This myth of the new age customer has bogged down brands, marketers since ages.
The key challenge faced by marketers today is identifying and addressing the needs of new age consumer.
Who is this new age consumer ?
Are her needs really different than previous age consumer ?
Does she really have two noses, 4 eyes etc ?
Why is she so unreachable ?
Why does she not interact with us, engage with us ?
Dear Marketers, time to bite the bullet.
She has been natural, she has evolved. She is mature, concerned, cautious. Some one who refused to change is you Mr. Marketer.
You want to have new age results with old age tricks, for you She is still the "Target Audience" as if she is your shooting practice target.
Grow up, Sir, She did.
She is today a concerned citizen at 10, grows to be an aware consumer by 15, and is all knowledgeable all demanding by 18. See around, wake up, come out of your data banks, analysis, trends. All they tell you about is history. She is here ,happening ,now .
She sees FB buts shuts off an ad, she cannot relate to me too products, or services or websites. and no she does not want the cheapest product. She is not looking for sale always, she spends where she sees value.
She might not buy a fully loaded android phone with top class features under 15k, but will queue up for iphone5 or galaxynote 2 launch.
She buys a tide or surf or rin, not because they are advertised by fancy models but because she thinks its works for her . At the same time she still buys a 1 kg of nirma because she can relate to hema, rekha, jaya aur sushma. The symbol of her power.
So my dear marketer, please speak to her with respect, she loves it. Show her some passion, she adores it. Stop treating her like a bimbo, she hates it.
She is a mother, wife, sister, daughter, girlfriend, but more importantly a personality of her own, she is her own self. She has arrived in life, she chooses not to cook, she choses to go out for a drive, drink or party. No she doesn't like to be treated like an object of desire like deo or liquor ad. She doesn't want to challenge systems, social norms etc but neither she wants the metro KHAPS to judge her, torture her, question her or form opinions about her.
She loves being herself, let her be. celebrate her evolution with her.
Trust me, she is your sure shot win. she controls the money flows like never before, she manages husband, kids, in laws, out laws, TV channels, like never before. She takes care of two families at a time.
Dont just use her in TVC, engage with her in active life, weave your programs around her, be part of her time, her life, her story and she might still be loyal to you.
Time to grow up , time to evolve, time to start new conversations. Its no more just beauty products.
