The new Indian man: A dream consumer for marketers

The modern man's insatiable attitude and need for escape have made him the most sought-after consumer

"More! More! The cry of a mistaken soul, less than all cannot satisfy Man." Though William Blake penned these lines over two centuries ago, there couldn't be a closer representation of today's man. The ManMood project by FCB Ulka reveals the materialistic and covetous side of the Indian man of today and how marketers stand to gain from this aspiring aspect of the current generation. The ManMood project uses a proprietary insight discovery tool of the FCB network called Mind & Mood. This tool delves deep into the consumer mind to unearth new insights. The ManMood project is, perhaps, the largest single study into the mind of the Indian man across eight cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi, Mysore, Indore and Jodhpur. Insights were assimilated from over 27 Mind & Mood workshops and 16 home and family interactions among SEC A&B households, generating over 100 hours of frank conversations.

The study uncovers the challenges, aspirations, fears and dreams of the Indian man. However, his attitude towards money will probably be the most enriching to the marketer and, hence, is the subject of this piece.

The pursuit of success is unending

The Indian man defines himself by his possessions rather than who he is. However, this materialistic definition of self-worth means that that he is never satisfied with where he has reached. The items necessary to be seen as successful keep increasing as do their costs, leading to a sense of discontentment. Three out of four men express some level of dissatisfaction with their standard of living. In a way, life for them has become a continuous climb to reach the ever elusive temple to Mammon.

The value of 'values' is diminishing

Anything which stands in the way of making this journey easier needs to be dismantled. No wonder this generation believes in shades of grey rather than a black and white approach to ethics. Practicality is the crutch used to justify questionable actions. What is intriguing is that their children too are brought up on a healthy dose of such practicality since 'good values and material gains rarely go hand in hand'.

Role models stay across the street

This trend is exacerbated by the lack of role models especially for the younger generation. Icons of professionalism and institution builders are seen as yesterday's heroes and the reach of global icons is limited to a small set of the urban affluent Indians. Role models tend to come from within the community - "Hamare yahan rehte hain, sheher mein sabse pahele BMW unhone kharidi thi." And many of these role models have been successful by being 'practical' in their approach to business.

Money is what money does

The attitude to money is one of the biggest changes in the Indian consumer landscape. This generation does not value money as an asset but rather as an enabler.

Accordingly, the attitude to money is not of conservation but of optimal utilisation to achieve desires. But money is also one of the biggest cause of stress for today's consumers as expenses and inflation mount. Estimating the correct amount of money for a better tomorrow, in fact, is becoming tougher.

Life is here and now

With an ever increasing appetite for consumption opportunities, spending as a proportion of earnings is at an all-time high. This makes it difficult for today's man to invest in his future and retirement. Despite this he is unwilling to curb his current outgoings. What he owns today is a definition of who he is and where he has reached in life. Hence, he concentrates on making the most of the present and indulging himself with the 'necessities' of modern life.

Loyalty is as good as the options one has

The feeling that I am only as good as the money I make, implies that men look at their careers from the perspective of 'best returns'. This attitude impacts the professional life of the new Indian man. In smaller towns, a paucity of knowledge and opportunities means that jobs are seen as limiting in growth opportunities. They also think: "You can move ahead 1-2 steps with jobs, but you can't jump ahead like you can in business."

What it means to a marketer

* Excessive pressures, need for escape: The fantasy world that marketers have historically promised their women consumers is probably more relevant to men now. He finds himself ever burdened from playing the role of a provider to his family, to succeeding at his workplace and earning enough to give success a definition. He finds no respite and seeks avenues to escape from this drudgery. Marketers have the opportunity to offer this outlet through their products or services.

* Wants many, opportunities few: The internet and e-commerce culture has successfully brought in the small town Indian male into the consumerism cycle, but unlike his big city cousins, he has a paucity of opportunities to fuel his wants. He is looking for avenues to earn big; and business - not service - is viewed as a key to his goals. Marketers will gain from recognising this entrepreneurial spirit of the new age consumers, not just in metros but more so in smaller towns.

* Success critical, values negotiable: To the Indian male today there is no right or wrong, what works for his success, works for him. He is not one to be held back by ethics or morality and hence does not relate to a marketer's pitch to do so. He is okay with this self-image and not apologetic about it. Beware marketers - before embarking on a holier than thou approach to your brands or communication platforms.

* Upgrades indispensable, hierarchies evolve: The new age consumer is defined by his possessions. No surprise then that his choice of durables is increasingly moving upwards. Be it the very categories that he has moved into like luxury sedans, LED TVs with home theatres or even smart phones. Or even the feature loading within a category. The base models are no longer the highest selling ones and marketers can leverage this consumer craving to own only the best.

An insatiable attitude has made the new Indian man a marketer's dream consumer across many categories. In this exciting new world much of what was fixed for generations has today become flexible, there are new codes being set. And therein lies the opportunity for the discerning marketer.

Ruta Patel
Head, strategic planning, FCB Ulka, Mumbai

Sunil Shetty
Head, strategic planning, FCB KL, Malaysia