THE TASK

An iconic youth Hindi / Bollywood music channel wanted to understand the music needs of non-metro youth in India to land a powerful brand connect

THE OUTCOME

The brand is currently implementing marketing and product strategies that resonate with the specific needs of their target – from programming, to brand activation

A 24 hours music channel, recently born out of its iconic mother brand, wanted to enter into the lives of their potential audience and connect directly with them. From the kind of music they aired, to the kind of shows that were interspersed – they wanted a true evaluation of where they stand in the minds of their intended audience.

For this study, it was critical for us to dive into the lesser-known, non-metro world of youth. Brands and pop-culture tend to portray a certain idea of Indian youth today – one which is more global than national, digital than real, and one which is truly ‘metro’ in how they consume music and pop-culture. The kind of youth that had to be understood for this study belonged to a far less privileged and exposed sect of Tier 3 and 4 Indian cities – far more regional, traditional, conservative, and whose daily battles towards modernity were around serious life decisions (marriage, career, education etc.).

We recruited participants from the heartlands of Hindi / Bollywood music – Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Through digital and face-to-face ethnography we discovered details that had a direct impact on the brand’s product and marketing strategy. Be it single-screen televisions within joint family settings, or the increasing role of Youtube for private viewing – our engagements successfully constructed their world and the role of music / music channels within it.

Findings of this study went beyond just reports - they were shared through a stakeholder exhibition, where the audience world was reconstructed, and through a book that was designed to stay on internally for inspiration.

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