5 trends to watch for this year

Wearable technology; men taking on "feminine "roles; social media, luxury brands and "second life" packaging opening their arms to engage and energise customers are the stuff marketers should be ready for

These are just five of ten global trends predicted by my colleagues at Landor by studying the behaviour and attitudes of high-profile demographics, especially the Millennials and Gen “Y”ers, who will outspend baby boomers by 2017.

Wearable technology is not just for gadget heads
Lingerie that monitors overeating. Clip-on language translators that voice translate 25 languages in real-time. T-shirts that measure body temperature and vital signs. Wearable technology will change the way we live and why not? It enhances human capabilities, integrates with behaviour without the hassle of being a device and enhances our experiences of the things we love. The market is expected to reach $6 billion by 2016 and even India has creations to its credit.

Hyderabad-based Dhama Innovations has designed a climate-controlled jacket that provides both heating and cooling on demand. Ducere Technologies is designing haptic-based interactive footwear technology to help the visually impaired navigate around obstacles. A smartwatch developed by SenseGIz, Belgaum uses gesture control to tackle phone-related tasks. And you thought Google Glass and Samsung Gear were it! Wearable technology is sure to gain traction in India in 2014 as products become more affordable and consumers seek more instant ways to monitor their health and wellness

Man as “wife”
It’s no longer considered feminine to be dressy or fussy. Men are becoming equally conscious about the way they look and dress. According to a Nielsen study, a rising aspiration among Indian men to look better groomed has led to the grooming market’s rapid growth of more than 34 per cent, which is faster than the growth rate of the total personal care and beauty industry in India. Male grooming is now a Rs 3,800-crore market in India and has increasing disposable incomes, rising urbanization and “individualism” to thank.

Popular icons from film stars to cricket players are also openly flaunting it as can be seen in L’Oreal’s Garnier and Unilever’s Vaseline ranges. Another surprising discovery is that young, urban Indian men who previously hesitated to cook are increasingly considering it, especially experimenting with new cuisines, to be a cool and stylish hobby to pursue. Miele and Fisher & Paykel, inventive kitchen tool brands, organise cookouts for men and encourage them to experiment. About 35 per cent of shoppers at Godrej Nature’s Basket, retailers of fine food from across the world, are men.

“Second life” packaging becomes first priority
It’s shrink or sink for the environment which is making consumers more interested in eco-friendly solutions. Most brands are capitalising on this to keep customers engaged  with innovative and thought-provoking packaging. Reuse or “Second life” packaging merges creativity with sustainability and gives the purchased product additional value. Sainsbury’s and Coca-Cola recently sponsored a campaign which taught consumers to turn plastic Coca-Cola bottles into household items.

India has just started waking up to the situation but already Lotus, MAC and FAB India are using reusable bags made of cellulose, newspaper or recycled cloth. Lush packages its cosmetics in an organic cotton scarf. Unilever propagates refill packs to make it possible to reuse the primary pack. As marketers pay more attention to the first moment of truth, packaging innovations like these are sure to increase.

Luxury brands are back bigger than ever
India is home to three million affluent households and is expected to more than double by 2015. To attract and engage this emerging category of affluent consumers, luxury brands are willing to tailor their product strategies. So Burberry next to Zara in a Mumbai mall or Chanel in the regular Select City Walk mall in Delhi comes as no surprise. Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Maserati, Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are going beyond extended warranty and offering a lifetime of superlative experiences such as exotic honeymoons and high-end travel.

Italian stylist Rossano Ferreti, whose clients abroad include Hollywood stars, combines his $1,000 cuts with pick-up and drop-off in a BMW 7 series, Champagne on arrival and indulgent hair products like caviar pearls. Luxury brands are also increasingly democratizing the category through various products and price points. Burberry sells dresses at Rs 24,000 next to those with a Rs 1 lakh price tag. Moet Hennessy offers a bottle of Chandon sparkling wine for just Rs 1,200. Democratisation of luxury in India will be the key driver in bringing in more consumers into the luxury fold.

Social media becomes old school
Social engagement transitions from a leisure activity to a customer service and marketing necessity. Brands will drive consumer connect with refreshing media platforms. Consumers also want to use the online world for shared relaxation and fun, not just work. Internet-savvy small-town Indians are also discovering the possibilities of online connectivity and using it for new activities that were once considered doable only in the real world.

To promote its Bournvita Quiz Contest, India’s longest running quiz show on television, Bournvita encouraged viewers to play along in real time through a mobile app. ‘Lootera’ a romance drama film, set in the year 1953, recreated the magic of that period through Facebook apps. Even religion is reinventing itself with popular websites offering devotees door delivery of prasad (“blessed”food) and online “darshan” via live streaming. Greater broadband penetration will only encourage marketers to develop even more engaging content and games that consumers will discover and spread via social media.

Lulu Raghavan,
MD, Landor Associates India