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  • Self-discovery matters when communicating with millennials, writes Shaziya Khan

    7 Emotional Keys to Growth for Brands engaging Millennials

     

     

    By Shaziya Khan

     

    Shaziya KhanI had been looking at data on Millennials for many months. Fascinated with the distinctions, nuances being signalled through the reports.

     

    (Millennials is the term used to describe a person born between 1981 and 1996, 27 to 42 years, though different sources can vary by a year or two).

     

    Curious to understand Millennials more, I continued synthesising primary data from several depth interviews, tracking secondary data from Wunderman Thompson BRICS Millennials Report, reviewing Target Group Indexing data (TGI) focusing on Millennials, SEC B, graduates (which a report, cited as a significant group). Added to which, at a WPP Stream Seminar, several Millennials shared their views generously, eloquently and candidly, one on one with me – for which I am deeply grateful. All these inputs provided a rich, multi layered, well rounded background perspective on this particular audience.

     

    Dramatically – it was in the middle of witnessing a melt down at a Millennials Seminar amongst the Millennials presenters, that the hard won nuggets from months and months of prior work, crystallised.

     

    Thereafter, this piece practically wrote itself.

     

    What triggered this inspiration? In the course of the post presentation discussions, the Millennials, who were the presenters as well as the hero subjects, expressed to us (in the audience) vehemently that most people did not understand them – that it was happening again, even at their own seminar!

     

    Sharing below, seven emotional keys to growth for brands and businesses engaging with Millennials, and wanting, needing to understand them.

     

    Businesses find it hard to capture emotions. More so, when engaging with complex, multi-layered target audience like Millennials, who frequently keep changing, and evolving too.

     

    The learning is: Making, enabling, supporting, yielding, championing space for self discovery – can be a vital emotional root of growth for brands and businesses addressing Millennials.

     

    Sharing seven keys each amplifying the significance, nuances, shades of self-discovery that can matter when communicating with Millennials. Some more than others, in particular contexts.

     

    Self-discovery as an emotional root of growth has broad relevance for a variety of brands and businesses that are seeking to connect better with Millennials – such as product brands, service brands, employer brands, education brands, travel brands, media brands, corporate brands, leadership brands etc.

     

    1. ‘OWN BRAND’ FILTER RULES

    Seriously, each Millennial first thinks of his or her own personal brand before any other brand. And they cannot stand lowering the standards of their own brand, as they consider their own personal brand a high integrity brand.

    ‘Own brand’ filter match is one of the biggest triggers (or barriers) to brands that Millennials embrace (or do not)

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘own personal brand’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: I think fast food is all junk, I can’t stand even a little bit of untidiness, I have a very good sense of style, I am responsible for everything that happens in my life etc.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    This implies that the target audience : : brand relationship is possibly reversed. Your brand is what the Millennial searches using his/her “own brand filter”. Thus, understanding how Millennials view their “own personal brand” matters – its associations, values, and especially its proximity (or distance) from your business brand values, associations etc.

     

    2. ‘CONSTANTLY CHECKING’ SCEPTIC RULES

    As a Millennial put it to me “our whole lives we have been processing data”. Millennials have learnt the hard way, that what people say is not what they do. Across families, organisations, media and so on.

    So, they habitually keep going to the source – to verify what is being said versus done.

    Even while meeting someone, they are multi-tasking: finding out everything about that person. “No Facebook, I would rather go to the source to check” – Millennials explaining how they check on everything.

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘constant checking’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: I am worried that any personal information I share online will not remain secure, I am usually among the first among my friends to know what is going on, I regularly clear my cookies from internet browsing history.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    This implies that trust is the most elusive currency in Millennial worlds. Millennials at their core, trust nothing, nobody, except their own values. This is often, from a place of prudence and validation. Understanding what Millennials believe of the claims in your category, adjacent categories and what/who are sources of credibility in their eyes, matters.

     

    3. ‘BEING TOLD IMPLIES INCOMPETENCE’ RULES

    The fault lines in many Millennial relationships (personal, professional) are to do with being subject to over instructing and under stimulating, in their eyes.

    What connects most with them is empathy, sensitiveness. Lack of this, and a glut of the ‘obvious’ (instruction, direction) leads to a melt down or worse, silent withdrawal.

    Millennials respond to stimulation better than they do to instruction, to guidance and enquiry than to direction. What resonates is something not with an ‘agenda’.

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘stimulation and enquiry’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: I really enjoy any kind of shopping, I ask people for advice before buying new things.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    Explore and develop indirect, stimulating, enquiry oriented ways to have Millennials engage emotionally or intellectually with your brand or business.

     

    4. ‘SUBTLETY WINS’ (AS IT ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR SMARTNESS) RULES

    On a related but separate note, apt subtlety matters. Millennials switch off when something is made too obvious, because they are a generation that ‘gets it’. What resonates, is subtle content, or apt context.

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘subtlety’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: When I buy a product, its style and design are as important as its quality, I often refer to the internet before making a purchase.

    Subtlety is perceived as a brand’s validation and acknowledgement of Millennials innate smartness. In contrast, trying too hard is perceived by Millennials as almost an insult their smartness, and worse – a sign that a brand does NOT ‘get them’.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    Test a few subtle executions (with apt contexts, cues) and see for yourself how rewarding the Millennial audience finds it. For starters, test new acronyms, short forms and see the thrill of them ‘getting it’, and that your brand ‘gets them’.

     

    5. ‘ARGUE LESS, WITHDRAW MORE, QUIETLY MOVE ON’ RULES

    When it comes to feeling dis-connected, Millennials can be relatively silent, or withdrawn in their expression. Millennials are hyper sensitive, and also, astute with regard to almost everybody and everything.

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘quiet withdrawal’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: I do not like to show my real feelings, I have refused to buy products of a company of which I disapproved, how I spend my time is more important than the money I make.

    Silence is not a sign of acquiescence but can often be a sign of ‘checking out’ from Millennials.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    Test a few stimuli that evoke mere silence or disengagement and you might then uncover a zone that deeply upsets them – albeit silently. And in turn, explore the OPPOSITE of that: to counter intuitively, discover what deeply engages, them and why so.

     

    6. ‘CHANGING ONE’S MIND IS GOOD’ RULES

    Get used to the fact that Millennials can keep changing their minds. Millennials are frequently charged, even blamed, for being a generation that keep changing its mind. Education, career, friends, locations, food choices – keep changing for Millennials.

    Their eloquent defence is that they are processing data, stimulation, discovery all the time. Their minds, hearts are always dynamic, evolving, and responsive.

    “It is the burden of the evolved” – as one Millennial explained to me.

    For them it is normal to keep changing one’s mind. Millennials like options. They don’t want to be boxed into one way.

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘changing one’s mind’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: I find I am easily swayed by other people’s views, it is important to keep learning new things through out your life, news on food influences my dietary habits.

    Change signals evolving, not merely change for Millennials.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    Keep a finger on the pulse of changing category and also life trends, for Millennials. Keep your brand and business in sync with how Millennials are evolving in this regard. Understanding why they have changed with regard to your category.

