MTV Age of Sinnocence - a special report

inside
an
Media Marketing SuppleMent
April 16-30, 2011

Focus on
04 The Age of Vices
The Indian young make for a complex target group
for marketers. They are addicted to brands. They
love them and live them. They are fickle minded
yet aware. Have the contours of marketing to the
the young youth changed? An analysis.
conSuMer
They are as transient
as the era they live
in. Exploring the next
big idea of marketing
06 Tagging the Digital Socialites
The youth today is hooked on to the digital
media. Is it the thrill of being connected 24x7
or the respite from the prying eyes of the
to the young and society. Is the world wide web the
favourite hangout?
unveiling the present
trends, insights and

10
facts that might help in
Tracking the Transience
engaging the young
and the restless. Aditya Swamy of MTV India gets
chatty and reveals the trade secrets of
An analysis.
marketing to
the young.
By
ANKIT BHATNAGAR

14 Keeping the Young Hooked
How are TV content producers across
the world fighting to keep young viewers’
interest intact. Virginia Mouseler of The
Wit writes.

16 Studying the Tribe
What is the young consumer looking for -
the Next Big Thing or brands and products
that are more authentic, humane and more
mature? Reinier Evers of
trendwatching.com helps find the truth.

20 The Real Conundrum
Do the young still lap up reality TV in India
or is it another trend in the passing. What’s
the reality of the reality TV. A closer look at
the quagmire. By Ankit Bhatnagar

a f a q s ! r e p o r t e r i april 2011
03

opening remarks

The Age of Vices
the indian young make for a complex target group. they are addicted to brands. they
love them and live them. they are fickle minded yet aware. How are the contours of
marketing to the youth changing, an analysis. By ankit Bhatnagar

the youth Might
be the SaMe
acroSS the
country with
the SaMe thirSt
for good thingS
in life, but

I
the MarketerS ndia offers multitude of experiences and 15-year-old will experience that in just four
are finding it challenges. What is true of multiplicity days,” says Aditya Swamy, Channel Head,
increaSingly of this country is also true for the world MTV India.
of its youth, a fascinating section of the India is thriving and so are the
tough to
customer base that is existentially located aspirations of its young. Lust and greed
reach out. across different regions, social groups, are two pillars that drive the behaviour,
economic segments, educational levels and thinking and the mindset of the young and
even sartorial choices. the restless in India. Some say the need to
The world of youth is ever changing flaunt greed is only one side of the small-
and highly dynamic therefore challenging town growth story. Those who are yet to
to map and analyse. “Today, the rate of join the gravy train are working hard at it.
change in a 15-year-old’s life is far more Author, columnist and former CEO
than that in a 35-year-old. While an adult of Procter & Gamble, Gurcharan Das in
will experience change once in four years, a his book India Unbound narrates a story

04 april 2011 i afaqs! reporter

media marketing supplement

that illustrates the small town India’s the country with the same thirst for the
social fibre. “I did a Bharat Darshan while good things in life, but marketers are still
working on India Unbound. In a village, I finding it tough to reach out to them. Says
met a 14-year-old named Raju, who served Cristian Jofre, ex-Senior Vice President
tea and coffee at a wayside dhaba. In the Marketing and Creative Director, MTV
evenings, he was learning computers. He Networks International, “Youth is a
confidently told me that he had found the dynamic group, akin to technology it is fast
secret of success - learn Windows and 400 moving. Keeping in mind the pace with
words of English. Raju reflects the spirit which the group is moving to ever new
of small-town India: hunger, ambition, a passions, brands shouldn’t grow old and
willingness to work hard.” stay young and refreshing.” aDiTYa SWaMY
Fulfilling that ambition now appears As one of the most widely followed youth
easier. The media expansion, including brand in India, MTV took it upon itself to
the growth of the DTH industry, has understand the DNA of the youth and come
democratised experiences and aspirations. out with a well-researched marketing study.
When asked how has the dose, frequency, Across the world more than 135 million
form and medium of entertainment individuals tune in to MTV annually, MTV
requirements changed over time? has the largest following on the Facebook
Anuradha Sengupta, Features Editor, in India (19,67,086 at the last count) and a
CNBC TV18 says, “I think the 70 million or commendable one on Twitter.
so people who are said to use the internet According to Jofre, brands that have
regularly are consuming entertainment done it right are:
very differently today. I know I am. A lot of Adidas – The way it has moved from aNUraDHa SENGUpTa
news is consumed online with twitter links a sports brand to a fashion brand is
to news sites; songs and promos on Youtube commendable. Adidas sells celebrities in a
and Torrents downloads of shows.” different way.
According to Swamy, while meeting Xbox from Microsoft – The brand
contestants for MTV Roadies he found that adopted a very good way of changing
the youth from Tier II towns, were not something technological to something
quite different from those in the metros. emotional.
“They dress the same way, use the same Nike – The masters of customisation
gadgets, consume the same net content. online and in-stores.
There is a homogenisation of young people. “Intelligent marketing today calls for
Only the small town guys have a hunger to touching customers at a deeper emotional
prove themselves more,” he says. level,” Jofre says. CriSTiÁN JOFrÉ
The youth might be the same across When you are talking to passive viewers
a 30 second TV commercial isn’t enough
In The Power of Cult Branding, Matthew to turn them into active users. You have
Ragas and Bolivar Bueno listed the golden to touch youth at an interactive level.
rules of cult branding as: There is no one law or rule to reach out
• Consumers want to be part of a group that’s to the youth. A brand needs to harness
different a lot more touch points. To enter their
• Cult brands show daring and determination video games, you’ve got to have 10-20
• Cult brands sell lifestyles second commercials. Companies are now
• Cult brands always create customer communities investing in “Community managers.” One
• Cult brands are inclusive needs to be outgoing when marketing.
• Cult brands promote personal freedom “You need to b able to get in touch with
people online and off line.” Jofre adds

