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OCTOBER 2010

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Ashok666, boltron-, hfb, HazPhotos, Sistak, judepics

CHANGING INDIA:TRENDS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE

WHAT WE’LL COVERBackground and Methodology

Trends in India

Flamily/Framily

Married Singles

Delayed Parenthood

Looking Forward—and Back

The Sin Economy

Growing Older Younger

In Conclusion

Category-Specific Trends

Snacking Holidays

Technology Is the New Signet Ring

Gifting Good Health

Brain- and Beauty-Boosting Nutrition

Hamper Pamper

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

This presentation is based on a July 2010 trends workshop held in Goa

with more than 20 planners from JWT India. It is based on secondary

research and analysis conducted by the JWT India planners and the New

York-based global trends team.

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

A DIVERSECOUNTRY India is big:

• The seventh-largest country by geographical area

• The world’s 11th-largest economy (in GDP terms)

• The world’s second-most populous country, with

1.2 billion people

• The world’s most populous democracy

And unequivocally diverse:

• India’s Constitution recognizes 18 major languages, and

there are many hundreds of dialects. (Hindi is the official

language, with English often used as a link language.)

• At least six practicing religions

• A wide range of regional styles in cuisine and dress

• A geography of beaches, deserts and snow-covered peaks

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

CONSUMER FOCUS

Because of India’s diversity, it’s hard to draw generalities across the

population. This presentation focuses on one subset of the population:

This consumer segment makes up about 3.4-7.5 percent of the population,

from 34 million to 75 million people.

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

COMMON THEMES

Trends don’t happen in isolation. They tend to intersect and work in

tandem with each other.

Here you’ll see common themes that are driving a change in relationship

dynamics, moral conduct, consumption patterns and overall lifestyle in

India, chief among them:

The rise of the nuclear family

Urban migration

Globalization/Westernization

Growing affluence

Delayed marriages

Increased connectivity

Modernization

Higher stress

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

TRENDSIN INDIA

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Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Ashok666, boltron-, hfb, HazPhotos, Sistak, judepics

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

8 Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Ashok666, Pedro Kwezi, sanchom, Pedro Kwezi

THE TREND

As students, single working men/women and young families migrate from

their homes and safe circle of family to urban areas, they are filling

emotional and physical voids by forming surrogate families with flatmates

and friends.

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

THE DRIVERS

• Migration, largely because good jobs and education are concentrated in a few urban areas.

• The rise of the nuclear family and decline of the extended family, which has led to greater

dependence on external support systems.

• The trend toward delaying marriage—between 1971 and 2001, the average age of first marriage

among Indian men rose from 22.7 to 24.8; for women it increased from 17.7 to 20.2.

• Financial constraints (flat sharing makes accommodation affordable): Young Indians migrating

from B and C towns are less financially secure and looking to share expenses.

• Emotional constraints (flocking creates security): Away from their own culture and family and

exposed to the vices of city life—which can feed insecurity—people create a circle of trust via

friends.

• Demanding jobs, which leave little time for the biological family. It’s easier to connect with

people with similar lifestyles.

• Technology, which is helping people stay connected with friends (if you’re at home, you’re on

Facebook or other social networks with your friends).

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

FAMILY FRIENDS

With families scattered in different cities

and countries, sibling and parental ties

weaken.

Reliance on friends grows.

Families can be judgmental, inhibiting. Friends respect your independence,

individualism more.

Family relationships can be hierarchical,

weighed down by baggage of old feuds and

quarrels.

Friendships offer more liberating, guilt-free

relationships.

21st-century lifestyles of young urbanites

have widened the communication gap with

parents.

Friends can be more understanding,

supportive.

Long hours at work, commuting leave less

time for family.

It’s easier to socialize with friends at the

workplace.

FAMILY VS. FRIENDS*

* The Circle of Frisson, Outlook India, June 25, 2007

POP CULTURE CUES

Salaam Namaste is a 2005

Bollywood film about two young

Indians who meet while working

in Melbourne. They decide to

move in together without

formally tying the knot.

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

This 2009 comedy hit focuses

on the adventures of three

roommates in a hostel at the

Imperial College of

Engineering. It is the highest-

grossing Bollywood film in

India.