     

    7. ‘MY JOB DOES NOT DEFINE ME’ RULES

    Millennials have disconnected with snappy or easy definitions of identity. They anchor self, identity in something human, fundamentally. Something more connected to the world outside, and the self inside. Millennials believe they have an uncaged identity, anchored in intangibles like values, concepts, more; and less in tangibles, or what is familiar, or what is a generalisation eg. a kind of job.

    Millennials defy easy definition, they seem to loathe generalisation because each person, context, challenge is different, for them.

    Illustrative statements (with high index scores among Millennials) indicate how ‘defying job based definitions’ can flex in their attitudes, behaviours: life should be more than a career, it is okay to work in unconventional careers, I like to pursue a life of challenge, novelty and change, I am prepared to make lifestyle compromises to benefit the environment.

    It can be a mistake to cast Millennials identity into familiar moulds (demographics, work, etc.). Not-ness can be starting point to understanding them better.

     

    Implications for actionable new brand work

    Write a new kind of consumer pen portrait based on who the Millennial target audience is NOT. It can help to dispel perceived stereotypes, about them, and see them in fresh light.

     

    IN CONCLUSION

    Communicating with Millennials might seem like a lot of work. But it is not. The bottom line echoing through the keys is – not trying too hard and letting them think for themselves. Self-discovery is a vital emotional root of growth for brands, businesses addressing Millennials.

    You don’t have to figure it all out, because they will. And thank you for letting them do so.

     

    Shaziya Khan is National Planning Director with Wunderman Thompson.

    First published by the writer on her LinkedIn handle. Republished with permission of the writer.

     

  • It is both interesting and important to see how vital fun, playfulness, bliss, enjoyment, liberation are, writes Shaziya Khan

    Fun in Category Creation

     

     

     

    By Shaziya Khan

     

    Shaziya KhanAs a species, the childhood of humans is the longest, which implies the longest time for play. As life expectancy rises, there is more time for leisure (globally life expectancy has increased by 6 years, as per one estimate). For this reason alone, and several others, fun matters.

    It is both interesting and important to see how vital fun, playfulness, bliss, enjoyment, liberation are. Relatedly, how businesses and brands can tap into this understanding of fun, playfulness, for making more meaningfully, apt connections with people.

     

    SPARK OF INSPIRATION

    This article was sparked by a pattern observed for several years (which recent experiences, cemented). This is the story of how it came about:

    Travelling to a peaceful part of a war torn country overseas, on a longish work assignment, is where the inspiration struck.

    I was surprised to see people having so much fun, the same people had lived through and were living through uncertainty, trials and tribulations. Yet, their zestful spirit, generosity, warmth, humour spilled over and embraced all. These qualities were not only intact, but abundant right in the midst of rather trying circumstances.

    Meal times were grand, fashions were extravagant, plans were exciting.

    Basking in their effervescent spirits, as a visitor, but still mystified by them – I finally asked : how are you people like this? how are you able to be so fun loving and care free given your circumstances? Most of their answers were to the effect: when life is uncertain, or problematic, one makes the most of every bit of good one has, rather worry about what is going to happen. The views shared were surprising, impressive, simple but also quite profound. There must be more to learn here, I imagined.

     

    FUN – A SERIOUS MATTER

    I was set on a path of curiosity – to discover more about the real place of fun in the human experience. Again, to my surprise, I learnt that even in serious fields like philosophy the topic of fun is regarded as important!

    Indeed for philosophers, fun is vital to the human experience, contributing meaningfully at several levels. Democritus believed that the goal of life was contentment or cheerfulness.

    Homo Ludens (“Man the player”), a book brings out the natural basis of playfulness and fun. It argues that “Play is older than culture, for culture … always presupposes human society, and animals have not waited for man to teach them playing.”

    On a related note, another book Play, Playfulness, Creativity and Innovation, argues that playfulness facilitates originality in nature and society (so a lack of it should be particularly worrying).

     

    FUN – AN UNLIKELY BUT MEANINGFUL ROOT OF GROWTH

    In short, fun, playfulness can be the basis of a lot of good. It is not only an ancient root of personal growth, it is so – across a variety of human experiences.

    Fun is an unlikely but meaningful emotional root of growth for: learning, education; adjustment; well-being, health; social engagement and life skills.

    Thus, businesses and brands, operating in these areas, definitely, and in others too potentially, could find it useful to leverage the fun, playfulness lens and potential of their category.

    I believe modern day businesses and brands could benefit from seeing or making a fun connection! Especially for new categories, for spurring growth.

     

    BUSINESSES FIND IT HARD TO CAPTURE EMOTIONS

    Businesses find it hard to capture emotion, especially a ‘non serious’ emotion like fun.

    The roots of an emotion like fun can be harder to take note of, discern and capture let alone articulate. Yet, the pursuit of growth, demands, I believe, tools and analyses to uncover new (especially surprising) roots of growth.

    This analysis brings additional clarity, sheds biases, baggage, helps businesses and brands stay alive to their unique human connection; stay true to what is emerging now and for the future, and can be the basis of thriving, surviving.

    This clarity is required – to pursue fresh human centred design, customer experience, engagement, innovation, communication, evolution and re-crafting category and brand worlds to be in step with people, and times.

    Non-linear tools (like mind maps) are a useful type of analysis to get going. Sharing a brief map of why fun matters (more so now than ever). Sharing a short take on a very large topic based on synthesis of multiple reports and studies related to the topic (source: Warc, Medium, psychology studies, GFK, Brandz)

     

    RELEVANCE OF FUN – IN EFFECTIVENESS, VALUES, MEANING

    What puts a bow on the growing relevance of fun for people, and brands engaging with them is – that as leisure time has increased, so have opportunities for play, fun.

    If people are going to enjoy more leisure, playfulness and fun, they will love brands that echo more fun, playfulness, and associated aspects like liberation, engagement, spontaneity.

    These shifts have already been showing up in research studies for several years- signalling a change of expectations from communication and engagement from brands and businesses.

    1. Shifts in effective ways to communicate: A recent study (Kantar) on Five Fs Of Creative Effectiveness on what makes some brand communication more effective than others points out fun as being among the top 5 factors of the most effective brand communications.

    2. Shifts in core consumer values: A study on Core Values (GFK) revealed enjoyment or fun are among the top core values of consumers along with long standing core values like security and achievement.

    3. Measure of meaningfulness: Last but not last, we already know, from measures of brand meaningfulness that one part of the measure of a meaningfulness is UTILITY based (consumers answer is this “useful to me”), the other important part of the measure of meaningfulness is AFFINITY based (consumers answer do I “love this brand”) (BRANDZ).

    Studies reveal six major psychological underpinnings of fun: novelty, spontaneity, connectedness, boundedness, engagement, liberation. These are potentially rich emotional zones for businesses and brands to meaningfully create connections with their customers, across categories.

    In sum, for modern day brands, fun is a serious matter.

     

    ROLE OF FUN IN CATEGORY CREATION

    Many already know, that fun is key to learning and interaction. This by itself, is a big and useful (perhaps overlooked) starting point for a business or brand – operating directly in any kind of education or any category where it is important to educate. A category that focuses on adopters, triers upgraders, relatively nascent consumers.