05

From the desk oF mtV insight studio

TAggiNg The
DigiTAL sociALiTes
the youth of today is addicted to the digital media. is it the thrill of being connected
24x7 or the respite from the prying eyes of the society. Why is the world wide web the
favourite hangout? read on.

favourite across all age groups. 26-29 year
olds are high on emailing with 92% per
cent saying they send emails throughout
the day while only 42 per cent of 15-24 year
olds email on a daily basis. Multimedia
usage and downloads loses its appeal for
the older audience.
What’s the brouhaha with social media?
Why is the Youth addicted? It’s simple.
Social media allows them respite from
the prying eyes of the society and their
parents. They can say what they feel
without any inhibitions, share their ideas
and opinions and even stalk others without
getting caught. The www universe allows
anonymity, opportunity and hangout.
The social media not only provides
fun, it also allows them to explore new

T
relationships, know more about the world
awareneSS he youth today is a social animal and lends them a voice to speak out with
iS a key in both the real and virtual worlds. no parental control. It is a dream world
Tweet, poke, hashtag, sexting, for the young people who crave
by-product torrent, tag, BBM - these common words for freedom of expression
of hanging out in their vocabulary today didn’t exist five and exploration.
at the digital years ago. 85 per cent of the youth connect So, what do they do
Media. to social media more than once a day. More on social media? It’s
than 75 per cent of the youth get on the the easiest way to keep
internet to email, use multimedia and surf in touch with
for personal interest at least once every their friends,
day. No surprises why MTV calls this they say. They
generation - Digital Socialites. share everything
MTV and TNS recently conducted from the most
a study to understand the lives of this insignificant to the
generation that compulsively lives on the most intimate detail
internet. Social media, we found, is a of their life there. They



YOUTH CONNECTiNG MOrE THaN ONCE iN a DaY pErCENTaGE OF YOUTH ENGaGiNG iN THE aCTiviTY aT lEaST ONCE iN a DaY
100% 100%
90% 90% 95
92

80% 80% 88
89
85

70% 70% 77
80

77

74
60% 60% 65 64
50% 50%
59

48
53

40% 52 40%
46
42

30% 30%
39

20% 20% 28 26
10% 10% 5 5
0% 0%
Social e-mailing Multimedia personal ng ing ed
ia est rts nd ng ou
t
eti
ng ncl
rki ail ter po er ea n mi ab es g i ng
networking interest
etw
o
e-m ult
im
al
in w s, S eath ledg catio e ga w se rchas l tick o pin cketi
ln M
rso
n ne d w now edu nlin bro pu trave Sh e ti
15-20 yrs 21-25 yrs 26-29 yrs cia pe an k o ovi
So M

also live vicariously through their friends’ CONviNCiNG pOWEr OF MEDia FOr NEWS
updates.
The most important thing is to keep in 100%
90
touch with friends and get updates from 90% 87 86
83 81
them. Social media is an easy way out; 80%
73
Secondly, social media drives awareness 70% 65
by letting them stay on top of what’s 60%
happening in the world around them; 51
50%
Video sharing is still not as big as
sharing pictures; 40%
newspapers television Social Media Magazines word-of- blogs radio Viral Videos
Making new friends is not the primary Mouth
driver of social media – they would
rather connect to existing friends than aGrEE THaT SOCial MEDia CaN GO WrONG
make new friends here;
Also, there’s a very clear divide between 100% 94 95
90 94 92 93 94 92
professional and personal lives. 80%