Wake Up Sid is a 2009 romantic comedy

that follows the coming of age of the

spoiled, carefree son of a wealthy

businessman.

Airing in the major cities, international TV shows like Friends and

Sex and the City also depict friends as family.

Roomies, which premiered in July, is a

Chanel [V] series about five young

friends sharing a house. They help each

other deal with career choices, dating

dilemmas and other modern-day issues

for this demographic.

MARKETING TOFRIENDS AS FAMILY

Marketers are realizing that this generation

needs all the basic products and services that

the erstwhile joint family would need.

Typical traits of this cohort include:

They are time-crunched (easy-to-make and ready-to-eat

packaged food, quick-service home deliveries, meal-

combo packs)

They find it difficult to juggle their work, social lives and

health (debit-credit lifestyle products, such as energy

drinks, fortified functional foods, etc.)

Their lifestyle needs are functional (compact utilitarian

furniture)

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

Communications for Airtel’s Special 5—a

feature that allows customers to stay in

touch with five other subscribers at low

rates—center around friends, not family.

In this commercial, a schoolgirl plays

with a paper boat; her five special

friends rescue her boat when rain

threatens its voyage.

THE POTENTIAL

The products that currently cater to the flamily/framily are marketed

under a broader umbrella of young India’s changing lifestyles. With some

modifications to products or communications, there is huge potential to

reach and resonate with this growing consumer segment.

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

IMAGINE …

Maggi Twin pack, advertised

as the ―Flatmate Pack‖—a

minor change in packaging

with the same Maggi inside.

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

A flat-share fridge that has four

doors with four keys. Now you

don’t have to ask, ―Who ate my

cheese?‖

Virgin, which targets young consumers, could

offer Flatmate Credit/Friends Credit, allowing

customers to loan some of their balance to

friends without being charged by the service

provider.

What about television that

provides user profiles when you

turn it on, like Xbox or PS3? My

favorite channels and programs

need not be my friend’s favorites.

IMAGINE …

Most young singles living together have colorful, imaginative flats. Why do

white goods have to be boring white or dull gray? Why not a fridge with a

giant Bob Marley motif? Or a washing machine with marble-effect

coloring?

Furniture and home living companies have not woken up to the flamily.

They could use their significant retail space in malls to create sections for

flat sharing that offer affordable but stylish designs made out of recycled

or natural material.

How about ―flatmate health insurance‖ as a bundling technique?

Everybody pools in for the premium, as they are far from home and may

not be ready to spend thousands of rupees for modern health care in case

of an emergency.

FLAMILY/FRAMILY

MARRIED SINGLES

17 Photo credit: boltron-

THE TREND

More and more couples are retaining or trying to retain their ―single‖

identity and lifestyle. With spouses maintaining separate rooms,

bathrooms, cars and/or TVs, and shopping, socializing and traveling with

friends rather than their spouse, it’s almost like two single people living

together.

MARRIED SINGLES

THE DRIVERS

• The trend toward delayed marriages: People are finding it difficult to surrender the

―space‖ they’ve become accustomed to.

• The rise of the nuclear family and decline of the extended family (in the extended

family setup, it’s less likely that the couple would live independent lives).

• Dual-income households: With both spouses working, it’s more difficult to carve out

time to spend together.

• Increased prosperity: Spouses have more resources with which to maintain two

independent lifestyles under one roof.

• Increased connectivity: The Internet and mobile phones give people always-on

connectivity to the ―single‖ world even when they’re at home.

MARRIED SINGLES

TILL OUR “SINGLE” WAYS DO US PART

Till death do us part seems an obsolete concept. Now even

vacations are enough reason for urban couples to part ways.

Take, for example, Nilanjan and Sharmistha Roy of Kolkata.

[They] always part ways during vacation times, simply because

they have different tastes and preferences. … Sharmistha heads

to her elder sister’s home in Bangalore where she can spend

some time with her maternal family. Nilanjan, on the other

hand, would be joining his office colleagues for a hiking

expedition to the Himalayas.