    The fun key to learning can aid category creation in four ways – safe place creation, social interactivity facilitation, weaving in improvisation and richer types of gamification.

     

    SAFE PLACE CREATION:

    Several experts in the social sciences share that play, fun create a safe place to learn. A safe place to adopt new tricks and tips, use tools and solve problems.

    Creating a safe place for consumers in a new category – to spur more learning is starting point for brand and business owners, custodians.

    An enlightened parenting view, again with universal application, quoted in one of the reports: “I’ve been trying to weave more fun into my days with my kids”.

    I loved that – and ask are enlightened brand and business custodians trying to weave more fun into the regular days of consumer interactions, in the apt way.

    Unboxing, is now a thing, but it was really a way to mindfully weave more fun into an everyday experience. What are fun ways to “open the box”, so to speak, for consumers of a new category, is a question to start with.

     

    SOCIAL INTERACTIVITY FACILITATION:

    Social scientists emphasise that play is also key to learning social engagement, finding ones’s place in a hierarchy, learning how to interact. Emotional control, curiosity, resilience are positive results of play. (Researchers have found that play deprived children manifest responses ranging from unhappiness to aggression).

    Creating zones for interaction, facilitates relationships beyond the day to day transactions – indeed provide a foundation for building life time value with target audiences. The notion of community has already captured the imagination of many; the findings on play, fun re-iterate the importance of facilitating social interaction in the community via more playfulness, fun experiences.

    To share a recent example (there are many) – simply the fun way in which an airline crew handled an unfamiliar situation for customers : of a 6 hour delay, sitting in a stationary plane – created a few life life long fans of an airline brand. And it was just two crew members – whose fun attitude, constant interactivity kept spirits up in a plane load of disappointed, tired and hungry people and one howling baby. Their being in the zone meant a lot to customers – keeping the channel of interaction open and ‘on’ mattered and was noticed and appreciated (distinct from other crew members who were not interacting socially).

     

    WEAVING IN IMPROVISATION:

    Social sciences experts say that unstructured play is most important for development, because that is when rules are created, improvised, negotiated.

    I loved this quote from one of the research reports, which can be universally true in its local adaptation:

    “The kids skateboarding down the street, sipping imaginary tea, and building a pillow fort are learning just as much—perhaps more—as a peer in a piano lesson”.

    Many know how the modern day aspiring but sceptical, well informed consumers, love to think for themselves. Consumers, especially Millennials, love to figure it out on their own.

    Crafting brand experiences that facilitate the amateur, the first time user, the learner, the experimenter, the non serious flirter matter more than ever; this field is demanding requisite attention, care from business and brand custodians.

    As an aside, it is these type of consumers (who are on the fringes or on the edge) who can often inspire the best innovations and improvisations for the future, in several elements of the mix (packaging, ingredients, usage/dosage etc.) .

     

    RICHER TYPES OF GAMIFICATION:

    Gamification is key to creating modern brand experiences and connections with consumers. There can be several types of fun experiences designed that are based on gamification.

    A commonly known type is Challenging fun (objectives, rewards, levels, etc.). Yet there are others too that experts point out:

    1. Easy fun (imagination, curiosity, content, experiences, exploration)

    2. People fun (niche interests, collaboration, community, co-operation)

    3. Creative fun (individuality, personalisation, avataars, customisation, expression, creativity)

     

    WRAPPING IT UP

    Fun has received a lot of worthy attention from social scientists. Philosophers and psychologists regard fun to be a vital life goal.  Fun is seen as essential not only to learning (as described above) but to many other areas, especially health, well-being, living an ideal life. More on that another time perhaps. For now, for brand and business custodians:

    1. It is timely to audit funand explore if there is a fun deficit in the experiences being provided for consumers – at present, for the future.

    2. Most immediately, leverage the learning benefits of funto spur category creation – via provision of a safe place, enabling social interactivity, facilitating improvisation, and a richer, varied embrace of gamification

    The fun of category creation is putting fun in category creation, too!

     

    Shaziya Khan is National Planning Director, Wunderman Thompson. This is republished from a post first published on LinkedIn

  • The ninth in our 10-part series where Shaziya Khan focuses on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women

    The Power of One Visionary Ally

     

    This is the ninth in our 10-part fortnightly series where Shaziya Khan focuses on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women and girls. Link to the first seven parts: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/shaziya-khan/

     

    By Shaziya Khan

     

    Shaziya KhanA positive progressive attitude shift is that women and girls must be financially savvy. Easier said than done. We learnt that there are entrenched barriers, related to roles, conditioning and expectations on the road to financial savviness.

     

    Interestingly, we also learnt that positive, relevant interjections from allies can help bring about change that is relatively effortless, long lasting and empowering too.

     

    We were fortunate to learn from several real life journeys  of allyship from women who are relatively more financially savvy. There was still something new to learn –  at each stage, as the journey continues. Yet on reflection, each woman could appreciate, one vital aspect that meant the world to her.  It was the caring and timely interjection, encouragement of one real life financial ally who reached out to her.

     

    Financial Allies for  women and girls emerge in  all shapes, sizes and life contexts. They belong to a different generation or the same generation. They belong at the workplace or at home. In the immediate or extended family. Among friends or among colleagues. They have a formal or informal engagement in financial matters. What is common across all these variations is a  quality that sets them apart. This quality is personal ownership about encouraging women or girls in financial matters – no matter how reluctant they might initially be.

     

    Fathers. Among the earliest and wisest financial allies are fathers. A story shared was about a dad  who insisted that his young daughter makes investments, have a bank account of her own. Often occasions like festivals or birthdays were times of riutalised personal financial discussions.  Over the years a habit was created. . The amounts involved were  small, but the benefit involved was big – a good habit of investing early in life. Also. a pattern  was being set – of getting personally involved,  being aware and making choices in personal financial matters.

     

    Mothers. Among the most resourceful and inventive financial allies are mothers. Often they do not have recourse to the same financial tools and knowledge as fathers do. Yet, they wisely deploy “every day contexts” as a platform to impart a lesson or two on personal financial savviness. A story shared was about a mother insisting that her daughter (and not just the son) do the monthly shopping  of a few items. This was to inculcate a certain “comfort factor” around handling money, early on. The lesson being imparted was – becoming aware of the value of things bought. Fortunately, affordability was not a constraint in the family. Yet, it was felt strongly, that the value of purchases must be known, not taken for granted. Understanding the notion of  ‘value’ was the foundation being created consciously, deliberately  on an everyday basis for future financial savviness.

     

    Spouses. Among the most knowledgeable and empowering allies are spouses. These examples are about a progressive approach of involving the wife in personal financial discussions rather than treating the topic as a ‘black box’ (unknown except in the case of emergency). The proactive approach shared in stories was about  regular reviews of personal finances among couples. Patiently including and explaining key details, implications to the wife. Initially, wives were reluctant or passively engaged but with time and regular discussions, there was a fuller engagement eventually leading to great mutual ownership and mutual support. A story shared was about a wife getting into details of housing for the first time (owning, renting implications, location impact) and the couple jointly realising a better option for housing and making the shift. A sense of shared and complementary responsibility lightens the burden of decision making, brings in more savviness from two different perspectives being balanced.