60%
Awareness is a key by-product of hanging
out at the digital media. 87 per cent of 40%
people read or surf for news online at least 20%
once a week. News search may pertain to
movies, sports or politics. With knowledge 0%
total Male female Metros non-Metros 15-20 yrs 21-25 yrs 26-29 yrs
at the fingertips, thanks to Google and
the lot, cool quotient is being redefined
as the one with maximum exposure and
experience. It could be gadgets, music, The social media not only provides
sports or anything else that might hold
their fancy. The advent of technology has
fun, it also allows youth to explore new
changed the basic definition of ‘being cool’. relationships, know more about the
Digging deeper into the debate of
Traditional versus New media, it is evident
world and lends them a voice to speak
that the convincing power of the digital out with no parental control.

07

From the desk oF mtV insight studio

media has the substance, the new media
dons character and has more room for
interactivity
Newspaper is still the most trustworthy
vehicle for news
However, even in digital space, they
trust select brands, portal and blogs and
not mere search results
However, they consume news from both
these sources with equal fervor.

Boys are more social than girls on
digital media. While 63 per cent of the men
say that they’re on social media because
they can meet new people and make new
friends. A whopping 67 per cent of the
women disagree with them and are not
happy about random ‘friend requests’.
Yes, social media does pose a vital
question of loss of privacy. Do they care?
94 per cent of this practical generation
agrees that personal information put out
on social media can go wrong if not handled
correctly. However, while 90 per cent of
the 26-29 year olds share information
on social media after much deliberation,
only 75 per cent of 15-24 years do so. But,
irreSpectiVe of media is catching up with the stalwarts in does that stop them from sharing personal
traditional media. stuff? Not really, the digital world is too
whether one iS 93 per cent of them believe social media addictive to let go!
Selling a cola makes them more aware of current Well, finally, it’s all about entertainment
or a condoM, trends across the world that ‘Digital Socialites’ care about. They
youth reMain the 89 per cent turn to social media for news hit social networking sites when they want
MoSt reSearched and trends for their dose of updates to catch up with friends . Commenting on
entity. They feel that while the traditional pictures, getting connected to old friends,


browsing through random profiles, keeping unfriend your brand in a click! the internet
abreast with the gossip in their friends’ putS the brand
lives is the new entertainment. It’s cheap, About MTV insight studio

W
it’s cheerful, it’s voyeuristic fun and it’s hether it’s in admission lines or in
at par with the
all that they need to keep occupied. 93 per the college corridors or behind the youth, allowing
cent of the youth say they re-visit a site condom vending machines, or in the clubs dialogueS
only if they find it entertaining. and hangouts, MTV Insights Studio brings between equalS.
Irrespective of whether one is selling a
cola or a condom, youth remain the most THE NEW TriBE
researched entity in the corporate world.
Why? Simple, this entity changes every
2-3 years. Technology has accelerated the
W elcome to the big board room debate – are new-age youth values different? MTV
dissects the Youth Values into three distinct clusters. Calibrate your (brand’s) values
to click with the Youth of Today .
change and has transferred the power over Dominant values: Driven by a stubborn confidence of breaking into the big league,
to youth to make them the most assertive, these Young people are ready to slog it out to make it big. The super ambitious youth
expressive, practical and promiscuous thinks with an open mind, experiments and takes risks to defend own beliefs. What’s
interesting is that immediate Family continues to be important for the Indian Youth. And,
generation ever. The drive to share,
body worship is definitely a virtue! Experiential living rules the roost as every sensation
express and connect has been multiplied is heightened and enjoyed to get the maximum impact out of life.
exponentially across the 20 somethings. Peripheral values: Neither are these values are supremely important, nor are they
The digital media has broken the curfew discarded as redundant. Honesty, welfare of others and true-friendship lie somewhere
hour posed by the parents. Social media on the fringe and are no longer the driver values. Leisurely and chill-out way of life is
out-dated; the young folks love to work hard to earn their independence and self respect.
Subdued values: These values are fast fading and let’s not get judgmental and
Boys are more social than sentimental about them. Loyalty, self restraint, obedience and inner harmony are not the
hot favorites amongst the Young Turks. The approval from society is not something that
girls on digital media. spur them on. And, they are extremely short term focused and do not strive for a lasting
contribution at in future.
While 63 per cent men
prefer meeting new people
you the latest from the life of the youth.
and making friends, 67 This unique understanding comes from
per cent women disagree being a part of their lives every day and
not from watching them from the outside.
with them. We do this through continuous studies
and researches on what’s trending with
has allowed a two-way communication the youth. In addition, MTV iSpeak which
with the youth and their icons. 89 per is a network of youth in age of 18-24
cent of youth love to research about their years from colleges across 10 cities is a
purchases online before loosening their continuous connect to the youth life.
purse strings. The internet puts the brand Digital Socialities is a study commissioned
at par with the youth, allowing dialogues jointly by MTV and TNS in 2011 to study
between equals. It transforms the one way the internet habits of the digitally savvy.
advertising into two way communication. The respondents aged 15-29 years have
While traditional advertising merely relays at least two of the following accounts-
the communication message, the digital Facebook, Orkut, Twitter or Linkedin.
presence gives the brand a character. But, The 450 respondents included in the study
it also empowers the youth to broadcast were spread across 20 cities in India. Youth
their feedback on the brand. One wrong research conducted across 3300 youth in age
post can get the Digital Socialite fans to of 15-24 years across 16 cities in 2010.

