenges and on occasion, would not even collect the tennials as a gold to reach out SHOPPERS STOP money because of confusion on pre-paid versus post- mine. beyond their paid. It was clear to me that these online companies A large chunk own databases Them and Us will never make any money, if they were going to of that revenue and tap into in- The younger generation is clearly very tech- have free delivery for a `400 product. None is reeled in sights extracted savvy and exists for here and now, some- of the online guys are making money through adver- from e-commerce thing I have seen with both my kids and hence it is best to set up an omni- tising, and more sites matched to us- - son and daughter. My daughter channel strategy. recently, its so- ers’ profiles. Now, Sharvari, did her post-graduation The other important thing phisticated up- Facebook knows a in the UK and joined the retail about this generation is the grade - Targeted whole lot more than industry in India. However, as way they’re looking at fashion. Advertising. what’s on your mind. a customer she was very par- They are neither looking at gar- Brands are increas- PRODUCTS THAT Need to stock up on ticular on the kind of fashion she ments to last long nor are they ingly leveraging food for your pet? Got wanted and would move from wanting to wear them multiple the benefits of INFLUENCERS (ARE a weakness for choco- brand to brand following the prod- times. The street fashion must personalised ads. PAID TO) ENDORSE late? Looking for some- uct/garment/style hierarchy. be value-priced. The pricing Centennials, who one who just gets you? equation must be reworked to ap- are aged between OFTEN SELL OUT. Facebook probably Learnings peal to them, something that brands 20-somethings and knows you better than Apart from being a heavy shopper, she like Zara have done well. For our private 5-year olds, are de- BRANDS SEE IT AS A you know yourself. ordered knick-knacks and fashion jewellery labels, Life and Haute Curry we are deploying manding: the IBM GUARANTEED ROI Unless you clear your (priced between `150 to `400) from multiple online some of these learnings. study found that 52% cookies regularly, ad- of Gen Z consumers vertisers will continue Sunil Kataria, will transfer loyalty from one brand to bombard you with one retail temp- Sanjay Sharma ters - mother, wife and daughters and includes packaged prod- to another if the brand’s quality is not tation after the next. BUSINESS HEAD – INDIA AND SAARC, GODREJ CONSUMER - particularly when working for ucts which offer convenience to up to par, thus forcing them to get cre- PRODUCT LIMITED (GCPL) CEO, MTR FOODS a food brand and then hunting make dishes which are not from ative with their advertising. “You can leave now, thanks” My kids are the biggest critics of ad scripts especially around for insights. Internal re- India. My daughters Diya (18) Here’s how it works and how, centen- That’s it. It has come to a point where the ones which are related to kids or teenagers. The Them and Us search did point out that this gen- and Anisha (15) want products nial or not, you may have faced these the product you looked up has found current Cinthol cool film jingle was something I wasn’t It helps to observe three genera- eration is associating consump- that are high in convenience. stages of targeted advertising: you on Facebook, inserted itself onto very sure of, even while our brand team loved every bit tions of women from close quar- tion of packaged foods with a ‘Not They have little interest cooking your Instagram feed and is omnipres- of it. I recall bouncing it off my daughter and son and Guilty’ feeling unlike the previous Indian food even while they enjoy “Wow, this is lit!” ent on every site that supports ads on they just loved it. It also left me with the realisation that generations, but the first hand ex- it as their staple cuisine. Instead Remember that cool bag you saw on- the world wide web. You begin to won- I am getting old for sure with both millennials (brand perince reaffirmed it. they want to make exotic foods line? Of course you do, because now der how targeted ads have managed team) and Gen Z (my kids) giving it a thumbs up! like brioche, pancakes, crème you’ve begun to see it on your favou- to evolve and morph into that crazy Another anecdotal instance is around my daughter Learnings brulee, cookies etc. Possibly rite social platforms with a slew of ex that will never leave you alone and Dhwani’s (17) shampoo usage. She had been a regular My mother accepted basic com- influenced by MasterChef and similar options beside it. Third party like photos you posted in 2012. Help! user of shampoo of one of our brands and recently an- modities into packed foods. She other cooking shows. Thus, its