MTV_Special_lr

INSIDE

SPECIAL REPORT
Focus on

MARKETING TO
THE YOUTH

1
Brands and marketers are
working towards offering the
youth the opportunity to Well-connected
shape their identities, share Today's youth are making
experiences and ways to get the most of the digital
involved. empowerment that allows
Engaging this market is them to multi-task with
important and requires getting their gadgets, television and
it right the first time. An the Net that keeps them
analysis. always connected. TRENDS
Unravelling the
Target
By Narayan Iyer
04

2 Plugged in, Always
TodayÊs youth find it easy to
establish their identity
amid new worlds of
communication, friendship,
play, and self-expression in
the digital media.
THE CONNECT
Customised
Outreach
10

3 I Love my Brand
For the youth, a brand says
a lot about who they are
and where they stand
in life. BRANDS
Mindspace War

16

03
A F A Q S ! R E P O R T E R - NOVEMBER 2010

MARKETING TO THE YOUTH

UNRAVELLING THE TARGET AUDIENCE
Today's youth are making the most of the digital empowerment that allows them to multi-
task with their gadgets, television and the Net that keeps them always connected

D
EEPIKA Gupta is a cute 19-year old who
exudes the confidence that only a
teenager can. Aware, outgoing,
intelligent and cool, she is the kind of girl who
spends two hours a day at the local Cafe Coffee
Day outlet, not with her boyfriend, but in the
company of her mobile and laptop. The free wifi
at the coffee joint offers her the hep status that is
so sought after for this generation. She spends an
average of four hours a day engaging with the
tools of her generation. Her mobile phone,
laptop, television, her Nintendo game console
and the occasional music that she listens to on
her music system are never put off, even way past
midnight when she dozes off more out of fatigue
than lack of company. The iPod is passé, she has
the iPad which is full of application that she
assiduously downloads and marries into her life
to make it that much more exciting.
Deepika is a typical example of today’s youth.
Tech-savvy teenagers and youngsters who are the
current focus of marketers and research because
of their adaptability to technology. This is the
generation that seamlessly integrates technology
in their life that allows them to multitask for
hours each day. If the generation gone by is
wondering where this generation gets the time
and energy for academics and social life; they
amaze you with aplomb managing all of that and
more. “Today, the youth has the advantage of
technology and available options to do much
more than many cam imagine,” says Aditya
Swamy, Channel head MTV India.
People a little older than Deepika have night
outs, lounge in pubs, tapping their feet to the
rocking music in discs, showing off the latest
gizmos, branded clothes that are common
lifestyle of the urban youth today. They feel if
they do not have all these ‘cool stuff ’, then it will
affect their image in the campus or their
common hang-outs. This is the generation that
ImagesBazaar.com

thrives on the gang culture with friends who live
together and think together. “They are our target
and they make sure that we are in tune with their

04


youngsters have great
ADITYA SWAMY influencing power
Channel head MTV India amongst themselves.
“They would rather
work together and
“Young people are always party together,” says
Antti Ohrling,
looking for fresh forms of Chairman, Blyk
entertainment. We are constantly Media. His company
connected with this target group is a pioneer on communicating
in

and get our daily insights on the the mobile phone.
latest trends.” For instance, they get
their pocket money,
but do not spend on
THINKING aspirations as well as fantasy,” adds Swamy. it completely; many get into saving and investing.
A lot hinges on trust for them. Any loss of trust
WISELY Finding their own groove and they will be the most difficult target audience
Pocket money is not spent Work hard, party harder is the mantra of the to crack for a marketer or brand.
completely. Many put some in youth. Bold, brash, self absorbed, tech-
savings and investments. A lot dependent is what they seem to be all about. But Trend spotting
hinges on trust for them. Any scratch a little more and you would get to see that This target segment is well clued into the
loss of trust and they will be a there is more to them than just the words ‘me, latest happenings, be it in fashion, news or other
difficult audience to crack. my, mine’. “The youth do not restrict their forms of entertainment. “We make use of
fantasies and dream big,” says Sandeep Singh volunteers from colleges who are part of the
Arora, Executive Vice President, Pepsi. They are MTV iSpeak forum to tap into their peer group
self dependent and believe they can manage on to get insights on what the youth desires,” says
their own. Yes, family dynamics are changing but Swamy. Such intelligence helps MTV work on its
the generation gap that always seemed to be a programmes as well as help schedule some of the
huge schism between parents and kids is slowly shows. “They are also the first ones to tell us
disappearing. when a show is not as exciting as their
Parents today are more understanding, and aspirations,” adds Swamy.
they want to give the best to their kids. And while The youth wants to fly without ever looking
everyone yearns for independence, the youth back at the ground. They want to achieve
loves to be independently dependent. Likewise, discontinuous dreams, many of them material