09

interView

aditya SwaMy i channel head i MtV india

TrAckiNg The TrANsieNT
yuppies
the youth marketing expert talks about the
tricks of the trade.

Does the young generation in
india thrive as a gang (live
together, think together) or do
youngsters here have a strong
individuality? how do brands
harness that?
Interestingly, Youth think
collectively and act individually.
Consider the two most happening
social media platforms Facebook
and Twitter. Facebook is a group-
think platform where the youth
hangs out as a gang – sharing,
commenting, poking each other.
Twitter is a classic case where
less than 20 per cent of the users
actively tweet, while the rest are
onlookers and followers. The young
get twitchy if their gang don’t ping
them on their handsets. They are
connected 24X7 to the wider cosmos
of friends. Even while in the same
room, you will catch them sending
chat messages to each other. While
family and siblings are always there for
support, friends are the partners in crime
The essence of youth lies in and they belong there.
their transience, they change However, they do have an extremely
strong sense of individuality. The trend
as quick as time. The need to track them now is not about fitting in the gang, but
standing out and making your own mark.
daily is of prime importance for At MTV, we have seen this across all
all the brands. reality formats like Roadies, Splitsvilla,



Stuntsmania. They way. So I dont see conflict, the trend
need to be jack of all I see life management, today iS not
trades, but master both from the side of about fitting in
of one. In daily life, parents and the younger the gang, but
the youth show their generations. Moms with Standing out
individuality through daughters at reality show and Making your
their customized status auditions, dads giving own Mark.
updates, manicured pics their sons their first sip
on profile, hair styling, of beer, parents prefering
mix and matched fashion the daugther to be at
sense. While they take home with the boyfriend,
ample inspirations from sex education classes at
moviestars, they adapt home and school are all
the fashion and never examples of this becoming
adopt it literally. of ‘happy modern family’.

is the difference between urban india is home to the largest population
youth and their contemporaries of youngsters, is it an opportunity?
in countryside stark? Are brands how big? how are social dynamics
reaching out to only selected few? expected to change in coming years?
Why? The current generation is born with two
In fact the gap between urban and rural dysfunctional genes: multi-tasking and
is rapidly reducing. Young people in attention deficit. The youth love continuous
smaller towns are far more ambitious and change and radical innovations. Yes,
impatient, their hunger to get ahead of the radical draws attention and the era of
metro kids is infectious. The sheer time subtlety is passé. Marketers need to wake
spent online is much higher in smaller up to this truth. An IPL for example needs
towns and hence they are connected to to be bigger and better every season.
what is happening not just in the metros Another very vital shift has been that
but across the world. Their behaviour
might be a little more conservative
but their thinking and aspirations are
while faMily
definitely not.
and SiblingS are
Successful brands have realized this alwayS there for
and this can be seen from the kind of Support, friendS
products/services and communication that brands and users are being treated more are the partnerS
one sees on the national media. as an equal. We are living in an era where in criMe and the
you can tweet to your favourite icon and young belong
how has the older generation taken to get a retweet from him/her. Brands are there.
the changing youth trends? is there a bending backwards driving interactivity.
conflict or a secret pact?
Generation gaps are breaking down rapidly. how has the entertainment (dose,
Parents are friends and that is because frequency, form and medium)
today’s parents have grown up as children requirements changed over time? is
of liberalization. Fighting the youth will internet and ipod taking the sheen off
only take you further away from them. the idiot box?
Align with them and you will go a long In this era of multi screen engagement, the
continued on page 22