     

    Relatives. Near and dear ones, especially those who step up and encourage financial savviness of women in the family are treasured and appreciated. Stories were shared of a working woman, who encouraged her brother’s wife to handle GST, insurance, banking and related matters. Her sister in law was a self-made home entrepreneur but was hesitant when it came to financial matters. The working woman nudged her niece to support her mother. Creating a comfort zone but also insisting that her sister in law learn for herself and not “put it off” or “out-source it to  her husband”.  She made personal financial matters less intimidating and ‘normal’ in her eyes – simply something to handle and get familiar with. Soon, the allyship bore fruit and the sister in law was able to handle financial matters that earlier she could not. There are also several stories of brothers, cousins, elder sisters who were like pillars of strength and support in matters of financial savviness.

     

    Financial allyship is about ‘the everyday’ and tomorrow too

    The support and encouragement given to women and girls from real life allies have far reaching impact. Even one financial ally can change the course of a life. And in turn, the beneficiary cascades her financial learnings to those around her. Financial allyship ‘works’ in ‘as is’, ‘where is’ conditions.

     

    The financial amounts involved in investing, banking or other personal financial matters are often not large.  What is large is the gentleness yet firmness of intent. What is also large is the consistency of effort and encouragement put in. What is large too, is the long term vision being upheld in the mastery of seemingly ‘small stuff’ early on. Allies are caring visionaries. Allyship represents a rich, empathetic opportunity for brands across categories to help women and girls become financially savvy. The power of one visionary ally can be incredible, today and tomorrow.

     

    Shaziya Khan is National Planning Director, Wunderman Thompson. She has won the Jay Chiat Grand Prix  for Strategy and Three WPP Atticus Global Awards for ‘Original Thinking in Marketing Communication’. Her views here are personal. 

     

     

  • The concluding of our 10-part series where Shaziya Khan has been focusing on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women

    Financial Savviness as a Life Skill

     

     

    This is the concluding (or tenth) in our 10-part fortnightly series where Shaziya Khan has been focusing on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women and girls. Link to the first nine parts: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/shaziya-khan/

     

    By Shaziya Khan

     

    Shaziya KhanA key attitude shift among both men and women is that women and girls should be financially savvy.  We have learnt that there are several barriers lurking deep that hold women back from being more involved in their own personal finances. We have also learnt that there is a big role for allyship that brands can fulfil – enabling a positive, progressive shift towards financial savviness.

     

    To nudge things along, we need a small shift in perspective that can make a huge difference to the big picture.

     

    A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE: ‘OPTION’ VERSUS ‘LIFE SKILL’

    I digress, momentarily, to illustrate the power of a small shift in perspective. It is not the ideal nor the parallel analogy but serves simply as a limited, illustrative example.  I was discussing swimming with people from across the world.  Learnt that swimming is regarded as an elite hobby in some places, while in other places swimming is regarded as a life or survival skill.

     

    In places where it is considered a hobby, it is optional, an ‘on and off’ engagement. The training received is often absent (it was ‘picked up’), informal, even left incomplete in some areas.  People are skilled in a limited way, with untested proficiency levels. They are fine with it being so throughout life (eg. usually nothing more than light weekend or holiday swimming, floating, only in shallow pools, not swimming in the ocean or the deep).

     

    In places where it is regarded as a life skill, swimming was generally taught early on, as part of the essential curriculum, by professional coaches, involving perfect technique, even children are accomplished at it. Certain levels of proficiency and mastery must be reached for the training to be considered complete. Often, it is put into practice on a fairly regular basis throughout life (eg. in the ocean, seasonally, including long distance or long time, having better quality or professional gear, comfort in water sports).

     

    The shift in perspective, (hobby versus life skill), made a big difference to how the activity was engaged with. This shift in perspective applies to the notion of increasing financial savviness of women.

     

    SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE – FINANCIAL SAVVINESS OF WOMEN IMPACTS LIVES

    Data is quite sobering in revealing how financial savviness impacts women’s lives. The impact is broadly related to milestones and quality of relationships.

     

    Milestones related impact: The impact of personal financial aspects on lives of women includes anecdotally relatable and worthy milestones such as:

    • Security – enabling a secure financial life

    • Goals – planning for and meeting key life goals

    • Retirement – creating apt resources for retirement

    • Lifestyle – supporting a certain type of lifestyle consistently across life stages

    • Contingency – making provision for contingencies so that there is no drastic change to the quality of life

     

    Apart from these milestones, there is also limited gender-related data on the quality of relationships in women’s lives being impacted by  their financial status.

     

    Quality of relationships related impact:

    • Among Property-less women (owning neither land nor house): many more experienced physical violence & psychological violence versus property owning women (owning land and house).

    • Education and career are the biggest factors responsible for improvement in women’s lives and relationships. Both of these are closely related, in different degrees, to financial savviness.

     

    ALLYSHIP TO PROMOTE THE PERSPECTIVE OF FINANCIAL SAVVINESS AS A LIFE SKILL

    The milestone and relationship impact of financial savviness (or lack of it), are well known. These alone are significant enough to spur much action and engagement. Yet, there remains so much to be done in this area.

     

    A compelling shift in perspective is required here – one that frames financial savviness of women and girls as a life survival skill. This perspective brings into view several enabling elements via potential brand allyship eg. early education, expert training, overcoming barriers and fears, technical proficiency and above all regular life application across a range of financial products and services.

     

    Financial savviness of women and girls ought not to be regarded as just a progressive shift in attitude, which it is, nor should it be regarded as just a ‘nice to have’ option, which also it is. It ought to be regarded as a life skill. Why? Financial savviness is one of the skills that can help women and girls to swim confidently in the currents of life – shallow, medium or deep.

     

    Shaziya Khan is National Planning Director, Wunderman Thompson. She has won the Jay Chiat Grand Prix  for Strategy and Three WPP Atticus Global Awards for ‘Original Thinking in Marketing Communication’. Her views here are personal. 

     

  • The eighth in our 10-part series where Shaziya Khan focuses on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women

    Women help the family stick to ‘the plan’

     

     

    This is the eighth in our 10-part fortnightly series where Shaziya Khan focuses on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women and girls. Link to the first seven parts: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/shaziya-khan/

     

    By Shaziya Khan

     

    Shaziya KhanA fantastic and progressive attitude shift is that women should be financially savvy. This holds several opportunities for allyship for brands to whom women’s empowerment matters. We’ve learnt there exist deep seated barriers – roles, expectations, social conditioning that often hold women back from being actively involved in personal finances.

     

    Interestingly, there are also encouraging signs on women’s prowess in investing.

     

    In the context of changing financial needs of families, investing contribution and support is a welcome input from women (wives, daughters, sisters, aunts etc.) for their families.

     

    Family – New dreams. New needs.

    The family as a unit is funding new dreams and new needs. In addition to the usual family household budget, there are new experiences to provide for as well (travel, entertainment, social engagements etc.). Experiences cost money. But dreams apart, needs too demand careful thought, especially in an uncertain context.

