Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Thursday, Apr 10, 2003
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Thursday, Apr 10, 2003 |
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Marketing
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Marketing Research JWT study casts new light on consumer attitudes Rina Chandran
MUMBAI, April 9 IF you prefer ready-to-cook meals and paying with your credit card, see spirituality as a way to maintain balance, and yearn to start something on your own - you are not alone. From Delhi to Bangalore, and Bareilly to Warangal, a sizeable part of the population thinks this way, according to a recent study by J Walter Thompson India (JWT). The study by the advertising and marketing communications company, titled `The Great Indian Family: Juicing Change', has delved deep into the psyche of the Indian consumer. It came up with eight core concepts that significantly influence consumer attitudes and behaviour: the importance of being entrepreneurial; speed and lightness; enjoyment; religion and spirituality; the family as a brand; the `nowness' of life; manipulation and powerplay for family harmony; and `getting more out of less'. "Some of these are already known to us, but even these were known by chance, not design," Mr Kamal Oberoi, President, JWT, told Business Line. "The surprising part was their universal nature - the manifestations may be different, but the drivers are the same, and they cut across social, cultural, economic and regional differences." Ad agencies have traditionally relied on brand-specific studies done by themselves and by marketers, broader syndicated studies by research agencies, and media reports on lifestyle changes and trends, Mr Oberoi said. However, while something was known of the various influences on the consumer, not much was known about the impact of these influences on attitudes and behaviour. "The need to delve deeper was articulated by our strategic planners about a year ago. We perceived a gap, and wanted to complete the loop from our earlier research." The study, which took seven months to complete at the cost of "several millions", was conducted by Research International, part of the London-based custom research organisation, Research International Group. The study used ethnography to study the consumer. It entailed over 96 in-depth interviews across 24 families from Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Bareilly, Bangalore and Warangal; researchers stayed in their homes for a week. The families - from different socio-economic strata - were scientifically selected to represent the emerging consumer types in the country. Most conventional research has focused on consumer attitudes and behaviour in reference to specific brands and product categories, or a gender or class; it is often based on western templates that focus on the individual. By contrast, the JWT study focused on the collective. "Indians have a more collective mindset, and the smallest collective unit is the family," Mr Oberoi said. "So, we decided to focus on the family in their natural environment." The methodology, the objective and the scale of the research were all much bigger than anything done before, he added. Ethnography enables researchers get a more perceptive understanding of consumers' needs and expectations by actively observing them in their natural environment. Broadly speaking, the research reveals that consumers are attaching greater importance to enterprise; there is also an increasing penchant for `lightness' - being less traditional, opting for convenience foods and home delivery, and shopping in supermarkets. The Indian consumer is also laying greater emphasis on the experience and enjoyment that come with products; and, while consumers are willing to spend money, their expectations of return from every rupee spent are much more now. Also, the family is being treated as a brand, and there is a tendency to project a specific family image, according to the study. JWT will present the findings internally, and then to its clients, Mr Oberoi said. Its major clients include Ford India, GlaxoSmithKline, Godrej, Hero Honda, Hindustan Lever, ITC, Nestle, Kellogg, Pepsi, Philips, Standard Chartered and the UB group. The research will be an ongoing process and used to align brands in more relevant ways with the consumer, he added. "It's not just a question of knowing; it's also a matter of interpreting and using the research. A deeper insight will enable us to offer fresh insights, and come up with better communication ideas. Our hit run will improve."
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