11

guest Column

keepiNg The youNg
hookeD
How are tV content producers across the world fighting to keep their audiences’ interest
intact. analysing the business of tV broadcast for the young.
Virginia mouseler

T
CEO – The Wit
V is obsessed
with youth,
hence the
invention of reality
TV and the current
development of Social
TV. I founded The Wit
15 years ago and since
then I’ve watched all
the new TV and web
TV shows launched
worldwide. Maybe
even more so than
any other industry,
TV is obsessed with
novelty, launching
new products. TV because young Americans grew up
Every month in our online database we watching Nickelodeon, then MTV and when
enter approximately 600 new shows. they became adults they had a hard time
Our subscribers, from broadcasters to finding network television on their remote
producers and to advertisers, originating controls. With the phenomenon spreading
from dozens of countries, ask us every to the rest of the world, broadcasters
day: Which show is the new hit, which decided in the 1990s to stop teenagers and
one is likely to be the next one? TV young adults from watching new channels
is obsessed with novelty and youth. TV or the developing internet. MTV invented
is innovating and progressing thanks to reality TV with “The Real World”, other
and for young viewers. TV broadcasters channels across the world invented “Big
worldwide seem to be stimulated by young Brother” and reality TV started spreading
viewers’ behaviours, also prompted by a all over the world. In order to give young
major fear of young viewers lose interest viewers what they seemed to be searching
in TV, watch it less and no longer watch for and could no longer find on the small
it when they become adults. In the US screen - the possibility to interact on TV,
over the past 30 years, the networks have to identify themselves with people on TV,
gradually lost a lot of their viewers to cable to feel like anything could happen. But



right when young viewers seemed glued to in the
their TV sets because of reality TV, new netherlandS,
screens appeared to distract them from endeMol’S Secret
their TV sets. Via computers, smartphones, Story, countS aS
Facebook, Twitter, young people worldwide
Many followerS
want more than before to interact, control,
give new directions, and comment on
online aS on tV.
what’s on TV, everywhere and constantly. but financially
Consequently, TV is now seeking to invent it’S not enough.
the TV of the social networking era, the
‘social TV’, or connected TV that would
adjust to the new simultaneous consumer
modes of TV and the Internet.
In Europe in 2011, Endemol imagined the mike to young, so they can talk
the Zoom concept where people compete about their lives, tell their stories, become
against each other to be the one that heroes of reality series, entertaining and/
generates the biggest buzz or repercussions or meaningful shows. Anxious to reach
on social networks, race towards digital a wider commercial target than the
fame. In France, in March 2011, a variant 15-24 year olds, and willing to attract
around the idea, Club Vip, failed to young parents, TV seems preoccupied
attract impassioned viewers for the young with giving life lessons to young adults.
ordinary contestants’ race towards fame. Teaching them how to leave the family
Young people’s liking for commenting and nest, find a job, a life partner or start
mocking TV programming via their social a family. Titles speak for themselves,
networks was not enough to support the Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents where
TV audience and business model of a parents watch their teens party; Working
show created on this distanced approach. Girls on making a living without parents;
Because Internet viewing is not enough to Tool Academy, to learn living as a couple;
finance or save a TV show via advertising. Dad Camp to become a good father;
This is TV’s dilemma today: in the Big Meets Bigger, to not gain too much
Netherlands, the reality soap Secret Story, weight and many other shows aimed to
produced by Endemol, counts as many raise awareness about the dangers of
followers online as on TV. But financially sex, illegal drugs and alcohol.Another
it’s not enough. example of nightmare for a young, spoilt
Therefore, while waiting to find the and out of control British teenager is to
next great idea that will entertain young be sent to India for a week and forced to
viewers, TV content producers are giving follow a local family’s strict rules. This
is what happened to one of the heroes in
Producers are giving the British reality series World’s Strictest
Parents aired on the BBC. It is said
the mike to the young, that these teenagers recovered from the
to talk about their lives, culture shock ready to change their ways,
their minds enriched and their acting
tell their stories, become more mature. I hope that this exchange
and encounter with the community of the
heroes of reality series and “friends” of MTV India will teach us all a
meaningful shows. lot and bring us a lot of innovation.