—―Till Holidays Do Us Part,‖ The Tribune, June 19, 2010

MARRIED SINGLES

This couple’s other space frontiers include separate bathrooms and separate

suitcases. After four years together, they’ve worked out all the details. He

loves playing cricket on Saturdays so she does her own thing; every time she

wants the house to herself for a girls’ night in, he makes alternative plans. Like

with most things in a relationship, there are no rights or wrongs, just what

works for you.

—―Space, the Final (Couples) Frontier,‖ LiveMint.com, June 18, 2010

Deanne Pandey parties often without

Chikki, her husband, because he hates

partying and would rather be home with

the kids. In fact, after each of her babies,

she took a break and went out for a small

holiday with friends and Chikki stayed home

with the kids. Does this cause any rancor

between them? She doesn’t feel so.

—―Of the Rocking Parties Alone and the

Shaking Relationships,‖ MeriNews, Oct. 21,

2007

Many educated, independent-minded young

people don’t want to compromise their beliefs

and lifestyle when they marry. In response, Times

of India introduced ―Equality Matrimonials‖ to its

Sunday matrimonial classifieds, declaring: ―This

space … regards marriage as a true partnership

placing both people on an equal footing.‖

An Equality Marriage Manifesto includes the

provision that ―Personal preferences, including

those related to dress, food and hobbies, will be

respected, with no pressure from in-laws or

relatives.‖ And one ad targeting women asks,

―Does hello to marriage mean goodbye to life as

you know it?‖

MARRIED SINGLES

TIMES OF INDIA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE IN MARRIAGE

THE POTENTIAL

The tendency to maintain two lifestyles within one marriage will create

more demand—two cars, two TVs, etc.

Individuality/freedom/choice will emerge as areas around which brands

can have conversations (i.e., brands that offer more ―me time‖).

On the flip side, brands can help the independent-minded become

accustomed to the compromises that come with couplehood. Marketers

can find ways of facilitating those relationships, bringing the married

couple closer together.

MARRIED SINGLES

IMAGINE …

Innovations around ―his‖ and ―her‖ variants of TVs, automobiles, bank

accounts, gym memberships, etc.

Holiday packages that celebrate continued ―singlehood,‖ where each

spouse can travel with his/her own friends.

Household cleaning brands that speak to a more equitable division of labor

within the home.

Male/female TV channels.

Classes for things typically male/female—fixing the car, commando

training, cooking, stitching.

MARRIED SINGLES

DELAYEDPARENTHOOD

24 Photo credit: hfb

THE TREND

Most urban couples are deferring kids from the first year of marriage to

two to four years post-marriage.

DELAYED PARENTHOOD

THE DRIVERS• The rise of the nuclear family: Young couples are moving away from the traditional

extended-family setup and the expectations and pressures that go with it.

• Perfect lives: Set up as a nuclear family, newlyweds are enjoying their couplehood

and the fruits of Double Income No Kids; they want to prolong a lifestyle that will

inevitably change once a baby arrives.

• Reduced parental influence: With the rise of nuclear families and more couples

living in different cities than their parents, familial pressure is limited to that

once-a-week phone call.

• Delayed responsibility: The couple can continue to act almost as if they are still

single rather than live the conventional married lifestyle (see Married Singles).

• Birth control: Couples are more aware of their options, thanks to the government’s

aggressive family-planning campaign, as well as wider availability of birth control.

• Body beautiful: Today it’s not enough to look good until marriage; you want to

maintain your looks for life. Women don’t want to lose the body they’ve worked

hard to achieve.

DELAYED PARENTHOOD

THE POTENTIAL

With the phase between marriage and parenthood getting longer, couples

have more discretionary income—especially if both spouses are working—

and more reasons to splurge on each other. The couple are still in lovers

mode, as opposed to providers. They’re discovering each other and finding

new dimensions of their union, especially in the case of arranged

marriages. Brands can connect by portraying them as such.

With parenthood delayed, it is that much more revered, and the couple

likely has more money than their earlier counterparts. So when the baby

does come, parents are prone to spend more on the new arrival. There is

an opportunity to dramatize and romanticize the first pregnancy even

more and to add luxury to every step of this pregnancy.

