Self-belief, pride in country top consumer trends

These current dominant traits among Indian consumers were highlighted by market research firm Quantum Consumer Solution at a Market Research Society of India webinar last week. Quantum’s findings are based on its research for clients as well as its social listening tools that track consumer motivations and behaviour

Indians prefer to see themselves less as third-world citizens and more as part of the global superpowers. ‘Boldly’ Indian, they want to be the architects of their own destiny and seek convenience in daily lives. Not only are they proud of their Indian identity, they are unapologetic about putting their true self out in the public and have loads of self-belief.

Self-belief, pride in country top consumer trends

These current dominant traits among Indian consumers were highlighted by market research firm Quantum Consumer Solution at a Market Research Society of India webinar last week. Quantum’s findings are based on its research for clients as well as its social listening tools that track consumer motivations and behaviour.

Shivanjali Phatak, associate partner at Quantum, said though pride in the country has been apparent for a while, the evolution of self-assured expression of Indian identity is predominant now and cuts across socio-economic and town classes. “Boldly Indian is also consumers’ great admiration for Indian government’s assertion on global stage. They take custodianship of this image of India and protect it fiercely,” said Phatak.

Greater confidence also comes from winning medals at the 95th Academy Awards as well as India’s superlative performance at major global sports events. Llyod Mathias, business strategist and former marketer at PepsiCo, Motorola & HP, said Indian pride goes beyond what the government projects. “It has deeper roots in feeling good about our digital infrastructure and the technology leaps we have taken,” he said.

Brands know that Indians are not overawed by foreign labels. They are well-travelled and confident. “Advertising recognises that consumers are comfortable being Indian, so they communicate in Hinglish, interspersed with desi terms and local idioms. They also ride on regional Indian festivals like Dhanteras and Chhatt Puja,” he said.

The noticeable self-belief among Indians is owed partly to social media platforms where they put themselves out to find approval. “There are social media trolls too but if they get acceptance, it boosts their confidence,” Phatak said, adding that the trait is more perceptible among women who are taking charge of their life. “Instead of playing victim, they want to build their own life. They are turning from being a backend supporter to a frontline enabler,” she said.

Millions of Indians are expressing themselves on social platforms and being applauded for it, Mathias said. “Anyone can be an Instagram star even with 500 or 2,000 followers. They don’t have to be super special to go out and communicate. Just the fact that they may bake a very good cake is good enough for them to make a reel,” he said.

Obviously, brands are relooking at how they speak to these consumers. “Un-stereotyping is a big theme. It is changing how men and women are portrayed in advertising though they have barely scratched the surface yet,” Phatak said.

In web content, people show a growing appetite for realism and authenticity. “Image of being perfect is becoming less believable. Not just black and white but grey is accepted too,” she said.

However, authentic advertising has not found approval in the past, evident in the backlash against the Dabur ad featuring a lesbian couple and the inter-faith marriage shown in Tanishq ad. Mathias said social media trolling can be motivated but brands have realized that they need to be relatable. “If an issue matters to consumers, they are better off talking about it keeping these sensitivities in mind,” he said.

Another major cultural shift among consumers has been the realization that there is no glory in effort. When covid forced people to explore new ways of living, habits that made life easier – such as hybrid work model or online shopping – stuck. Phatak calls it the ‘battle against effort and quest for effortless living’ with consumers looking to minimize struggle and maximize benefits.

“Effortless doesn’t denote absence of hard work. It just means working smarter where convenience is the new benchmark,” she said, adding that brands and businesses that appeal to this sentiment will benefit.

Lastly, as consumers chase quality of life with focus on vacations, health, wellness and indulgences, Phatak said that brands providing more experiences or championing conscious and slow living will gain.

“Some people have adapted, some are catching up. New culture codes are always an evolution,” added Phatak.