Top 10 2012 trends preview; 2011 buzz

Telecom
Ringing in the future

Krishnadeep Baruah,Director Marketing,Research In Motion,India

The year 2011 radically transformed the way consumers interacted with their cell phones. More online users are turning online buyers and are more receptive to such marketing efforts. 2012 would be the year of next generation technologies,combined with the creation of robust mobile infrastructure,leading to increase in consumption of richer content.

IT
Invading the virtual world

Neville Taraporewalla,Country Director,Advertising amp;

Online,Microsoft India

Social media is one element thats making waves. I believe this trend will continue since tech savvy users have predominantly grown up in an extremely connected world that replicate and imitate their close groups. This show and tell trend will continue,and marketers will need to get onto all platforms that deliver these experiences seamlessly.

Automobiles
Ride across small towns

Neeraj Garg,Director,Volkswagen Passenger Cars

In 2011,Indias passenger car industry outperformed many of its peers in the West. Car makers will now look to reach out to consumers in fast-growing tiers II and III towns. The next wave of growth will come from such towns,which have witnessed a surge in disposable incomes and are leading job producers. Delivering value is the key. Consumers are no longer content with hygiene.

Consumer Electronics
Innovation is the key

Anirudh Dhoot,Director,Videocon amp; President CEAMA

The consumer durables industry has witnessed a considerable change in the past couple of years. In 2011,companies will have to differentiate their products through promotions,effective marketing communication and better financing options besides expanding their distribution network. Innovation will define and drive purchase decisions.

E-commerce
Spreading the shopping web

Ravi Vora,VP,Marketing,Flipkart.com

2011 saw consumers embracing online shopping like never before. The industry grew by 47 to reach Rs 47,000 crore by year-end. The focus,going forward,will be to get those still shopping only offline to test the online medium. Path-breaking features like cash-on-delivery,24X7 customer support and 30-day replacement policy will drive traffic.

Retail
We are what we eat

Damodar Mall,President Integrated Food Strategy,Future Strategy

There are very interesting things happening on the consumer side on food that will shape retail in India. The family network of culinary knowledge is being replaced by Wiki aunty and celebrity chefs. And larger refrigerators mean that occasional trips to supermarkets and neighbourhood stores suffice.

Television
The digital

Divide: drama

LV Krishnan,CEO,TAM Media Research

The last couple of years saw a new growth spurt led by digitisation. What has queered the pitch in favour of rural India is the fact that one in three Camp;S homes in rural India has turned digital as compared to one in seven Camp;S homes in urban India! But the much awaited fragmentation of audiences is not necessarily going to come true,at least in the immediate short term.

Financial services
Shaky market,savings grace

Anisha Motwani,CMO,Max New York Life Insurance

The year 2012 is critical for the insurance industry. Economic instability globally,depreciating rupee,volatile stock markets,low industrial output,sluggish consumer demand,high interest rates,compounded with slew of regulatory changes are likely to keep consumers as well as insurance services providers on the edge. From an investment driven high returns mindset,consumers have now realized the importance of long-term savings and protection and are moving towards the same.

Film
Anywhere movie

Siddharth Roy Kapur,CEO,UTV Motion Pictures

The Hindi film industry today is at an interesting crossroads. Technology,savvy marketing and shorter content will draw in the audience. Films will become much more accessible to audiences in remote towns via satellite technology. Skilfully executed marketing and public relations initiatives are increasingly contributing to a good opening weekend for a movie. And a new breed of filmmakers no longer believe in making a distinction between art and commercial cinema.

Rural
Catching up with slickers

Pradeep Kashyap,president,Rural Marketing Association of India

The current slowdown in urban consumption will not affect rural markets in any way as its not an industrial but an agriculture-driven economy. Sectors such as private education,healthcare,retail and insurance will boom this year as literacy rates in rural have grown three times faster than urban centres in the past 10 years. Economy packs will be a big hit this year and the sale of packaged products will rise.

Team Brandwagon