15

guest Column

sTuDyiNg The Tribe
What is the young consumer looking for - the Next Big thing or brands and products that
are more authentic, humane and quite simply more mature? a trendwatcher helps find
the truth. read on.

reinier eVers
Trendwatching.com

to start? For youth (and in fact for all
consumers), the search for social status
is at the heart of almost every purchase
and action. And what we’re seeing, in
India and around the world, is that for
an increasing number of people, status
is increasingly not just about owning
the biggest or most expensive, but can
also be about acquired skills, about eco-
credentials, about generosity, or about
being connected to name a few. Now, that’s
not to say that Indian youth aren’t still
chasing the material dream, but that there
are increasing opportunities for brands to
reach out to people with new aspirations.
And the opportunities for consumer
brands in India are truly awesome. Because
as well as having a vast youth population,
India’s young people are getting ever more
urban and thus more accessible, richer

T
and more open to trying new products and
deep Social he ‘global marketplace’ is a bit of a experiences.
and cultural cliché now, but you only have to dive We call these new consumers Citysumers
into one of the many global youth -increasingly young, increasingly urban
changeS
tribe studies to see that when it comes consumers who are addicted to the here-
don’t happen to youth, their motivations, and their and-now, experiences, choice and freedom,
oVernight. relationships with brands the similarities flexibility and rawness, unrestricted
coMpared to worldwide far outnumber the differences. opportunity, and yes, the hunt for the Next
Many other Younger consumers are well-connected Big Thing.
trendS, theSe and well-informed, and expect to feast on Urbanisation and its associated social
changeS MoVe at only the best-of-the-best delicacies. change is leading to another trend
a glacial pace. But for youth brands, understanding that we are seeing in Indian youth:
what makes young people tick must be Maturialism (mature materialism).
right at the center of their offering. Where Younger generations have grown up



immersed in consumer culture: they There are increasing
‘get’ it. But just as sources of social
status are fragmenting, so are the opportunities for brands to reach
expectations of consumers. Savvy,
streetwise youth are increasingly
out to people with new aspirations.
bored, if not downright distrustful of Opportunities for consumer brands in
the conventional consumer-producer
relationship, and now look for
India are truly
brands and products that are more
authentic, more human, and quite
simply more mature.
There’s an obvious link between the
broad spread of more liberal attitudes
and increasing Indian urbanisation.
As new arrivals find themselves
distanced from traditional social and
familial structures, and are exposed
to a wider range of alternative goods,
services, lifestyles and experiences,
their tolerance to these alternatives
grows, as does their interest.
Now, deep social and cultural
changes don’t happen overnight.
Compared to many trends, these
changes are moving at a glacial
pace. And while we’re certainly not
suggesting that everyone becomes
overwhelmingly liberal as soon as
they move to the city, the clear trend
is for urban populations to have more
diverse living arrangements, and
have more socially liberal and tolerant
views towards abortion, euthanasia,
casual sex, homosexuality, religion,
drug use, women’s rights etc.

interView

piyuSh SharMa i ceo and publiSher i MaxiM india

Music Works
has grown many folds. From automobiles,
to glamour and lifestyle, to movies and
music, to education and business, to
sports, there is a publication to appeal to
every individual and every interest.

can music-related literature be
successful in india? Any examples.
Yes, music related literature has great
potential in India as shown by the success
of Rolling Stones. Media Transasia India
Ltd. itself launched its music title called
Blender and ran it successfully in India
for almost two years before the title shut
down globally. Encouraged by the response
and identification of potential that music
related literature has, we are planning
to launch another music title in India
shortly.
Music related literature has great potential in
india, the young here are also keen on opting is the indian youth serious about
music as a profession today? Why?
music as a profession. excerpts. What are the reasons?
Music is definitely one of the few shortcuts
to success. It’s the success of TV shows
how have reading habits of the indian like Sa Re Ga Ma and Indian Idol which
youth changed over time? have really encouraged and further opened
Since the two decades, the general up the youth to look at music as a career.
publishing horizon revolved around These TV reality shows have pulled out
business and general publications like talent from the very corners of the country
Outlook and the India Today. Publishing and helped them believe in achievability
has come a long way now.
Publications are more focused and
there is better fragmentation of target
Encouraged by the
audience along with better interface for response we got for
media content like current digital as
opposed to the paperback in the olden Blender, we are planning to
days. launch another music title
With domain specialisation and quality
advancement, the readership spectrum in India shortly.