DELAYED PARENTHOOD

IMAGINE …

Second honeymoons

Couples-only events/trips/retreats

First-anniversary celebrations (jewelry brands/luxury brands)

Catering to everything around the baby: fashion, accessories, new gadgets

to help mother and baby

Fashion-forward maternity clothing, as seen with offerings from FabIndia

and U.K.-based Mothercare, which has outlets in India.

Products addressing the health needs of the older mother

DELAYED PARENTHOOD

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

29 Photo credits: Shannon Clark

THE TREND

With one foot firmly rooted in tradition and the other springboarding into

modernity, India is teetering between two mind-sets. As the rush toward

modernization drives forward, each proceeding generation experiences a

dilution or loss of heritage when it comes to language, rituals, food,

entertainment, dress, values, beliefs and so on. As a result, age-old

practices and ways of being are acquiring a new luster among those

wishing to reconnect with India’s rich cultural traditions. This is a

maturing trend.

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

THE DRIVERS

• More nuclear families: With only two generations living under one roof, there are

fewer elders around to teach the next generation rituals and traditions.

• More mixed marriages: When each parent has a different set of regional traditions,

either one or both of these gets lost. (For example, parents are often multilingual,

while children typically speak only one language well—the one they’re taught in

school.)

• Dual-income households: With both spouses working, there’s less time to pass on

traditions and skills.

• Migration: More people are moving to mass centers of homogenization, where their

day-to-day lives lack exposure to their traditional culture and they begin to adopt

the ways of those around them.

• Globalization: This brings increased choices and media exposure to global products.

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

English-language instruction has grown five-fold over the

last 15 years into an $11-20 million industry, according

to The Wall Street Journal. And last year The Times of

India reported that Mumbai schools, noted for their

Marathi language education, have seen a drop in

enrollment for instruction in the mother tongue;

instead, English has steadily gained popularity.

The sari is falling out of favor with

young women across India. According to

a 2009 Time article, Kanjeevaram

weavers, famous for their silk saris,

sold $12 million worth of saris in 2008,

down from $40 million in 2004.

WESTERN PUSH INDIAN PULL

According to The Financial Express, ―the number of

regional channels [grew] from 114 in 2008 to 135 in

2009. In comparison, only three new Hindi GECs

(general entertainment channels) were added during

the same period."

A slew of animated children’s

shows based on Hindu mythology

has been popping up after a 20-

year dearth of such programming.

But today’s animated gods don’t

just fight demons, they snowboard

and play ice-hockey. According to

livemint.com, these shows

outrank traditional Western

favorites such as Tom and Jerry

and Popeye.

EASTWEST VS.

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

BRANDS BRIDGING THE GAP?

―Kitchens of India recreates the forgotten

delicacies of a bygone era, when Maharajas

ruled the land and cooking was an art

perfected by few. Every Kitchens of India

recipe has been developed and perfected by

the Master Chefs of ITC’s award-winning

gourmet restaurants, renowned for their

delectable and authentic Indian cuisine.‖

(Company website.)

Fashion designer Anita Dongre’s Global Desi and

iinter-pret labels fuse Indian and Western elements,

incorporating traditional cuts, colors and patterns

into Western looks.

Tanishq, a well-known jewelry brand, is

lightheartedly tackling the new dynamic

between parents—the traditional matchmakers—

and their more modern daughters. In this TV

spot, the lure of lavish wedding jewelry helps

open a daughter’s mind to the prospect of

meeting a match.

Domino’s offers a

range of pizzas

inspired by Indian

flavors and dishes.

When McDonald’s entered India

in 1996, it replaced its

trademark beef burger with the

Aloo McTikki sandwich, a

variation on the potato-based

Indian dish.

In February 2010, McCain

launched Masala Fries, a

typical French fry with Masala

seasoning.

These products and services (both homegrown and Western) celebrate Indian

tradition while integrating elements of modernity—such as prepackaged or fast foods

suited to a fast-paced urban lifestyle—and a liberalized Indian mind-set.

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

Future Group recently launched the Ektaa

brand of food products, designed to cater to

the range of tastes and preferences across

India. The first line consists of five varieties

of rice from various Indian states.