     

    Unlike other markets where “revenge consumption” is being spoken of, commoners as well as experts believe that the Indian mindset, will be continue to value conscious, in fact more so.

     

    Thus, both for the sake of new dreams and new needs, additional financial contribution to the family unit, is relevant. More than ever, the Indian family is thinking of financial planning for a secure future. Double incomes are more relevant today than before across families.

     

    Investing is a contributor to the family income.

    Investing is a kind of passive income. Investments can be a contribution to the family kitty. Several of our panelists encourage looking at investments as “contributors”. A simple and powerfully metaphorical story shared by a panelist was about two farmers having to water a far-away farm every day. One carried two pails of water every day, the other dug a trench to lay pipeline for watering.  Implying that investments are like a long term pipeline of contribution to the family unit. A pipeline can ‘water”  (fund) the farm (family) even on days when it is not possible to carry pails of water (work/earn/travel).

     

    Women are good investors – patient, goal-based.

    Studies, in evolved markets, show that women investors outperform men investors. Qualities like “tend to research more”,  have a “long term orientation” are a few of the innate qualities of women that make them better suited at making and maintaining investments.

     

    We learnt that the best financial planners and consultants, in our market, insist on speaking to the husband and wife together. “Wife helps a family stick to the plan”. This short statement highlights the vital role women of the family play in wealth creation. In laying the investment pipeline and maintaining it, to serve the family’s needs and dreams.

     

    Our panelists shared that typically women have a patient, long term, goal based perspective on investing. For instance, goals like funding family education, retirement etc. Women help the family unit prioritise and patiently adhere to the plan. (In contrast, men are excited by the ups and downs of the market). Thus, women can be a great moral support, in family investments.  Actively involving women of the family in investing, aids in creating wealth for the family.

     

    Global data suggests men trade 45% more than women do. Women get better returns by trading less, and saving on transaction costs. Women as investors tend to be more studious, sceptical and reasonable.

     

    Role for Allyship – Stick to the women to help the family stick to ‘the plan’.

    Allyship from brands, can educate, encourage, nurture, sponsor women being actively involved in family investments. Earlier attitudes of mainly addressing the ‘chief wage earner’ or believing “investing is not for women” are both, less relevant and less true. Women’s input in investing is especially vital in a time of changing family needs and dreams.  Actively wooing women investors for the family’s wealth creation is an idea whose time has come. A book title nails it “Warren Buffet invests like a girl and why you should too”.

     

    Shaziya Khan is National Planning Director, Wunderman Thompson. She has won the Jay Chiat Grand Prix  for Strategy and Three WPP Atticus Global Awards for ‘Original Thinking in Marketing Communication’. Her views here are personal. 

     

  • The seventh in our 10-part series where Shaziya Khan focuses on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women

    Records, Reviews & Preparedness

     

    This is the seventh in our 10-part fortnightly series where Shaziya Khan focuses on the allyship of brands for financial savviness of women and girls. Link to the first three parts: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/shaziya-khan/

     

    By Shaziya Khan

     

    Shaziya KhanA progressive shift in attitude, among both men and women, is that women and girls should be more financially savvy. This relates to aspects such as improved financial planning, leading a better life and having a more secure standard of living, understanding financial matters for oneself, gaining knowledge for retirement planning, having joint responsibility of the household and girls being educated early on in financial matters.

     

    Enabling this shift in attitude to convert into behaviour, is an area of allyship for brands. Providing relevant, empathetic and timely allyship matters to brands in the financial categories as well other categories – wherever women and girls are key members of the target audience. Financial savviness impacts financial categories, but nearly all purchase categories.

     

    UNDERLYING INCLINATIONS YET STRUGGLES: While financial savviness is an attractive goal but it poses several challenges. We know a majority of women (61%) want to become more independent. Young, unmarried and women who are not working, are most apt to say they want to become more independent. 75% of women encourage their daughters to have a career and be independent. Yet, it is also learnt that third of all women agree that it is a struggle to find a balance between managing my traditions and my desire to be independent and assertive.

     

    When asked what is their top goal to achieve in five years, 55% of women say it is financial independence! (WT Sonar Study, ‘what women want’). Clearly the notion of women’s financial independence is an idea whose time has come. Yet, it is equally true that financial independence, and more broadly, financial savviness are, both, easier said than done. Guided by the truth that the spoken word scratches the surface of what is experienced, we empathetically sought out and understood practical milestones on the road to financial savviness.

     

    RECORDS CAN HELP SIMPLY YET BRILLIANTLY: On a challenging landscape of evolution, a simple yet vital step is record-keeping. Records of one’s personal finances is an unfussy yet spectacular step to build the financial savviness muscle. Records help women punch above their weight, slowly but surely.

     

    Comfort zone: Women have experience in home budgeting, monthly grocery shopping, small savings. These activities are likely to involve a personal “system” for keeping track of the monies (Envelopes, diaries, lists, excel sheets, monthly statements etc.). Thus, expanding this “system” to include broader matters of personal finances is not unfamiliar territory. Well-honed budgeting skills help women make a transition to personal financial record keeping.  This can enable women and girls keep a close eye on banking, insurance, investing aspects. Several home-makers, working women vouch for consistent, meticulous record-keeping being a key step of evolution in their own journey to financial savviness.

     

    Comprehensive reviews: Record-keeping alone is not sufficient (though it is a vital first step). The next and vital step is financial review – step back, take stock of and review the pattern, priorities emerging. Women who have gained above average financial savviness refer to a comprehensive, half yearly or quarterly review of all their personal finances. (Either with the aid of professionals or even informally by themselves or with their family members). Timely, consistent, comprehensive reviews provide validation of long-term goals, bring alive new ideas to pursue, help plan changes, become more responsive.

     

    Other advantages are the visibility, joint responsibility and approval opportunities provided. This is true, even if the husband, partner, father, brother or son is the implementor, decision-maker of personal financial matters. Women and girls are fully updated on how those decisions are faring, impacting them.

     

    A panelist shared a delightful anecdote on how her spouse schedules weekend review meeting in their home, every quarter. Even though the spouse handles his own, his wife’s, the elders, the child’s personal finances, he insists that as a ‘client’ the wife is fully updated, and in alignment with the decisions being taken. Similar stories of sons walking their mothers, sisters (every two months) on their personal financial update, reveal the advantages of reviews.

     

    Preparedness to surmount future challenges: Several women share that when facing unexpected ‘life challenges’, well-prepared financial records help immensely. Women narrated stories of estrangement, separation, health or relationship issues – challenging scenarios in which the financial need was acute. In these trying times, the stand-out factor that helped women not just survive but cope well, was their meticulous personal financial record keeping (through the years). One of the most telling stories, in our panel,  was about a very long marital relationship ending unexpectedly. Being a ‘simple housewife’, the woman did not have any financial means of her own. However, thanks to her long-standing habit of financial record keeping, she was able to receive all that was rightly due to her, from her former spouse.

     

    ALLYSHIP FOR FINANCIAL RECORD KEEPING IS ON ‘THE LIST’: Record-keeping is one of those ‘brilliant basics’ that can help women and girls grow in financial savviness. What is more, it is, relatively speaking in familiar territory, provides much visibility, alignment, and helps women to be prepared for future challenges. Encouraging personal financial record-keeping is near the top of the “to do” list for allyship from brands.