of success.
YOUTH aND THE livE pErFOrMaNCES
Even on a smaller more local scale, the
growth in potential for music professionals M TV VJ and festival director of Asia’s
premier music carnival Sunburn, Nikhil
Chinapa talks about music, marketing and the
through local Rock shows, club events and
ties that can work both ways.
stage performances has been tremendous
because of which the youth of today Bollywood still rules the roost when it
considers music a more realistic career comes to entertainment for the Indian youth.
option than before. They are not averse to You can’t throw a blanket on what today’s
youth likes, but Bollywood and desi beats
try their hands at what they are passionate
have to be the Lowest Common Denominator.
about. With emergence of smart phones, music is
flourishing and is in everybody’s reach.
What clicks with young indian readers? Indian rock bands play mainly in Desi
gadgets and gizmos, bollywood, languages and English. With internet and NikHil CHiNapa
Health and fitnesss, automobiles or smart phones, it is possible to pursue all
kind of music and genres today. A large part of all youth activities, be it
fashion?
motorsport; rock-climbing; cricket; literature or music, is dependent on
To capture the young Indian reader, it has marketing and spreading the word around. Music, on the other hand, is a
to be a balanced blend of all. Since the very personal choice. It’s a philosophy, a way of life!
youth look out for variety, a little dose of If a buzz is created and you are encouraged to sample some kind of
everything helps. music, you never know which new sounds you are going to explore. Indian
youth is open to experiment and therefore enjoy live performances.
The onus of popularising live performances lies on the fraternity.
is india a celebrity-obsessed nation? Music concerts should not just be about Bryan Adams, Shakira, Pink
can today’s young play leadership Floyd, Iron Maiden or Akon; mid-level talent should also be encouraged
roles or do they like to follow and and promoted.
emulate? Music ties into fashion and fashion ties into lifestyle, therefore music
We are celebrity obsessed for sure. Stars is an integral part of the youth’s DNA today. The sooner the marketers
realise this, more successful will they be with their respective products
here are more larger than life than
and brands.
anywhere on the planet. But it’s their The research to put together Sunburn - the largest music dance
success stories that give the youth the festival in Asia comes from the lives we live and the experience we have.
belief in themselves to achieve similar
greatness.
Great examples are success stories like overwhelmed by their star presence.
those of Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan etc., I think it’s fair to say that the youth today
who have achieved star like status similar is showing ample leadership potential in
to the Sachin Tendulkars and the Kapil every field except some unchartered ones
Devs of the game while being inspired not like Politics.

reality CheCk

The reAL
coNuNDruM
from beeps to the blame game and from fanning controversies to five minutes of fame,
reality tV has come a long winding path. Do the young still lap it up ardently following
every twist and turn or is it another trend in the passing. What’s the reality of the reality
tV. a closer look at the quagmire. By ankit Bhatnagar

trait and this generation is particularly
schizophrenic. But I’d describe today’s
youth as somebody impatient to succeed
in life.” Being true to the mindset that the
Indian conditioning brings along, most
of the youngsters are walking the path
decided for them by their parents, but
are increasingly exploring or looking out
for other opportunities. “This impatience
expresses itself in loud, reckless behavior,”
Lakshman adds.
The youth might be changing but the
change is barely perceptible. Biases that
existed years ago are still present. “Weird
notions about societal beliefs, tradition,
superstitions are still floating around. But
there is another world emerging that is a
lot more tolerant and radical. The change
is slow but it is there,” says Raghu Ram,
the brain behind MTV’s cult reality series
MTV Roadies.
The youth today is aware that life is not
just about fun, gadgets, girlfriends and
boyfriends, there is more to living. “I’ve
always been of the opinion that the young

T
are a force, they should become a force,”
the probleM iS not he young today are both loud, Ram adds.
reckless, promiscuous on one The recent protest by the civil society
with the young, hand and street smart, practical had tremendous backing of the young
it’S with the and focussed on the other. Says Rajiv brigade. Anna Hazare triggered a spark
Social Scrutiny Lakshman, host of MTV Roadies and twin but the cause got a widespread support
attached to brother of Raghu Ram, “No generation and endorsement thanks to the cyberspace.
whateVer they do. can fit into any clear-cut personality “The youth had something to say there as