Introduced in 1999, Kurkure, a Cheetos-like snack adapted

to local tastes, ―helped create a bridge category between

Indian namkeens [snacks] and Western offerings like potato

chips [and cheese balls],‖ says Deepika Warrier, marketing

director for PepsiCo Holdings India. Earlier this year, the

brand launched three flavors based on regional spices.

BRANDS BRIDGING THE GAP& TAKING A LEAP FORWARD

Recently, brands have been taking this a step further, creating products that pay

homage to regional differences across India.

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

THE POTENTIAL

As Eastern and Western cultures continue to blend, there’s appeal in

marketing messages that ramp up tradition and nostalgia, painting the

past with images of purity and glorifying an uncorrupted culture. By

closely aligning themselves with cultural roots and explaining regional

origins, brands can become an extension of traditional communities—

passing on cultural histories to the next generation.

It’s unlikely the Western way of life will completely replace Indian

tradition. Instead, we’ll have a redefinition of what it means to be Indian

in today’s globalized world. Brands are in a unique position to help bridge

the divide between new and old ways by showing how a liberalized Indian

mind-set can be expressed within traditional cultural norms.

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

IMAGINE … In addition to playing up local or regional heritage in ready-to-eat

packaged foods or clothing, brands can leverage this trend in other ways:

Financial brands based on the Indian culture of savings, debit/credit

Courses to teach traditions (rituals, dance, cooking, etc.)

Literature, games, entertainment infused with tradition

LOOKING FORWARD—AND BACK

SIN-ECONOMY

37 Photo credit: Sistak

THE TREND

Indians have traditionally adhered to a set of deeply ingrained values

revolving around fairness, family and religion. This sense of morality has

been propagated by and reflected in literature, cinema and television. But

in recent years, the social system of checks and balances has started

coming undone.

As people break free from the culture of self-restraint, they are breaking

longstanding taboos. Vice is nice, and indulgence is out of the closet. This

shift isn’t simply about overeating, it’s about eating beef.

This trend is maturing among media outlets and consumers but emerging

among brands.

SIN-ECONOMY

THE DRIVERS• More flexible religious interpretation: As the reins of religion are loosened, so too

are ideas about what’s right and wrong.

• Urban migration: Living away from their family and community, people are free

from the restrictions and judgments traditionally placed on them.

• Access to global media and technology: While Indian media once emphasized

adherence to strict moral guidelines, it now mirrors the racier themes featured in

Western media.

• More disposable income: Where past generations would have focused on building up

savings, the lifestyles of today’s upwardly mobile middle-class Indians are focused

around entertainment, pleasure and self-indulgence.

• A more competitive generation: Having grown up in an economically strong and

liberalized India, the youngest generation is very competitive. They’ve seen new

opportunities open up, and there’s a strong desire to seize them—to get ahead at

all costs.

SIN-ECONOMY

Ads for watch and accessory brand Titan

Fast Track feature youth shamelessly

flaunting their ability to move from one

romantic interest to the next, lying and

cheating in the process. The message: It’s

cool to ―move on.‖

In an upcoming reality show on MTV India,

Eristoff Male Fantasy 101, four young guys

will be showered with hot women, flashy cars,

a swanky pad, VIP access to exclusive clubs

and more as they live out their fantasies and

compete to win tickets to an Eristoff vodka

party in an exotic international locale. This

follows on the heels of popular MTV shows

such as Splitsvilla and MTV Roadies.

SIN TAKES HOLD

Gambling is highly regulated in India, and illegal gambling is big business (an estimated

$40 billion industry). The first legally sanctioned casino opened in Goa in 2001, and at

least six more have followed. In 2009 Sikkim became the second Indian state to allow

casinos and in May 2010 the first to allow sports betting beyond horse races. Despite

attempts to draw international gamblers, ―Indians are the spenders,‖ an exec from

Highstreet Cruises and Entertainment told the BBC in July.

The Indian market for beer, wine

and spirits grew by 84 percent

between 2004 and 2009, from

1,781.8 million liters to 3,276.6

million liters, according to a

December 2009 Euromonitor

International report.