     

     

    Shaziya Khan is National Planning Director, Wunderman Thompson. She has won the Jay Chiat Grand Prix  for Strategy and Three WPP Atticus Global Awards for ‘Original Thinking in Marketing Communication’. Her views here are personal. 

     

     

  • It doesn’t discriminate on the basis of caste, gender, socio-economics, or disability, writes Shruti Pushkarna

    Shruti Pushkarna: Yes, Radio doesn’t Exclude!

    Shruti PushkarnaOn February 20, 2024, the world lost a legend. Radio presenter Ameen Sayani died of a cardiac arrest in Mumbai. He was 91. An iconic voice synonymous with radio, Sayani compered and presented over 50,000 shows.

    Growing up in the 1980s, I have fond memories of listening to the Binaca Geetmala on the radio. It’s a coincidence that the legendary voice fell silent only a week after the World Radio Day on February 13.

    Radio was a constant presence in the lives of the people back when the channels of entertainment were limited. Listeners formed a relationship, a bond of sorts, with the voices inside the radio sets. A similar personalisation is somewhat reflected in the compering style of All India Radio jockeys even today.

    Radio offers content that is informative, empowering, liberating, and entertaining. A slice of little something for every listener. Driving long hours on Delhi’s traffic snarled roads has kept me close to FM despite the numerous choices of content consumption in Digital India.

    In my interactions with blind and visually impaired people over the past few years, I realised how accessible this channel of media is, as compared to television, cinema, or OTT. Unlike the later generations of radio listeners who have switched to private radio stations, a large section of the 63 million (as per World Health Organisation) blind population still tunes in to the All India Radio. Their daily dosage includes news updates, sports commentary, dramas and short stories, interviews, and of course music.

    Unlike the visual media, radio doesn’t exclude. Persons with vision impairment who rely heavily on audio input, can equally catch, participate, and enjoy radio broadcast. In fact, a lot of them grow up aspiring to be Radio Jockeys.

    The National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (earlier known as NIVH) located in Dehradun, runs a community radio station Hello Doon 91.2, where all programmes are presented by the visually impaired youth. The institute offers an RJ course which trains blind students to pursue career options in voice functions.

    But what about mainstream radio? Do you know of any blind presenters on the popular radio stations?

    RJ Shrikanth who was born with vision in one eye, works with the Food Corporation of India in Chennai. He lost his good eye in an accident and went completely blind. When he stopped going to school following his blindness, he was drawn to radio. Apart from his day job, he worked as a Radio Jockey on the weekends, to keep his creative passion alive. He has worked for All India Radio, 92 Tamil FM, and BBC World Service.

    A few more visually impaired people in India who may not be widely recognised, have presented on the All India Radio. Rajni Gupta hosted a show called Yuva Swar on AIR, promoting young musical talent. Dilip Karampuri hosted shows focusing on literature and poetry. Rupendra Yadav worked as an AIR presenter on a show called Antardrishti, to empower people with disabilities.

    In more recent times, Radio Udaan, an online radio station run by and for the disabled community, has popularised many voices among the visually impaired people. Since its inception in 2014, Radio Udaan has conducted several RJ hunts across cities, following which visually impaired people were trained to anchor and edit before going on air.

    There are some well-known voices in the international radio circuit as well.

    Peter White is a British journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work on BBC Radio 4. Born totally blind in Winchester in 1947, Peter has presented numerous programs including You and Yours and In Touch which focus on issues affecting visually impaired people.

    Another famous presenter is Lucy Edwards who apart from contributing to various BBC radio shows, co-hosts a podcast called Blind Guy Travels.

    Allan Russell is a blind radio presenter and journalist from New Zealand. He has worked for Radio New Zealand and other radio stations, covering a range of topics including disability issues.

    Gilles Pépin is a radio host from Canada, who has worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Radio. He hosted the program Les Heures du Monde (The Hours of the World) on Radio-Canada.

    Closer home, in Pakistan, Rehana Gul followed her childhood passion to become the first blind RJ from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Gul works at FM 92.2 where she invites other persons with disabilities to her programme, Mashalona.

    In a fast-changing world driven by technology, radio has managed to live on. That’s because it is accessible and connects with a diverse audience across geographies. It doesn’t discriminate on the basis of caste, gender, socio-economics, or disability.

  • It appears that the Mother of Democracy does not want information to be shared about the ongoing protests by India’s f$rm%rs, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Mother of Democracy

    Ranjona BanerjiIndia is the mother of democracy, as we have been proudly informed by our Honourable Prime Minister and members of his esteemed political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is well-known for its understanding of democracy.

     

    A key aspect of being a proper democracy is an effective muzzling of the press. A caveat here. As William Shakespeare informed us in another context, a tiny fraction of the press believe they are born unmuzzled, others have muzzles thrust upon them and then the vast majority accept the muzzles with great glee.

     

    Military-grade spyware, bought from good friends like Israel, another democracy, have been used against Indian journalists who did not comply. Jail terms, open threats, indirect threats on potential employers – the options available to a democracy, maternal or paternal side, are many.

     

    If – just as a matter of argument – there are members of the press who are not Indian but still insist on commenting and reporting on India, what does one do about it? It has taken the mother of democracy a while to come up with an effective strategy.

     

    The trick, sorry I mean strategy, has been used on loyal columnists who may have once resorted to extremely mild criticism. You take away the overseas citizenship access from their families. Mummies and daddies and uncles and aunties now have extra incentive to be nice so that their little kiddies don’t suffer. It’s quite effective.

     

    Just withdraw the Overseas Citizenship of India access from pesky foreign journalists who have the gall to criticize the mother of democracy, the Emperor and anyone else associated with the emperor. Almost as bad as criticism is the absolute underhand tactic of giving voice to the under-privileged, suppressed, oppressed, downtrodden and so on. Some voices are not meant to be heard, especially in democratic font.

     

    And thus French journalist Vanessa Dougnac has had to leave India after 23 years for her “malicious work”. In fact, a Google search revealed that Dougnac had written about both the CAA-NRC problems in Assam as well as the migrant crisis during the Pandemic. Already on the thin end of the malicious wedge there! Shocking!

     

    French journalist Vanessa Dougnac leaves India after journalism permit revoked

     

    The main bulwark of democracy is ceaseless praise of political power. Evidently this was not made clear to Dougnac and others. Or, more likely, they didn’t have the skills to figure it out for themselves. I go out on a limb here – I am not making excuses for such malicious people – but it is possible that Dougnac and others in similar predicaments believed that journalism means “showing truth to power”.

     

    Well, I guess they know better now!

     

    https://thewire.in/media/french-journalist-vanessa-dougnac-leaves-india-amid-expulsion-threat

     

    To further entrench the mother of democracy’s democratic credentials, the authorities sent a notice to X, formerly known as Twitter, and with the name change not really known for being an upholder of free speech beyond whatever the current owner designates as free speech depending on his mood.