digital ad networks cleverly leverage other brand developed a shampoo-range, and I gave her would allow spices and masala likely they will adopt packaged a user’s enabled cookies to reel poten- “Fine! Here, just take my the development sample to use and, voila, she imme- and peripheral products like foods that give them convenience tial customers in. It’s a win-win con- money” diately switched. While it was great to see her ‘wow’ snacks, sauces etc. into her shop- to make Indian food easi ly, most ly sidering the ads are not random and Ads are targeted to users in hopes of reaction, I had to tell the brand team that they may have ping basket. My wife’s purchase because they might not have the are therefore less likely to be branded drawing them back to purchase the a potential internal threat coming in! basket is a bit wider than that knowledge or time for it. as ‘annoying’; plus, you get to see product. So, as long as your browser more of what you like. cookies remain intact, there’s not Targeted ads also inspire brands to much you can do to avert them. Vipul Prakash Lloyd Mathias for two weeks and we had them get creative with their promotions. Clearing the cookies will cause your SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT – BEVERAGE FORMER HEAD OF PC MARKETING, recount to us their daily experi- Since Gen Z isn’t as impressed by old- browser to turn into a blank canvas CATEGORY, PEPSICO INDIA HP ASIA PACIFIC & JAPAN ence of reactions. school marketing MO, many brands for advertisers. So while you will As the model was launched have begun harnessing the power of temporarily escape the barrage of Them and Us One often uses ‘in-house’ sam- elsewhere in the world, with social media influencers. You could targeted ads, you could now (poten- I have two children both of whom are ples, comprising employees or then brand ambassador Maria be watching your favourite YouTuber tially) find yourself buried under the a part of Gen Z. I don’t think the gen- children of colleagues. Most of Sharapova, we did not have the without realising that they are en- avalanche of completely irrelevant eration is so different in values and these tend to be to validate al- time for formal research. We gaging you with sponsored content. advertisements. The moral of the fundamentals. The biggest difference ready existing concepts and cam- wanted to get reactions in India, Ditto with Instagram; influencers story seems bleak: Unless you have is these are people who do not have to paigns. When I headed market- so this was a quick and easy dip- and artists like Kylie Jenner, Kim a legitimate ad-block installed, ad- deal with the duality of the analogue and digital era, be- ing at Motorola, I remember we stick for the product. The phone Kardashian and Selena Gomez, each vertisements are inescapable. Here’s ing born into the digital age. It’s not that previous gen- tested out the Pink MotoRAZR went on to be a huge hit. of whom boasts of hundreds of mil- a happy alternative, however: Brick erations didn’t have opinions, but transparency and a mobile on a few of our colleague’s lions of ‘followers’, mint six-figure and mortar! breakdown of the barriers of communication has given a teen daughters. They used these sums per sponsored post. The prod- [email protected] big fillip to authenticity. When I have a conversation with my daughters, we are talking about things as they are and it’s very different from the conversations I had with my parents, where things were couched in a manner that was either too polite or impolite. If what I say as a father makes sense to them in the first 10 seconds, they accept it. Unlike the kids in the late 90s and early 2000s who were often rebels without a cause, they say “If there’s a conflict let’s resolve it.” My daugh- ter wanted a tattoo. I started giving her a story and she said, “Just say yes or no”. I said, “Not right now but next year.” And she said, “Okay.” I said don’t you want to talk about this? And she replied, “This is not one of the top 10 things I need to talk to you about.” That practicality and straightforwardness is what is different. Learnings When it comes to advertising, the attitude is don’t couch an ad message under CSR. Either show genuine purpose or show product selling. The important thing is whether it is our children, our employees or our consumers, they are all looking for directness and authenticity. Action-plan Our challenge is how can we be more direct and make our stories more powerful, told in a cogent manner? Even how we operate in office has changed. Our young- er employees want shorter meetings — not the four or five-hour brain storming sessions. One-page word docu- ments have replaced 20-page decks.

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