WHERE THEIR MONEY GOES IN WITH THE TIMES
(The top five average spends on activities, in per cent) (The top five fashion trends adopted by the young today, in per cent)

All Data Source: Youth Research - MTV Insight Studio

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While tattoo and body piercing
FUN AND GAMES is the latest fad, time was when
colouring hair was the only
(The top five entertainment options, in per cent) recourse for those who were
greying fast. The young generation
colours its hair blond and more
and does not have apprehensions
with the same. “The youth have
the quality to accept whatever
comes their way and act
accordingly,” adds Ohrling.
The trap with youth marketing
is that we end up treating youth as
a different animal. We imagine this
guy with tattoos all over his body,
multiple piercing and spiked hair.
Youth today, is more mature and
able to take and live with decisions
taken that are making them more
EMERGING like owning multiple apartments, becoming a and more independent.
CEO by the age of 32 and so on. Most of them
YOUTH ICONS have entrepreneurial ambitions to start Youth icons
The youth follow those whom something of their own once they have In the choice of role models, youth are very
they can associate with. So, accumulated just the right amount of experience different. Their role models are achievers from
in a regular job or their family businesses. The various walks of life. They follow those whom
many often they look up to
biggest difference that this generation displays is they can associate with. So, many often they look
sports and film personalities an ability to experiment without a fear of the up to sports and film personalities. “We have Lara
consequences. Dutta as a youth icon of poise, success, fame and
glamour,” says Anup Jain,
ANTTI OHRLING Marketing Director, Pizza Hut.
Similarly to maintain the youth
Chairman, Blyk Media image, MTV initiates activities
around itself and its
programming to bring in youth
“Communication with icons and be treated as the last
the youth is cemented on word on music and
entertainment. The iconic state
trust. The way this is not restricted to brands, even
generation is connected, product categories, such as
digital camera,
they influence each other television and even clothes. high-end

immensely.” Encouragingly for

08


SANDEEP SINGH ARORA products. In a
Executive Vice President, country with a
Pepsi (sourcing) median age of 24
years and about 200
million people in the
“The first thing that pops up age band of 15 - 24
years, there are no
with youthfulness is the can do mainstream youth
attitude that this generation lives brands. This gap is
being acknowledged
on. They live life their own way by media and
and need to constantly feel p r o d u c t
manufacturers, who
empowered.” are working out on
their own way to
reach out to the
marketers, young adults reveal an engaged and youth.
interested attitude to brands. Marketers launch The youth in today’s urban-centric India, are
products in association with youth icons and this actually a ‘silver spoon’ generation. Not only
has helped almost everyone who has taken the have they been born to a time that’s relatively
route to find the spike in sale. So, when a Levi’s more affluent and buoyant, they are also making
use Priyanka Chopra to push its denims, Pepsi, the maximum of what they have in careers or in
uses a bevy of Bollywood stars to endorse their relationships. This generation has no baggage of
yesterday and has no gaping need
BIG SCREEN OPTIONS gaps as of today. Such a state of its
consumer is a nightmare for
(Action films score over all the rest by a great margin. Figures in per cent) classical marketing which is
designed over the years to identify
large need gaps in its consumers
and find ways of fulfilling them.
SILVER-SPOON Youth, as the popular belief
GENERATION goes, is the most memorable,
carefree and fun-loving years in
one’s life. The youth is envied but
Not only have they been born it is also the most vulnerable and
to a time that’s relatively more misunderstood group. Brands and
affluent and buoyant, they are marketers have to constantly be
also making the maximum of on their toes and work their
what they have in careers or in minds to understand this group.
After all, this is one slice they
relationships.
would not want to let go -
whatever be the cost.