     

    An official X handle, Global Government Affairs, issued a post on February 22 stating that the Government of India had issued notices X take action on certain posts and accounts. Because of the nature of the Indian Government notice, X says it has no option even if it does not agree with the terms of the notice. (see screenshot.)

     

    It appears that the Mother of Democracy does not want information to be shared about the ongoing protests by India’s f$rm%rs. States where these agriculturalists are in protests have already seen death, pellet guns, teargas and internet shutdowns. These are important tools long used in democracies. Especially the mothers of…

     

    https://www.deccanherald.com/india/elon-musks-x-claims-modi-government-issued-executive-orders-to-withhold-specific-accounts-and-posts-2905165

     

    So there we have it. New evidence that there is no democracy like ours!

    There are other states that behave in similar manners, but oddly, they are called very different names…

     

    Hmm. Wonder why.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.

  • It is intriguing however to conjecture that to counter a strong critical voice which sees shades of North Korea in the behaviour of those at the top, some Public Relations Expert decided that to try something which Kim Jong Un might be jealous of, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Keeping the media distracted

    Ranjona BanerjiFor some reason which is not quite clear as far as the executive role of elected representative is concerned, the Prime Minister of India walked about with peacock feathers, then got into a diving suit and sat at the bottom of the seabed on a red carpet.

     

    The usual media frenzy ensued. However, there was no clarity on the issue. Some said he went scuba diving to promote underwater tourism in Gujarat. Others said he went to pray. Others said he offered peacock feathers (not sure to whom exactly) and meditated. Others said it was some sort of an exploration to see the ancient submerged ruins of Dwarka. Others said the idea was to offer prayers at a submerged temple.

     

    My own feeling is that the Public Relations organisation in charge of this event sent different releases to different people. Even though I am long retired from active journalism, some sweet and kindly PR companies still send me releases for “opportunities” to interview or better “interact” with some famous person I have never heard of or even better exclusive authored curated something, I may have got the order of the words wrong because I don’t quite get current PR speak. Anyway, my point is that all the newsrooms may have received separate, individual, curated, authored press releases – praying, meditating, promoting, divining, feathering and so on.

     

    I feel this is a very clever election to keep the media distracted from reality and in a high state of constant suspense – What will He do next – and excitement – Can you believe He did something so wonderful.

     

    A few cynics – particularly the evil anti-national type who still lurk about at the edges – claim that this entire stunt sorry I mean brave and exciting adventure was a response to this:

     

     

    Dhruv Rathee is an independent commentator on Youtube. His videos are usually on politics. This particular commentary is on why he thinks India is vast edging towards a North Korea-like dictatorship and speeding away from being a democracy. It was got over 12 lakh likes and has been viewed by 1,3126,342 as of February 22, 2024.

     

    Rathee has not minced his words on India’s current situation and nor has he spared the Honourable Prime Minister and the BJP.

     

    It is intriguing however to conjecture that to counter a strong critical voice which sees shades of North Korea in the behaviour of those at the top, some Public Relations Expert decided that to try something which Kim Jong Un might be jealous of!

     

    Don’t laugh! Instead, admire them for knowing their audience.

     

    Because what is happening in India above the water only seems to prove Rathee’s points. A judge of the Calcutta High Court wasted precious time over what seemed to be an absurd case over the naming of lions. Because one was called Akbar (Muslim), and the other Sita (Hindu name, commonly given to girls, and of epic significance), the judge ordered the lions to be renamed and the Tripura government suspended the forest officer who had named the lions.

     

    Idiotic as this whole episode seems, it points to the consistent atmosphere of official Islamophobia in the BJP and Modi’s India. This underlying theme since 2014 has stopped being the focus of discussion and media interest, and thus attempts to destroy lives and livelihoods of Muslims have only increased.

     

    That the Prime Minister’s PR stunt was about Hindu prayers only strengthens that intent.

     

    A professor of politics and international relations at the University of Westminster is not allowed to enter India. Nitasha Kaul was invited by the Karnataka government to attend a convention on the Constitution and National Unity. However she was detained at Bengaluru Airport and deported to London. Kaul was been a consistent critic of the Modi government.

     

    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/harrowing-experience-who-is-nitasha-kaul-indian-origin-professor-denied-entry-to-india/articleshow/108014822.cms

     

    BJP supporters in India have mocked Rathee because he does not live in India. But as one can see from Kaul’s experience, criticism of PM ji has its consequences.

     

    Goodness, I almost feel admiration now for the cowardice of the Indian media. Maybe it’s just survival??

     

    Hah!

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.

  • How you react to a situation defines what kind of a person or leader you are, writes Sanjeev Kotnala. These opportunities, like moment marketing, need a quick decision by empowered employees or entrepreneur owners

    Sanjeev Kotnala: Lessons Learned: Experience with the Cooking Gas Interruption

    Sanjeev KotnalaIt was not a crisis. However, often, the responses from people on such days can reflect a lot about their attitude and approach to life. It can demonstrate their approach to life, self-confidence, understanding of the situation and decision-making capabilities. Disruption of cooking gas supply on Monday for a lakh-plus in Mumbai was one such incident.

    We first learned of it overhearing the conversation between two neighbours on our floor. Our reaction was: there goes my morning tea. The call to the Mahanagar Gas helpline welcomed us with a pre-recorded message. It updated us that the fault was because of some construction activity and that we can expect the service reinstated by 6pm.

     

    Initial Reaction

    We first thanked Mahanagar Gas for the message. Two, we realised it was a major fault covering a large area. Three, we had no alternate energy source. So, the possibility of buying an induction plate was discussed and discarded. You don’t plan for such disruption, like you don’t purchase an investor in Mumbai. One will re-evaluate options if such a disruption of service happens frequently. Someone wise suggested why don’t we get on a fruit diet for a day. The suggestion was shot down.

     

    Indian Entrepreneur

    The tea stall run by a Bihari near the society realised the opportunity early. Anticipating enhanced demand, he arranged for extra milk, glasses, plastic pouches (for carrying milk), paper cups and thermos. By 8:30am, he had taken permission and was delivering tea door-to-door. He was even taking orders for delivering later in the day, collecting thermos to deliver again and readily sharing his number for later orders. Additionally, he collected Upma and idli orders- which were to be served by his neighbouring stall. An exemplary demonstration of the Indian business mind.

     

    The Office Worker

    Many officegoers were planning a lunch outing or what to order from – as there was no tiffin. Students carried dry snacks or money to eat at the school canteen.

    In the evening, a few happy students reported on how the school canteen had made arrangements for packed snacks, and a few were unhappy as the canteen had run out of stuff.

     

    Different Perspective

    The area under supply cut still is dominated by families where women are homemakers. They were now looking forward to dinner outings in the evening. Husbands sounded less committed to the idea and promised to go if the supply was not reinstated by 6pm. A calculated move.

    I overheard ladies rescheduling their vegetable and fruit purchases to the evening for better rates. The vegetable vendor confirmed their thinking was correct.

    My daughter, who works with an MNC, was sure Mahanagar Gas had buffered delays and that the supply would start by 4-4.30pm. Her logic is that giving the bad news and surprise with early recovery is better than extending the timeline. She was proved right.

