MIT Researchers Read Consumers’ Faces to Make a Better Taste Test – Digits – WSJ.
It happens all the time: Companies spend large amounts of money on focus groups and market research, only to have a new product fail when it’s introduced to the public.
Researchers at MIT are hoping to help change that, using some high-tech tools that measure the emotional reactions of people as they’re testing a new product.
Congress will win for sure ! My 14 year old nephew predicted this some 2-3 months back when he was at Bangalore to spend his vacation time with us. I was amused, but I was also impressed by the clarity of his thoughts. His comments and observations had a strong backing of his analytical mind. We blame consumerism to affect the minds of this generation, but in some cases consumerism has also helping the generation next in being clear with what they want and decisive.
Here’s the insights from the long chat we had over all things young and Indian.
Trend: I have my own private social network.
This guys is a social networking fanatic, 100 friends on Facebook. Mostly his classmates and at any point in time at least 10 friends online. Late nights, at least 5 for sure. Why ? Is he into poking, wall posts, apps, quizzes and things like that. No, he is on Facebook messenger, chatting online or commenting on his friend’s photos. I could see his school picnic photos, holiday albums of his and his friends. And remember, this is not a fully public *will network for friends count* thingy. These guys are re-living their social and private life out there, no one to watch – parents / teachers / headmaster. My other nephews and cousins are also on the Facebook, but no one is invited to his circle of trust on Facebook.
Activities: Mafia war & similar games, chatting, sharing photos
Micro Trends & observation:
Cos I have my own digital camera, (shared) home computer and personal and private USB stick. I comment on things, I strongly express my likeness and I share things online and offline.
Trend: From Shared devices to personal possessions
I strongly believe that mobile penetration success in India is also because, it’s the first device to be personal possession item in India. Your calls are private, SMSs are private and that’s a big big luxury in an Indian households and the youth is enjoying every personal moment he can, through these devices.
What he possesses : Sony digital camera and a mini-dv camcorder. Game Boy SP – now handed over to his younger brother. USB drive.
What he wants:
Nokia N85 – why because its gaming and music together. This guy is price conscious and thinks iPod just for music will be a waste of money and it will be an extra thing to carry around. Mobile will be 3 in one – camera, phone and music.
Pulsar 220 – Now he shows that he is specs person. Digital speedometer, sporty look and good suspension.
Micro Trends & observation:
Kids are the ‘influencers’ – they will decide for their parents – electronics, automobiles, gadgets. BTW they are already deciding the brands on your shopping carts in the super markets, but this guy has handed over this to his younger brother. Now he consults his parents on highly technical matters only – gadgets, automobiles and computers. Biscuits and chocolates are for babies, I mean literally. He is already brain washing his parents to go for a SUV (of his choice, of course)
The sphere of a personal possession is also growing. Unlike our generation where our introduction to perfumes, deodorants and shaving creams was from an elder bother or father. This generation is clear, “That’s for you Dad, where’s the Axe effect ?
Trends: Will pay premium for trust, go for specs and hunt for deals
What he and his friends prefers in various categories
Shoes – Converse, Reebook & Adidas. Nike is too showy and pricey. The best is Puma and they have the best styles in whites.
Clothes – “No brands that I prefer. Whatever I like from the shelf”. This was really strange from me, as he was not able to associate himself with Lee, Levis, Pepe and so many other brand choices. Is it only because, this segment has not reached this age group in a proper way. Are the brands polarizing their brands to either kids or youth and the teens are left out.
Electronics & Computers: Sony, Nokia & Microsoft. Mostly strong and established brands like these.
Micro Trends & observations:
The consumption habit is totally category driven & do not follow a fixed and personal psychology model. Will buy Sony and Microsoft because their categories are driven by trust. Ready to pay premium for Puma shoes which has got style and range, but not for Nike which he consider pricey.
On the opposite he is comparing Nokia with Apple. May be they are at the similar pricing but different categories (media player vs. phone). He surely wants to have the best of specs, convenience and price – camera, phone and music.
Trend: Parents still rule, timings at least
Work related Internet : Google & Wikipedia, because it works for the homework !!!
Chat: Messengers and emails are out, social networking is in.
TV consumption: 2 hours a day on weekend and about an hour or so on weekdays. Cartoons are slowly out and reality-TV fast moving in.
Micro Trends & observation:
Kids are pressed to perform in schools, they also appreciate parents hard work in bringing them up. The socio economic divide is quite apparent to kids also and they know what they need to do to stay ahead. They are not killing their time as their previous generations did.
The activities are mostly inside the house. Parents are totally controlling kids time, they won’t mind paying up for tennis coaching but won’t appreciate their child wasting time in non goal oriented play activities with friends. Hide and seek with neighborhood kids is not OK, but I will drive you down 20 KMs for swimming / horse-riding is perfectly OK with parents.
Trend: Less Indians, absolutely zilch social, ideological or political leaders
He likes Ronaldho, Frank Lampard, Ballack, Dhoni , Yuvraaj, Timberlake, Sean Paul, Eminem, Linkin Park, Beyonce, Rihaana, J Lo, Kati Perry.
Micro Trends & observation:
People are brands and I like brands. Strong consumerist trends. Fall of ideological symbols and leader. He may not realize this but it also shows that there are no world leaders for the next generation. The society has failed in charting a social or an ideological roadmap for people.
Trend: I am not a dumbed-down generation. I give you my eyeballs, but I think. Think whom shall I replace you with.
Media beware, while you are spreading your reach and TRPs there’s a section of people who are re-thinking about you. If you are new channel are sensitizing stuff and cooking up a 20 minute story with 20,000 loops of a 2 sec clip, even my 14 year old nephew knows it and that’s why he has picked up Times Now as his news channel, because there’s a less repetitive stress injury there and more journalistic looking anchors. He watches MTV roadies for fun, but that’s it nothing more on MTV India.
Marketing works for him too but too much marketing doesn’t. Liked Ghajini, but feels Amir Khan doesn’t respect Indian public. How can he take some awards and boycott the others. Liked Om Shanti Om but feels SRK is so everywhere, not exclusive anymore and over exposed as a brand. His monies surely go to Hollywood as he feel they represent perfection in movie-making.
Micro Trends & observations:
Bollywood celebrities are no longer simple and just entertainers, they are the brands now and they should behave as one. Indians think global and act local. They would wear Armani suits in their weddings but would still dance bhangra. Indian television & movie industry has failed miserably in creating the long tail of the entertainment categories. Channels are still able to create the blockbuster programs, but rest of of the programming is dud.
Last 2 topics, my favorites:
Trend: Market the right product
While he thinks that Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh do not have punch in their talks, thinks that Rahul Gandhi would be a better PM. Only this time in all through our discussion he was not able to cite the reasons for this stand, but believes firmly that no one else but Rahul Gandhi. BJP he thought, spoke only of religion and they talk too big but not concrete.
Micro Trends & observation:
Marketing works and congress’s campaign which is actually about posing Rahul Gandhi for future, worked for current elections too. Advani’s campaign which was the biggest online, still didn’t connect with youth. Youth wants youth, simple. The other BJP propaganda, which was showing Mr.. Mammohan Singh as a weak leader didn’t work. Indian understand that for PM they don’t need a wrestler and more than the tone, volume and pitch of PM’s voice – his intellect required.
Trend: I respect my privacy, but not your copyright. Period. The End.