09


CUSTOMISED OUTREACH
Today’s youth find it easy to establish their identity amid new worlds of communication,
friendship, play, and self-expression in the digital media

ImagesBazaar.com

T
ELEVISION is popular, but it no longer video on other screens such as PC, mobile or
commands higher attention than any hand-held gadgets that beam in television
other form of media. While just as many programmes.
young consumers watch it, they watch for fewer One of the key buzzwords defining youth’s
hours each week and are just as happy to do other media consumption is media multi-tasking. TV’s
things while the TV set is on. Says Rathin Lahiri, decline as an untouchable medium is illustrated
Director, Online, Consumer and Online by the fact that only 1 in 3 young consumers
Business, Microsoft India; “Digital media has actually gives TV their undivided attention - the
created scope for marketers to directly engage rest watch it while doing something else. For the
with the consumer and also get instant feedback most part, this ‘something else’ is using the
wherever necessary.” Youth often watch TV or Internet, but may also include reading books,

10

newspapers or magazines, texting
friends on mobiles and so on. The
increasing use of activities when
MEN ARE FROM...
supposedly watching television is (Men chat more compared to women, who prefer mailing. Figures in per cent)
actually watching less television.
It, in turn, means that advertising
can no longer guarantee reaching
audiences in its intended context
or time slot.

New media and medium
Social network sites, online
games, video-sharing sites, and
gadgets such as iPads and mobile
phones are now fixtures of youth
culture. It is common to come
across young consumers who
have their antennae up and are
hungry for the hottest
information through any and all
sources. The world is just too exciting, and theconstitutes social media varies by country, and
through time, especially now that connectivity
free flow of information from the internet, radio,
and even mobile phones is too irresistible to increasingly involves mobile devices rather than
ignore. All this makes it impossible for brands desktop and laptop computers. “Social media,
and marketers to ignore the medium that is most blogs, micro-blogs, mobile applications are all
suited to reach the target audience in the most personalised form of communication which
effective way. makes digital media powerful and effective,” says
What exactly Tushar Goculdas, Director Marketing and Sales,
Adidas India. With
RATHIN LAHIRI technology allowing
a seamless
Director, Online, Consumer and connectivity across
Business, Microsoft India Pvt. Ltd devices, the youth
can be found always
plugged into some
THE NET “The online medium form of digital
GAINS media. That they are
reaches close to 40 million able to continue with
Social network sites, online consumers, of which 50 per cent their usual task while
remaining connected
games, video-sharing sites, and are under 25. It is the most throws challenges at
gadgets such as iPads and
mobile phones are now fixtures
effective medium to reach marketers to get their
out to the youth.” engagement
of youth culture. Though using the

12


SHALINI SETHI important for one to
Head, Corporate Communications, understand the
medium and explore
Aircel it to the fullest.
The digital
medium has all the
“The youth is connected 360 necessary ingredients
degree and it's integrated to emerge as a
powerful global
communication to them that digital marketing
works best. But, mobile phone system designed to
deliver personalised
with applications is a powerful i n t e r a c t i v e
touch point.” commercial messages
wherever we are.
“Advertisers and
Internet is not an isolated activity for young marketers are collaborating to work towards a
people, they also have the radio or TV on at the media and marketing ecosystem, which will
same time. Even with these caveats there’s no harness the interactive capabilities of social
denying that the Internet is the key medium for networks,” says Aditya Swamym channel head,
this audience, and the one they rely on the most. MTV. This interactive model can be a great
As we’re often told, this is the first generation to source for customer feedback and will go a long
grow up with broadband Internet, and they’re way in product development and service
used to turning to it for everything. “The youth enhancement.
makes great use of staying connected on the With new social platforms fast emerging,
phone from our experience. This will only lead even the digital medium needs to catch up and
to more engaging ways that needs to be explored compete with others. The micro-blogging
and tapped,” says Shalini Sethi, Head, Corporate platform Twitter shot to prominence in late 2008,
Communications, Aircel. and by early 2010 it had more than 100 million
registered users and was generating an average of
Non-intrusive 55 million tweets a day. What’s particularly
“The digital media space is cost effective and significant about the Twitter statistics is that 37
the best way to reach your target audience. We percent of its users use their mobile phone to
have a fairly strong fan following on the web,” tweet. According to digital marketing intelligence
says K Ramakrishnan, President – Marketing, company comScore, social networking is by far
SHORT AND Café Coffee Day. In an era when every Indian has the fastest-growing mobile activity, with 20
access to at least one digital screen be it the percent of mobile users now accessing social
SWEET mobile or a computer, the medium’s non- networking sites via their phones.
intrusive platform is a boon for both customers Now Twitter, too, is being eclipsed in the
Significantly for Twitter, 37 per and marketers. “With the digital media, especially headlines. Newer social media services based on
cent of its users use their social networks, all one needs is to get started, the geolocation allow users to register their physical
rest will fall in place by itself,” adds location digitally, in cyberspace, and connect up
mobile phones to tweet.
Ramakrishnan. Digital is the way forward and it’s physically. The numbers of people using such