well. It was an episode of a person leading play safe and lack of confidence and self-
and stirring public emotion,” he says. belief,” says Ram.
The change is more visible in The only focus of the reality-based
metropolitans may be the young there properties today is to garner revenue and
have easy access to the Facebook, Twitter become popular. It should rather be to
and the electronic media. “I saw a lot of create cult. It’s a gamble. Most of the times
ambition in smaller towns too. In places it doesn’t work out. Some reality-show
like Patna, the youth want to arrive in makers think that they can drive mileage
life, are enthusiastic and more focussed,” by using expletives, cuss words and abuses
Ram says. on the national television. Reality TV has
become a pack of cheap thrills today. raGHU raM
reality TV and the young While it has propagated voyeuristic
Reality TV is changing with the ever- pleasures of Indian viewers, it has helped
changing youth in India. TV producers are few people discover their onscreen destinies.
now keeping in mind the thirst of the small Palak of Roadies Season 6 behaved in a
town youngster, who has a lot to prove in certain way on screen and landed a role in
life. Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao on Sony. Dolly
Is the obsession with the Five Minutes Bindra, the loud and controversial inmate
to onscreen fame wise and justified? Or is in the Bigg Boss last season has got several
it nothing more than a shortcut to success? new offers. Looking at such examples
Says Raghu Ram, “The problem is not others want to capitalise participating on
with the youth, it’s with the social trauma reality television and make a name.
or scrutiny attached to whatever the young According to Rajiv Lakshman, “TV raJiv lakSHMaN
does. It’s not that the young brigade is programming genres don’t work, ideas
unruly and indisciplined, the way we are work. Reality shows in television will
shaping our youth today is flawed. The remain a strong genre, although the
‘image’ for the society is the problem.” success rate of shows will not be as high
Everybody today needs to decide what as in the past.”
will help me and what will not? “For reality television, I feel there is
“I dislike Indian reality television no single India or youth, there are many
content because it lacks imagination identities and mindsets to cater to,” he
and confidence in itself,” said a media says. Reality shows, if done with honesty,
practitioner. Every Indian reality TV show will reveal some aspects of youth. but
is a copy of something successful. it will not be applicable to the young
“This shows medocrity, the tendency to generation as a whole.

reality CheCk

the youth today roadies and its craze become more than a TV show. It was
think Struggling The theme of Roadies this time is very different in 2003, when we started.
‘Shortcut to Hell.’ It’s based on a trend The perceptions are changing every year.
iS for loSerS. among youth to follow shortcuts, faster Television environment is changing. At
they want to routes. The youth today think struggling MTV we differentiate ourselves, we do
by-paSS all is for losers. They want to by-pass all what we do.
Struggle. they struggle. They want everything and want According to Raghu Ram, “At an obvious
want eVerything it now. It’s truly the Fast Food generation. platform Roadies presents a pessimistic
and want it now. Sticklers for controversy may be, but they world view where such situations are
it’S truly the faSt seem to accept it alright. created that breed negative behaviour.
Poonam Pandey, the female who vowed At the not so obvious level, it shows the
food generation. to bare all if the Indian cricket team wins viewers that real face of every participant.”
the World Cup might have faded away When you can have the opportunity to not
from public memory, but due to her quirky go the wrong way, how many make the
vow she has now managed an entry in the right choice. Unpredictability of the show
fourth season of the Khatron Ke Khiladi on is also what clicks with the viewers.
Colors. Everybody strives to be a talking The Roadies spirit include courage, guts
point on reality television. and attitude. It represents all that is Cool.
Before Roadies came along, there was If all the aspirations and ambitions of the
no platform for the young to speak up. youth can be condensed in one word its
Issues like pre-marital sex, homosexuality, COOL. The young want to be percieved
love marriage, live-in relationships were cool in the way they talk, the cellphones
all within the closet, never discussed one- they carry, the people they hang out with,
on-one. Through platforms like Roadies the role models they have, social issues
perceptions are put forward. Auditions they take up. Anna Hazare is cool, having
for the show are in-your face and quite a India Against Corruption badge on your
revealing. Over the years Roadies has Facebook profile is cool.

continuing from page 11

web and mobile have only ensured a deeper connect importance and thus, MTV iSpeak was born. It is
with the viewer. While Roadies is on, you can chat a hangout of a network of the young from colleges
with Raghu on a voice chat on your phone and tweet across 10 cities. These ambitious, extroverted,
your friends on what he just said to you. It has moved opinionated youth has been handpicked by the MTV.
the engagement from one way to two ways. We meet them every day (online) to discuss their life
and thoughts ranging from news headlines, politics,
Are brands doing enough to understand the career aspirations to frivolous dating tips, and
needs of the youth? stories of love life. These online and offline meetings
Most of the research studies today are typically ensure we stay connected real-time and have a firm
onetime affair that ends up being a reference guide grip on the youth pulse.
for brand marketers for a year or two. As a brand MTV decided to share these insights with the
catering to this segment for decades, we at MTV are people to whom youth insights matter. MTVPlay.
well aware of the fact that two years are not enough in was launched last year to share all that MTV
to grip the young peoples’ pulse. The essence of knows. While we started off sharing just the trends,
youth lies in their transience, they change as quick the site now allows data downloads and research
as time. The need to track them daily is of prime updates.


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