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“Gen Y no longer lives in an idyllic, insulated environment, chilled out and being itself. Hence, how marketers communicate to them is extremely important,” said Mr Ramanujam Sridhar, Chief Executive Officer, Brand.comm.
Delivering a Business Line Club lecture on ‘Communicating with Gen Y' at the M. S. Ramaiah Institute of Management (MSRIM) and sponsored by Syndicate Bank, he told the students that deciphering the ever-changing Gen Y in India was a challenge.
“It seems obvious young India is changing by the seconds if not by the years,” he said.
Recounting from his experience, Mr Ramanujam said the task of marketing products and services to a young India in its 20s had become complex as the vice-presidents of marketing were in their forties and managing directors in their fifties.
The youth of today have a thought process that is not easily fathomable by marketers.
They believe in the power of education and, yet, would not mind dropping out of college to participate in reality shows hosted on television networks.
Presenting a clipping of a commercial of a mobile network service provider, he said the youth believed in an inclusive life and their friends spoke different languages and came from various cultures.
He said Gen Y had adopted a different lifestyle and it needed more than 24 hours in a day.
“Gen Y sleeps very late and wakes up and reads newspaper supplements with the TV on and chats and blogs with the TV on.
Sundays are spent in sleeping and hanging out with friends at the nearby coffee shop. Gen Y is plugged-in 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
While some party hard, others work hard.
The average Gen Y changes jobs 29 times, with the average time in a job being 1.1 years.
However, the youth of today is confident and can laugh at themselves,” he said.
Mr Ramanujam said it was imperative for companies as well as marketers to understand Gen Y and come up with simple communication messages.
“They could be your customers for life,” he added.
Mr Sanjay Gupta, Chief Manager, Syndicate Bank, spoke about ‘SyndYuva' and ‘SyndVidya', their products for the youth.
Prof V. Narayanan, Head and Dean (in-charge), MSRIM, welcomed the gathering, while faculty member, Ms Poornima Ramaswamy, proposed a vote of thanks.
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