Totems of Indian Youth in 2015

Cashback Toh Banta Hai

It’s no more an ingenious marketing campaign for an upcoming brand to accelerate adoption. Cashbacks have become the new normal. From cabs to self-drive cars, groceries to gadgets Indian Youth today expects deals every time they take a buck out of their wallets.

Pampered by startups that have splurged their Venture Capital for customer acquisition, Indian Youth’s thirst for cashbacks and deals has even affected established brands. They do not want to compromise on quality as well. This new all demanding customer segment knows a bit too many price comparison sites for a marketers liking. The segment has an attention span of a goldfish. They’ll download your app to get that lucrative cashback deal, but don’t expect them to ever use it again unless you delivered Customer Delight in that one tiny interaction.

­­This new customer segment is taking competition to another level, wafer thin margins, absolutely cutting edge service levels and flawless customer service are just hygiene factors, companies will have to innovate fast to survive and delight the Indian Youth every time to succeed.

Desi is the new Cool

There was a time when SMS-ish texting transformed the lingo of India Youth. Bro’ and buddy were a thing of past. Teenagers were all about dude, ma (my) manh and what not. English was no longer cool, you needed to know the hip lingo.

Fast forward 2015. AIB (All India Bakch*d) rules YouTube. It’s roast video had to be banned. Honey Singh’s erstwhile ‘obscene’ raps are the life of party music. Anurag Kashyap’s GoW dialogues are the source of more memes than all Hollywood flicks combined together.

Desi lingo with all its ornamental abuses are accepted not only by young India boys but the fairer sex approves of them as well.

The trend has not only influenced the way we talk, it has also found its way into T-Shirt designs, mobile covers and every other field imaginable.

Brands like Happily Unmarried, Ustraa, bewakoof.com have identified an opportunity and have successfully appealed to this new Desi aspect of the Indian Youth.

Social Media Activism

There was Social Activism and there was Media Activism, the young India chose the best of both worlds and created something new. The Social Media Activism.

In past few months the young India has successfully made its opinion resound in the power corridors of the country. Whether it’s the case of porn ban, or net neutrality or eve teasing. Twitter has directed the debate on national issues. Facebook shares have brought down the brought local issues to national attention. YouTube videos have rattled like of Unilever.

This new trend has proved that Indian Youth is no longer disinterested, it has the power to utilize media and communication technologies for social and political movements.