SIN-ECONOMY

Despite a ban on the sale of tobacco

products to minors, the Global Youth

Tobacco Survey found the percentage of

Indian tobacco users aged 13-15 was at 22

percent among males and 9.6 percent among

females last year. The World Health

Organization predicts tobacco-related deaths

will rise to 13.3 percent of all deaths by

2020, from 1.4 percent in 1990.

THE POTENTIALConversation about what was long considered taboo is becoming

mainstream. As segments of Indian society move from repression to

expression, the sin economy is a symbol of all that’s new, experimental

and exciting in this world of seemingly infinite opportunity.

Not surprisingly, sin categories are already leveraging this trend. The next

challenge for brands is finding ways to make ―good‖ more intelligent and

edgy. How can brands inject some sin into non-sin categories, making the

good feel indulgent through new product development or brand

communications?

SIN-ECONOMY

IMAGINE …

SIN-ECONOMY

Sin holidays

Indulgent rewards (e.g., a candy bar positioned as a sinful midday treat)

Apparel and accessory makers adding items that loosen up conservative

looks, allowing people to add a gently provocative note without leaving

their comfort zone

GROWING OLDERYOUNGER

43 Photo credit: HazPhotos

THE TREND

The modern and hyper-hectic lifestyles of today’s twenty- and

thirtysomethings are affecting their mental and physical health. They are

aging faster, facing physical ailments and mental fatigue normally

associated with older generations.

GROWING OLDER YOUNGER

THE DRIVERS

• More sedentary lifestyles: With jobs that are largely desk-based, more people using

cars for transportation and a high penetration of consumer durables/appliances,

this cohort is less physically active.

• Poor sleeping habits: A result of longer and more erratic work hours.

• Poor eating habits: As a population ascends the socioeconomic ladder, convenience

and fast foods become more accepted and intake of sugar and fats increases. At

the same time, food consumption patterns are becoming more irregular.

• More stress: Pressure to achieve and perform is taking a toll on mental well-being.

More time spent commuting in traffic is exhausting for mind and body.

GROWING OLDER YOUNGER

THE FACTS• Incidence of obesity, hypertension, heart disease and other lifestyle

diseases is increasing at an alarming rate and occurring at earlier ages.

GROWING OLDER YOUNGER

India accounts for 60 percent of heart disease patients worldwide.

The major causes of heart disease: tobacco use, physical inactivity and an unhealthy diet

often linked to that of the developed world.

A genetic mutation that puts people at greater risk of heart disease affects 4 percent of

Indians vs. 1 percent of the world’s overall population.*

More than a third of Indians age 35 to 64 are at risk of heart disease, vs. 12 percent of

Americans in the same age cohort.**

An estimated 40.9

million Indians suffer

from diabetes, the

highest number in

the world.***

* CNN, April 2009

** Cardiologist Dr. Naresh Trehan

*** Global Health Progress: Innovative Solutions to Improving Health in India, 2010

**** National Family Health Survey, July 2010

Approximately 30

million Indians are

obese.****

Forecasting the prevalence rate (%) of coronary heart disease (CHD) in India

Estimated mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD)

Source:NCMH Background Papers—Burden of Disease in India (New Delhi,

India), September 2005

GETTING SICKER YOUNGER

GROWING OLDER YOUNGER

THE POTENTIAL

Taking lessons from the developed world, brands can help to counteract

premature aging and head off lifestyle diseases by introducing more

healthy alternatives. (This will inevitably work to their advantage, as

lifestyle diseases could ultimately be linked to the consumption of their

products.)

Brands can offer services that help people unwind, relax and rejuvenate.

GROWING OLDER YOUNGER

IMAGINE …

More fast food and packaged goods brands preemptively introducing healthier and

more natural alternatives, as they’re now doing in the West, before they’re

accused of aiding and abetting unhealthy lifestyles.

Food and beverage brands developing product lines that help thirty-somethings

maintain more balanced diets.

Pharma brands providing alternative medicines that help in de-stressing.

More holiday resorts and spas catering to the need to turn back the clock. Gyms

with sections for spas and mental health counseling.

Wellness-themed homes

Life skills coaching that provides tools to cope with high-performance situations.

