How must brands read the mixed signals that different consumer behaviour studies have thrown up? A report Eyes wide open: Predictions for 2018 by Kantar IMRB reads between the lines to draw up a list of do’s and don’ts for 2018
Simplicity sells
Consumers have enough information and sources of information to turn to; they want solutions that help sift through information faster and minimise decision making time
Simpler experiences are more valuedand around 42 per cent of customers say they will pay a premium for prompt service (Kantar IMRB Study for American Express, 2017)
Collaborate more
Rising prices, millennial habits pave the way for a more collaborative economy
From car rides to furniture rental to expensive clothes—drivers, staff and office spaces, the sharing economy is growing. The use of ride-sharing apps grew by 60 per cent last year (Kantar IMRB, eMarketPulse, 2017)
Children as decision makers
Kids play a decisive role in purchases, three out of 10 parents claim to consult their kids while buying household durables. And 36 per cent of the kids surveyed said they went out and bought a product because they liked the ad (Kantar IMRB, Kidscan, 2017)
A state of perpetual anxiety
Indian consumers are deriving more comfort from what they know and their own communities, shunning packaged foods; jams and sauces declined by 24 per cent over the year, and soups by 27 per cent (Kantar World Panel MAT 2015/2016)
The paradox of privacy vs exclusivity
Only 27 per cent consumers surveyed are adverse to connected devices monitoring their activities online if it makes their lives easier, compared to 56 per cent consumers in South Korea and 62 per cent in New Zealand (Kantar TNS, Connected Life, 2017)
Hyperlocals win
Hyperlocal brands show an uptrend in growth across categories. A hyperlocal detergent brand in Tamil Nadu has registered an 8 per cent growth from last year, while the category grew only 3 per cent, a biscuit brand in Punjab grew by 17 per cent on a category which registered a 3 per cent growth (Kantar World Panel, 2017)
Connectivity boost for rural
For the rural consumer the mobile is a point of discovery, four out of 10 users get to know about anything new through mobiles and one out of 4 visits to a retailer is after a mobile promotion (Kantar IMRB Media Dark Report, 2017).
Smart sustainability
While 53 per cent of shoppers in the UK and 78 per cent in the US say they feel better when they buy products that are sustainably produced, the number rises to 88 per cent in India and 85 per cent in Brazil and Turkey (Unilever, 2017).