     

    Failed Kitchen Setup

    Few kitchens failed to encash the opportunity. They ran out of ingredients, gas, or both early in the afternoon and thus stopped taking orders. Many anticipating demand made arrangements and restricted menus for quick delivery.

     

    Disappointing Big Brand

    A leading brand of pizza disappointed us. Their service went from bad to worse. Soon, they were taking way longer to deliver than promised. They were taking orders directly through Zomato and Swiggy. The result was massive chaos and delays. Every delivery boy had to listen to irritated customer complaints. Remember, whatever the value of the order may be, we Indians are demanding customers.

    They could have closed one of the streams or started showing a longer delivery time. Maybe the store in charge was not empowered. Perhaps the SOP required an early indent for ingredients and was in short supply. However, it all ended with a bad customer experience- a far worse situation than not taking orders or closing the shop.

     

    Net-net

    How you react to a situation defines what kind of a person or leader you are. These opportunities, like moment marketing, need a quick decision by empowered employees or entrepreneur owners.

     

    PostScript

    In many families, the evening ended with a movie and/or dining out. One could see the Monday evening shows doing better business on BookMyShow. The restaurants in the mall and in the market had people waiting on a Monday. In fact, streetfood stalls were doing great business. In fact, the home delivery of food spiked… families would not leave an opportunity like this.

  • There are signs that Gen Z is tiring of click-bait advertising, and perhaps the coming decades will see a shift back to mirroring and layered advertising, writes Ashoke Agarrwal

    Ashoke Agarrwal: Mirror! Mirror! On the Wall! Which Ad is the Best of All!?

    Ashoke AgarrwalAt the peak of the mass media advertising era, a fundamental rule of creative strategy was to look at stimulus and desired response as two separate entities.

    The way the principle was explained to newbies in the planning and creative department was that if you wanted a consumer to consider going out shopping for a new refrigerator (response), the messaging needed to evoke, say, the inconvenience of sputtering old refrigerator (negative stimulus) or the joy of opening a spanking new, modern refrigerator and tasting the freshness of an apple bought two weeks ago (positive stimulus).

    However, the stimulus-response principle goes way beyond the one-dimensional Pavlovian relationship.

    An insight I have garnered over decades of strategic planning experience and working with the best creative people is the ‘Mirror Principle’.

    Most advertising works through repetition within limits. The rare ad campaign strikes home the first time a viewer comes across it. Others need repetition to overcome inertia and lead to attitudinal or behavioural change.

    However, a consumer pays attention to an ad only if it evokes interest in the first place. Suppose an ad doesn’t provoke the initial attention. In that case, no amount of repetition will make the consumer pay attention; thus, the entire campaign will be like a ship passing in the dark.

    So before the stimulus-response paradigm can work, an ad must overcome media clutter and human inertia and evoke interest.

    Some creatives take that as the cue to resort to the ‘painted pony syndrome” – a stableboy was madly in love with the master’s daughter and sad that she would not even look at him when he delivered her pony to her every morning. The stable master consoled him and said he must get the girl to address him first. So, when the boy offered the pony the following day, the girl screamed, “Who painted my pony yellow!?”. The boy replied, “I did. Can we meet in the woods this evening!”

    The “painted pony syndrome” drives much of the bizarre, supposedly clutter-busting, attention-grabbing advertising. Advertising that is not just ineffective but counterproductive.

    The “Mirror Principle” is that an ad campaign grabs an individual’s attention when it mirrors her self-image, aspirations, or beliefs.

    For example, most women do not crave to look as beautiful as a film star. On the other hand, most know that looking younger than one’s age is a sign of a well-lived and disciplined life. While few women believe that soap can be the chief instrument in their looking young, the fact that Santoor’s advertising reflects their aspirations has led to Santoor becoming India’s number-one soap brand over the years.

    Apple’s 1984 ad mirrored the American angst of the 80s and thus worked even among those who had never heard of Orwell.

    The “Hamara Bajaj” campaign worked because it mirrored the need of the first generation of Indians born after 1947, the first post-colonial generation, to discover a modern Indian identity.

    When Syska pioneered LED Lights in India, it used the persona of Irfan Khan to mirror the urge to go off the beaten path that is an overt or latent part of every individual.

    The other factor that enhances response is when an ad is layered – when a TV or a press ad reveals new facets to the viewer/ reader every time she sees it. All the four ads I have mentioned above are layered. Mirroring and layering are skills that top-rung advertising creatives have in common with their counterparts in films, television, books, and art.

    One note of caution about repeat viewing: even the best-layered ads have a limit regarding repeat viewing. Many big brands with mega budgets tend to deliver campaigns to a reader/viewer so often that they become counterproductive.

    When the digital and social media advertising era dawned, I expected advertising to reach new heights in mirroring and layering. The expectation was based on the narrowcasting that digital and social media enable that would allow for greater depth of insight. Instead, digital and social media advertising is, by and large, plumbing the depths of the Pavlovian stimulus-response paradigm, focused on the all-important click and like or share buttons.

    However, there are signs that Gen Z is tiring of click-bait advertising, and perhaps the coming decades will see a shift back to mirroring and layered advertising.

  • A Tale of Two Mergers, and the Future that Beckons

    A Tale of Two Mergers, and the Future that Beckons

    Shailesh KapoorIt was in December 2021 that we first heard an official announcement of the Sony-Zee merger. It took a little more than two years for that merger to be finally called off, unless we have another surprise in the offing. Since last year, there has been buzz about the Reliance-Disney deal. Earlier this week, there has been a formal announcement, leading to the creation of an Indian media behemoth, if there ever was one.

    Whenever someone has asked me this week what I think of the merger, my first response is that I’m glad it’s finally done. For more than two years, the news on these mergers have dominated attention, and now, we can move on. To more interesting things like content, marketing, technology, monetisation, the works.

    It’s largely speculative to predict how a merger of the nature of the Reliance-Disney one will impact the future of the industry. From the consumer side, there is unlikely to be any impact in the short term. Audiences eventually respond to content, marketing, and pricing, and it’s not currently clear how any of that is likely to be impacted. The first impact is felt at the level of the teams, as restructuring exercises are a natural outcome. Implementation of product and brand strategies can take their time, sometimes years.

    The Indian television industry is in the middle of a tough period. From single-digit percentage growth scenarios, it is now looking at potential degrowth in the coming year or two, however notional, in both revenues and subscribers. Of course, all the talk of young people not watching TV at all is highly exaggerated, and comes from a place of privilege. But there is no escaping the fact that linear television is no longer the first-choice destination of a section of audiences in India.

    But it’s not as if streaming is thriving. We are well past the pandemic-induced honeymoon period, and the reality that the Indian consumer is not willing to shell out the bucks for paid subscriptions is now upon us.

    The leadership team at Reliance-Disney has its task cut out, as do other major players in the category, including Sony and Zee. The next two-three years are going to see potential trend creation, across domains, ranging from streaming to linear TV to theatrical to news to sports. New rules will be written, and technology could play a decisive role. How exactly though? No one knows for sure. Technology giants Google and Meta are going to be very much at the centre of it all, enabling and influencing content and monetization decisions more than ever before.

    Successfully or not, the mergers are done with. The real excitement starts now.