The urban young want to buy fashionable products, believe relationships come with an expiry date and education plays only a small part in careers, says an attitudinal study done by digital agency VML Qais.

The study, on the 18-35 age bracket, found individualism, strong emphasis on personal aspirations and a personalised way of life as key trends.

In fact, India scored the highest on individual aspirations among the nine Asian countries where the study was conducted.

“Born into a tradition-dominated and community-centric society , India’s 18-35 year-olds have witnessed rapid change in the socio-economic scenario, leading them to shift away from the “we” society to “ me” lifestyle,” said Rajeev Lochan, Director-Research, VML Qais Asia. However, he said the recent reaction of the youth to the Delhi gang-rape incident clearly indicated that their heart was in the right place.

In India, over 2,000 respondents in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad were queried on 16 topics that included automobile, beauty, media, luxury, love, sports and technology, among others.

Tech savvy

A good 73 per cent said they trusted social media over other media and their friends’ views over brands. Even as 80 per cent said they liked broadcasting their views on social media, they preferred to socialise only with a select few. A chunk agreed that technology overload could create a disconnect from those around you.

Sports and Entertainment

The younger generation follow players rather than teams with 77 per cent saying they watched sports that featured their favourite player. About 79 per cent said they were willing to pay more to watch quality entertainment.

Health and Beauty

Nearly 67 per cent respondents placed their trust on supplements to get through in exams or interviews. Among women, 62 per cent said plastic surgery was acceptable for enhancing looks, while 75 per cent men said they used skincare products.

Money and Marriage

A good 78 per cent felt financial planning was about applying common sense to money. On marriage, 83 per cent said it was worth it only if the partner made you happy, and that it was okay to move on if things don’t work out. “The Generation Asia study has given us intriguing insights into how 18-35 years old in India feel, think, dream and desire. After six and a half decades of Independence, the nation is in a mood to experiment,” said Lochan.

Meenakshi.v@thehindu.co.in

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