GROWING OLDER YOUNGER

CATEGORY-SPECIFICTRENDS

50 Photo credits (clockwise from top left): keithpr, courtneyBolton, clevercupcakes, Image Triangle India, SummerTomato

SNACKINGHOLIDAYS

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The Trend The Drivers The Potential Imagine …

Snacking holidays—short

breaks rather than regular

holiday getaways—are gaining

popularity in tandem with the

rapidly increasing pace of

life.

More pressure: Work

schedules make it difficult to

take a long leave.

More budget airlines and

hotels to make trips

affordable.

A counter to the daily slog:

Snacking acts as a mood lifter

and reward, and a way to

beat monotony.

Social capital: Snacking

holidays provide some social

currency.

Greater interest in

experimenting: People can

try out a new destination or

activity without having to

commit to a full week or

two.

Beyond the travel, tourism

and associated categories,

this trend has potential for

brands that provide escapism

at home or at work or those

that offer unplanned and/or

bite-sized rewards or

experiments.

Brand-sponsored ―no cooking

Sundays‖ or ―no studying

Fridays‖ to provide a small

escape from routine.

Bite-sizing going beyond just

holiday bookings: ―snacking

degrees‖ (e.g., a two-week

filmmaking course), three-

month car leases, try-before

you-buy schemes, etc.

Food and beverage brands

developing new flavors to

reflect broadening tastes and

cultural experiences.

Brands sponsoring tech

platforms for sharing holiday

photos/experiences.

In fashion and home décor,

brands offering more

―escapist‖ colors (cool

neutrals).

TECHNOLOGY ISTHE NEW SIGNET RING

52

The Trend The Drivers The Potential Imagine …

The class system is being

reorganized, with techno-

mavens sitting at the top.

Flaunting and mastering

technology are the new signs

of status.

Acquiring and then mastering

technology, its complexity

and its everyday evolution is

the logical extension of

India’s focus on math and

science mastery.

The rise of the IT industry in

India and image of the

Technocrat.

The increased penetration of

and opportunities created by

mobile telephony.

Techno bling: The rise of and

increased access to techno-

cool products.

Film stars and the global

media glorifying new

technology accessories,

making them a symbol of

success.

As more people start carrying

technology for its symbolic

rather than its functional

value, technology that can be

flashed or displayed will

benefit.

Since technology can have a

democratizing effect, luxury

technology will serve as a

way to separate the masses

from the elite—for example,

Vertu phones and high-end

music and home theater

systems.

We may see a shift in

emphasis in India from IT

services to manufacturing

technology/tech products

and consumer technology.

FMCG brands appropriating

technology values or

increasing the ―techiness‖ of

their design and packaging to

stay aspirational.

More collaborations with tech

brands (think Nike+).

Skins on household

electronics.

Creative markers of elite

status—i.e. making the

latest, greatest gadget

available by invitation only.

Family trees: ―Other leaders

who have bought this product

think this or have bought that

…‖

Using technology for altruism

as the ultimate sign of

supremacy.

GIFTING GOOD HEALTH

53

The Trend The Drivers The Potential Imagine …

Gifting is moving from giving

products (perfumes,

chocolates, jewelry, etc.) to

experiences (day at the spa,

tickets to an event, etc.) and

even to well-being itself

(e.g., a glucose meter).

A larger ―urban Robin Hood‖

trend—the desire to do good

for others and for society.

Increased health awareness.

More interest in preventive

health care versus curative,

for oneself and loved ones.

More interest in standing out:

People want to gift

something different rather

than recycle the same old

things, because a gift says a

lot about the giver.

Brands can build consumer

connections at a far deeper

level by hitching themselves

to a cause. And there is no

cause closer to a person’s

heart, or more relevant, than

the well-being of loved ones.

Brands across categories can

play the Good Samaritan by

changing the paradigm of

gifting itself.

A bra brand gifting a free

checkup for breast cancer.

A sugar brand offering a

glucometer.

A laptop brand gifting a hand-

rest and stand to prevent

back and neck problems.

An auto brand that has

ergonomically designed seats

that prevent backache.

An alcohol brand partnering

with a car rental company to

organize free after-party

drop-offs.

