#ShopperMarketing
#FascinatingIndia
India remains a fascinating market that defies simple straight-jacketing. I remember one experience in the heart of Delhi that taught me that consumers of various SEC groups literally live cheek by jowl, one next to another.
The North (Delhi) team and I were working in Delhi Qutab Institutional Area (Mehrauli), where right next to the HDFC Bank Branch, there are stores that reflect the catchment being SEC-A. Walking 100 metres in that lane will surprise you - because suddenly the shops & assortment both will suggest to the keen observer that the SEC group has changed to B.
Walk another 200 metres, you will notice that the outlets have metamorphosed into ones catering to an audience belonging to SEC-C. In short, within an outwardly perceived prosperous area of South Delhi, we can actually see outlets that cater to various SEC groups of consumers!
What does that mean? We have value pockets within luxury counties, and rich pockets within value counties. That means we have a really unique market set-up where there is no fine or clear line that demarcates the rich consumers from the poor, except, may be, the outlets that clearly differentiate who shops where.
Are there other ways that can help us target so pointedly to consumers based on their SEC? Are even outlets a right indicator?
This experience taught me that if you want to test a value offering for a brand, or a luxury variant of another, a marketer doesn't need to head into the hinterland, looking for consumers of various socio-economic strata.
Right around the very auspices of the brand managers, there exist consumer groups with whom they can engage, target, dialog, reverse-engineer, and fine-tune the brand offering.
My teams & I did the same with a few of our brands. Focused shopper marketing approach, frequent engagement with target consumers (home visits), living in the stores (LITS) to know shoppers better, and mystery shopper program to check-on retailer support - for starters - helped us understand consumers better, and make our offerings sharper!
It helped (wish I can share finer details - but have signed an NDA) much.
Home Visits were most enlightening; LITS moments were the most humourous. More on the same late
What do you think are better ways to reach out to target consumers on ground, in store, and in homes?
Rewiring democracy for the 21st Century | AI | An Entrepreneur | Growth Hacker | Strategy, Leadership & Execution | TEDx Speaker | IIT R & IIMA
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