13


services are still
relatively small, but TUSHAR GOCULDAS
several fast-growing Director Marketing and Sales,
businesses are vying
for the position of Adidas India
hottest geolocation
service. “The youth
is always connected “The advent of social media
either through makes the engagement with the
mobile phones or
being online or on target group intense and one
social media. It is cannot ignore its influence. The
crucial to have
regular updates on
feedback on this medium helps
REAL VS any media campaign us improve on products as well.”
CYBERSPACE targeted at this set,”
adds Lahiri.
As more young people The youth segment now-a-days is an on- marketers have responded. Several companies
simultaneously live their lives demand market, with brands seeking their vivid such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's, MTV, Kellogg's,
in both cyberspace and the attention. They want to know what a and Pepsi, for example, have either created or
'real' world, marketers have manufacturer’s product has in the first few promoted products in a variety of virtual worlds.
responded well. words, or you’ve lost their attention. The fickle Increasingly, young people's profiles will be
nature of this segment although erratic, their developed by merging the data from their online
inclination defines heavy opportunity for and virtual viewing. The new technology that has
advertisers. Unlike generations of the past, given birth to Facebook is a defining feature that
today’s youth build relationships in communities is changing the way the youth votes. Through a
that transcend cultural, temporal and combination of circumstance, timing and
geographical boundaries and membership in temperament, this generation is constructing a
these communities provides for a civic new type of politics, one that is responsive,
engagement that is more connected than ever. inclusive and dialogic.
As more young people simultaneously live Playing a role in this new political atmosphere
their lives in both cyberspace and the 'real' world, is Facebook, which serves as a digital reflection of
real-world social interactions. It
has the potential to serve as a
CONNECTED? conduit through which a free
flow of messages and
(While 56.3 per cent answered yes to the question: „have you accessed the net in
information from one person to
the past three months?‰, 36.1 per cent said „no‰) .
another is transforming the
electoral process for both the
voters and the candidates.
Facebook has the power to
mobilise, educate and reflect the
interests and excitement of its
users. Though it cannot be
assumed that Facebook is
responsible for driving the youth
to the polls, its ability to spread
messages from person to person
has had an undeniable ability to
spark an interest in politics
among the previously
disenfranchised. One cannot
isolate yourself from the digital
medium, without that, survival
will be tough.

14

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MINDSPACE WAR
remain relevant to this target segment. Most brand
managers look for need gaps and fit brands in
them. “The truth is that the youth in today’s India
don’t really have many big need gaps,” says Antti
Ohrling, Chairman, Blyk Media. However, the
youth seek trust from brands that target them and
A brand says a lot about who they are and where impact their lives.
they stand in life. And the youngsters believe in this Branding action
wholeheartedly. The struggle of every brand is the urgent
need to connect with targeted customers. In a
noisy and crowded marketplace with competing
images, promotions, and messages how do great

