It’s the season! Come January, it’s time to seek predictions and spot the trends for the year to come. Trends predicted for 2014, 2015, why even 2013 seem to be more or less the same on many aspects of marketing, branding and consumer behaviour.

Let me list some done-to-death trendspotting. ‘Social media (conveniently, replace it with digital media, if the difference is not clear) is the next big thing to revolutionise communication and marketing’

‘Content is king’

‘Content will be the differentiator, the game changer’

‘Tier 2 and -3 towns will grow even more aggressively’

‘Mobile as a marketing and communication platform is set to change the landscape’

‘MNC brands will dictate consumer behaviour and consumption’

‘E-commerce will take over retail marketing’ And so on

Here is an attempt to take stock of five current trends which many don’t seem to see.

Tier-2 and -3 vs urban The changes in the recent past are so obvious and apparent that the line differentiating them is becoming thinner by the day. It seems that the differences are only based on geography and not so much on the need, taste and appeal. With the advent of the satellite television, exposure to social media and internet connectivity, interaction with the end consumers has become democratic, equalising the reach and touchpoints.

The exposure levels to new trends, products, lifestyles and aspirations are exactly the same and in real time. The reactions, rejections, admiration and celebration of any brand(s) are transparent and live across metros/ big cities and tier 2/3 cities.

The only difference would be in the ever-changing cultural and value systems that would determine the reaction time and the adaptation time to a marketing stimulus or to a brand idea.

What many of us don’t realise is that there will always be a significant tier 2/3 market existing in a metro/big city. There will always be a Salem in Chennai, a Hubli in Bangalore, a Rampur in Delhi. There are consumers with a tier 2/3 town mindset with beliefs and fears rooted in their cultural and value systems and with similar tastes and appeal, as people migrate from smaller towns. It is also interesting to observe how many of these differences are usually seen through the big city boy’s lenses.

The digital and social wave

Digital marketing seems to be the new mantra for many but the industry is not sure how many actually have understood this so-called game-changer. Most, I believe, don’t want to miss out on this new trend and hence the curiosity and indulgence. For many, social media = Facebook, YouTube and maybe Twitter at the most. Mobile marketing is about apps and downloads or a medium to connect through the World Wide Web. Digital agency is about setting up a web page, a Twitter handle and a Facebook page with frequent postings to boost SEO and likes. The difference between digital marketing and marketing in a digital world will be realised soon in 2015. It’s time to get below the wave and get wet.

The next trick Communication approaches and techniques have really been put to test. Some have relied on their time-tested formulae and many have ventured to experiment with long-duration formats, mini- and micro-duration formats, interactive styles, road-block interceptions and such. Content is king they said many years ago, and they continue to say this with even greater gusto. No change in this. However, there seems to be a highly rated need to personalise communication. I believe all of us will soon be sick with this over- personalised communication where every message will seem intrusive and unemotional, how much ever the content is made to look and sound emotional. We will all soon realise it is some technology trying to build a relationship with us as individuals. In 2015, personalisation will be in the communication appeal rather than in personalised messages.

A shop for every need When high street shopping sprung up, the neighbourhood shops sat up and watched anxiously. When the malls sprung up, the high street shops held their breath, and now with the new ‘trusted’ e-tail business booming, the malls are left wondering what next? The consumer seems to be ever changing and falling for the next new shopping flavour.

Observations suggest that business sizes could be getting re-jigged but the reason to buy or at least visit each of these formats is not changing. The predominant reasons to shop will by and large remain the same. Friendly neighbourhood shops for familiarity and convenience, high street for window shopping, malls to hang out with friends or families as an outing and e-tail for the convenience, widest selection and great prices. The trick here is to decode the reason to shop at a particular format and work on the insight rather than try to replace or expect a change in behaviour.

Your screen of choice? It looks like the television screen gave way to the desktop screen and the laptop took over, only to lose it to the mobile screen. Except for the size of the screen and the technology behind it and, of course, the obvious advantages in their respective formats, the usage largely seem to remain the same – messaging, contacts, mailing, entertainment, banking, business documents, education aids and tools, etc. It finally boils down to what everybody is doing or which screen everyone wants to use. Unlike shopping formats, screen sizes and the technology behind them will determine what will rule the market. The big difference here is one of migration to new formats and not necessarily a case for co-existing. All formats of shopping exist and will continue to exist. All formats of technology may not. Heard of floppies and dial-up modems? Soon we will be asking about the missing CDs, DVDs and Java phones.

Pavan Padaki is author, Brand Vinci, and Principal, Insights-In Sight Consulting

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