BRAIN- AND BEAUTY-BOOSTING NUTRITION

54

The Trend The Drivers The Potential Imagine …

With nutrition taking center

stage in preventive health

care, nutritional supplements

and fortified foods and

beverages will proliferate.

The focus will be on

enhancing and preserving

cognitive health (for senior

citizens and children) and

beauty (for the 35-49

cohort).

The total market for

nutraceuticals in India,

valued at INR 44bn, is

growing by 21 percent

annually, according to a 2009

report from Netscribes

(India).

A shift toward seeing food as

more than just sustenance.

A shift toward preventive

therapies.

Increasing media awareness

of the foods and ingredients

that can enhance beauty/

brain power.

More R&D focused on

nutraceuticals, plus growth in

Ayurvedic and other natural

remedies.

Ongoing emphasis on

intelligence, competition and

learning as a means to climb

the social strata. Explosive

growth of education industry.

Rising disposable income and

an increase in health care

spending.

As India catches up to

markets such as Japan,

Europe and the U.S.—which

have driven the growth of

nutraceuticals—the lines

between pharmaceuticals,

nutrition and personal care

will continue to blur. Greater

awareness of the effect of

nutrition on beauty and

cognitive health will prompt

more collaboration among

brands in these categories.

Commodities will get

branded, fortified.

An Ayurvedic knowledge

transfer to the global beauty

marketplace—multinational

players entering India,

looking to diversify their

natural solutions portfolios.

India’s belief in mind-body

connection finding expression

in everything from beverages

to shoes. As this trend ramps

up, watch for more brands

like Biotique, whose food and

personal care items are based

on traditional Ayurvedic

principles.

HAMPERPAMPER

55

The Trend The Drivers The Potential Imagine …

As Indian consumers grow

increasingly affluent, they

are seeking world-class

luxuries—they believe they

deserve the best. The value

equation is no longer simple,

as factors like image, world-

class, premium, cool, etc.,

come to play a more

important role.

Currently worth around $3

billion a year, the premium-

goods industry in India is

expected to expand by 25-30

percent annually in the next

five years.* India’s 120,000

dollar millionaires hold

roughly a third of the

country’s gross national

income, a figure that is rising

rapidly.**

Rising affluence and more

disposable income.

Since they have strived hard

to get where they are,

affluent Indians believe they

deserve the best for

themselves. Aspirational

products have a heightened

appeal.

The traditional Indian

mentality of saving for

tomorrow is no longer

prevalent. People believe in

living to the fullest today.

Globalization: Global

exposure has opened a world

of possibilities and

experiences to the consumer,

thereby raising aspirations.

Increased competition and

improved retail

opportunities.

Across categories, brands

have opportunities to

introduce high-value luxury

items that satisfy affluent

Indians’ need to pamper

themselves. But luxury must

move from just a purchase to

an experience; otherwise,

high-end consumers will

continue to buy overseas,

driven by a less-than-stellar

shopping experience and high

luxury duties.

Infusing luxury into everyday

experiences (banking, retail,

etc.).

Dedicated luxury shopping

areas and neighborhoods, like

Fifth Avenue in New York and

Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles.

*Technopak Advisors **Capgemini and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

IN CONCLUSION

56

Photo credits (clockwise from top left): Ashok666, boltron-, hfb, HazPhotos, Sistak, judepics

IN CONCLUSION

Several factors—urban migration, the rise of the nuclear family,

modernization, etc.—are changing relationship dynamics, from the

adoption of friends as family to the continuation of single-type

lifestyles post-marriage to delayed parenthood. With some

modifications to products or communications, there is huge potential

to reach and resonate with these growing consumer segments.

The push-pull between modernity and tradition will become more

exaggerated as the sin economy takes hold. Brands are in a unique

position to help bridge the divide between new and old ways by

showing how a liberalized Indian mind-set can be expressed within

traditional cultural norms.

As lifestyles get faster paced, health is becoming compromised. Taking

lessons from the developed world, brands can help to counteract

premature aging and head off lifestyle diseases by introducing more

healthy alternatives.

IN CONCLUSION

THANK YOU

58

Ann M. Mack

Director of Trendspotting

JWT Worldwide

ann.mack@jwt.com

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Jessica A. Vaughn

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