Y
OUTH love brands. Brands provide a brands break through and create powerful
badge of identity. Brands are enablers and differentiation and real preference? Brands need
are passports to global culture. Brands are to have a personality, character and positioning to
tickets to success and they embody all the good espouse what it denotes. For this, brand
values that life has to offer: fun, attractiveness, attributes need to be youth-centric. Take for
and opportunity for a better life. The young instance the top 5 brands that are perceived by
generation has been brought up to regard brands the youth as entertainment - MTV, Nokia, Airtel,
as icons. Brand associations are so compelling Zoom and Pepsi are all targeted at the young.
that every marketer worth his salt is looking at Some of these are young brands that have been in
playing on the brand attributes that will hold and existence for just a few years. “The world of
engage the youth. As brands represent a Indian youth has witnessed fundamental changes
fortifying assurance of stability that is both solid especially compared to the previous generations.
and ongoing, the youth identify with the values What was sacrosanct till now has been made
and image of a brand. fluid,” feels Anup jain, Marketing Director, Pizza
Hut. The need is for
K RAMAKRISHNAN a brand framework
which is designed to
President – Marketing, locate the brand into
Café Coffee Day the life of the youth
than plug into it from
outside.
“As a brand we play a significant Take for instance,
role in the life of our consumers. Pepsi. It has managed
to evolve its pro-
Brand extensions in the form of motion and branding
our merchandise offerings have to suit each passing
generation of youth.
been welcomed.” Two years ago it
introduced the
Why are brand names so important to the concept of Youngistaan. And over the past two
youth? Because in an age of information overload, years, Youngistaan has become a term that
the youth want assurance that they are making the encapsulates today’s youth and is used all across to
right judgments that will enhance their identity. identify them. “We work that extra mile to
The road to building a brand which really maintain our youth brand attitude,” says Sandeep,
connects with the youth from the youth side up is Singh Arora, executive vice president, Pepsi. The
ENGAGING THE the way forward. Says K Ramakrishnan, President most recent Youngistaan campaign has been
YOUTH - Marketing, Café Coffee Day; “We have moved youth-centric all the way, with younger brand
from our erstwhile square logo to one that is a ambassadors. It also espouses celebrates the spirit
Brands have a high degree of ‘dialogue box’ after taking into account the way of youth friendship and the way Youngistaanis
association and influence our customers perceive us.” stand up for their friends and bail out each other
Brands have a high degree of association and through their smart and witty approach.
amongst youth. That needs to
influence amongst youth that needs to be well “Our brand offers athletes the best sporting
be understood well by understood by marketers and brand managers to gear, to protect them against injury and to
marketers.

16

kothambari vadi stuffed in bread
E FIGHTING FOR ATTENTION with shredded salad, cheese and
green chutney. This is a suggestion
(Despite high television viewing, there is distraction from the net, mobile and other
that CCD picked up from its
hand-help devices. Figures in per cent)
customers, which is a favourite
with many.

Focus on the attribute
In a world without boundaries
all kinds of distinctions are
blurring. The personal is merging
with the professional. Entertain-
ment is merging with play and
family with friends. Most impo-
rtantly, there is need for strong
brands to catch the attention of
the youth and maintain brand
values that are related to the
youth. “The need for looking at
improve products for the best performance in the youth marketing from a vantage point that’s diffe-
sporting field,” says Tushar Goculdas, Director rent from the traditional or even western models
Marketing and Sales, Adidas India. For a strong of youth marketing is the key,” adds Goculdas. A
brand such as Adidas, it sets new trends in place. young brand needs to be targeting the youth
For instance, the fact that they have the lightest through both traditional and digital media.
weighing shoes to play soccer makes several Rising affluence and better opportunities have
consumers attracted to this product for the value made sure that the youth have the money, the
it offers. Adidas has strong brand icons in Sachin relationships and the job options that the current
Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag that helps them senior generation could only dream of. “The role
get the necessary brand strength. “We are for brands in the life of the youth is not to find
associated with several other sports such as tennis unmet needs but to find a way to legitimize
at the junior level, we support the players with fulfilment,” says Ramakrishnan. Branding can be
equipment and sporting gear,” adds Goculdas. both through offline and online activities that are
targeted and focused. That a
brand needs as many points of
ANUP JAIN engagement with the target
Marketing Director, Pizza Hut group is a foregone
conclusion. “Value and
pricing are also keys for youth
“Our brand to stick with brands, especially
communication, products at a time when brand loyalty is
tough to get,” says Amlan
and advertising are Bhattacharya, CEO,
designed around the youth Skullcandy India.
Young consumers expect
and their tastes, preferences very high level of product
and attitude.” satisfaction from the brands
they use. Today, brands are
This way the brand manages to occupy the constantly tracking the popular trends among the
necessary space in the mind of the target group. youth, in order to access what products may or
In the same way Cafe Coffee Day touches may not work in the market.
ON THEIR the lives of its young consumers by extending the Most brand frameworks look for need gaps
TOES branding to merchandise that extends the brand and fit brands in them. The truth is that the
proposition. “We sell merchandise from our youth in today’s India don’t really have many big
Today, brands are constantly outlets. We also customise dishes in some of our need gaps, their love for brands over rides
tracking the popular trends outlets,” adds Ramakrishnan. For instance CCD everything else. Considering today's youth is
among the youth, in order to in Mumbai has an item in the menu called the trendy and brand conscious, its time brand
access what products will work ‘Kothambari Vadi Calzone’ which is basically a owners spend time understanding the needs of
innovative version of Mumbai’s famous the youth.

18

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