Pardon the headline, but those were the exact words used by a twenty something, 12th passed helper, at my dentist’s reception.
So let me pull back a bit. Three unconnected events in the last few days have made me think again of the power of digital media. Are we underestimating it in India? Are we being made chu….?
The above outburst was a result of a reporting on Zee News. The channel was lambasting the JNU students on their alleged anti national slogans. While the host was passionately being nationalistic, the helper blurted out these words to none in particular. Intrigued, I had a chat with him.
A student at the local government college, Anup is doing part time jobs to help his family of mother, brother and a sister. He has a Micromax smartphone, which he bought second hand for Rs 1800 which he paid in three instalments to his neighbourhood mobile repair shop, who peddles in such phones. Anup buys a 2G pack of Rs 7, yes Rs 7, valid for one night which lets him download 1 GB data. Or sometimes he takes the 3G pack for Rs 29 with same data download and validity. He tells me that he uses these on Saturday or Sunday, post midnight when traffic is less and speed therefore is not an issue. He then watches FB and You tube on those days.
For his normal consumption he uses Whatsapp plan for which he pays Rs 75 per week for 500 mb use. A quick calculation reveals that he pays less than Rs 500 pm for his internet adventures (out of a monthly income of around Rs 5000-6000 ) and boy, is he informed!
He had seen certain videos about Kanhaiya’s (the JNU union leader under arrest on sedition charges) speeches and had also read some news report on it on his whats app group. And his angst was that the TV media was misreporting everything. This blog is not about the JNU politics, but suffice to say that social media has set the cat amongst the piegons.
The second incident took place yesterday during my cycling/walking early in the morning. A dumper truck laden with construction material had a puncture on the side of the road. The driver was manfully trying to change the tires. I offered to help him which he accepted gladly. So while we sweated in below 5 degrees temperatures I got a pretty decent insight into his life. While not boring you with his details, he had just got his son admitted to a diploma course with a private catering college and gifted him the smartphone which he himself was using till now.
“Ladke ko bawarchi bana rahe ho, aurton ka kaam sikha rahe ho?” was my Naradmuni type query. And his response was quick “sahib, aajkal ke zamane mein ladke aur ladki mein kya farak?” I was then given a polite spiel on gender equality and opportunities in the big world. He wanted his son to learn cooking “bidesh ka khana” and then join a cruise company as a cook! He also rattled off some cruise destinations and route. No need to guess his source of information. And he proudly mentioned to me that his son has already started to use the phone to learn some bideshi dishes.
The third event also happened yesterday. All newspapers had front page wrap around sheets informing the impending launch of a smartphone for Rs 251. And I furiously started connecting the dots.
Even today, the smartphone and internet revolution has been impressive by any standard. But we still pass it off as an urban phenomena. The middle of the pyramid phenomena. I though get a feeling that it is already a bottom of pyramid phenomena. And if phones get as cheap as Rs 300 or Rs 500, the revolution will be complete.
That to me is what our marketers are scared of. We still look at digital at best as a middle of the pyramid phenomena. We still have TV ads followed by digital activation. Why is no one testing the waters with a bottom of the pyramid digital campaign?
India I know is not very strong on upto date numbers and statistics. But has anyone done an analysis of the type of data plans offered by players like Idea or Telenor which are the equivalent of sachets in FMCG categories? And what are the subscriber numbers associated with these plans. Is it that the planners themselves are too top of the pyramid or middle of the pyramid and therefore ignore bottom of the pyramid?
The more I spend my time in small cities, the more I am convinced that brands are losing out on a great opportunity. The digital divide between haves and have nots is now a myth which is begging to be broken. I know my sample size is too small, but it is a trend I have been noticing and the data plans offered provide a rich insight into the way the bottom of the pyramid are being lured into the digital medium.
Are the marketing and media experts being lazy? Should TV continue to be the holy grail? Has someone experimented and failed?
Or is it truly a case of “hamara ch…..banaya jaa raha hai?”
So let me pull back a bit. Three unconnected events in the last few days have made me think again of the power of digital media. Are we underestimating it in India? Are we being made chu….?
The above outburst was a result of a reporting on Zee News. The channel was lambasting the JNU students on their alleged anti national slogans. While the host was passionately being nationalistic, the helper blurted out these words to none in particular. Intrigued, I had a chat with him.
A student at the local government college, Anup is doing part time jobs to help his family of mother, brother and a sister. He has a Micromax smartphone, which he bought second hand for Rs 1800 which he paid in three instalments to his neighbourhood mobile repair shop, who peddles in such phones. Anup buys a 2G pack of Rs 7, yes Rs 7, valid for one night which lets him download 1 GB data. Or sometimes he takes the 3G pack for Rs 29 with same data download and validity. He tells me that he uses these on Saturday or Sunday, post midnight when traffic is less and speed therefore is not an issue. He then watches FB and You tube on those days.
For his normal consumption he uses Whatsapp plan for which he pays Rs 75 per week for 500 mb use. A quick calculation reveals that he pays less than Rs 500 pm for his internet adventures (out of a monthly income of around Rs 5000-6000 ) and boy, is he informed!
He had seen certain videos about Kanhaiya’s (the JNU union leader under arrest on sedition charges) speeches and had also read some news report on it on his whats app group. And his angst was that the TV media was misreporting everything. This blog is not about the JNU politics, but suffice to say that social media has set the cat amongst the piegons.
The second incident took place yesterday during my cycling/walking early in the morning. A dumper truck laden with construction material had a puncture on the side of the road. The driver was manfully trying to change the tires. I offered to help him which he accepted gladly. So while we sweated in below 5 degrees temperatures I got a pretty decent insight into his life. While not boring you with his details, he had just got his son admitted to a diploma course with a private catering college and gifted him the smartphone which he himself was using till now.
“Ladke ko bawarchi bana rahe ho, aurton ka kaam sikha rahe ho?” was my Naradmuni type query. And his response was quick “sahib, aajkal ke zamane mein ladke aur ladki mein kya farak?” I was then given a polite spiel on gender equality and opportunities in the big world. He wanted his son to learn cooking “bidesh ka khana” and then join a cruise company as a cook! He also rattled off some cruise destinations and route. No need to guess his source of information. And he proudly mentioned to me that his son has already started to use the phone to learn some bideshi dishes.
The third event also happened yesterday. All newspapers had front page wrap around sheets informing the impending launch of a smartphone for Rs 251. And I furiously started connecting the dots.
Even today, the smartphone and internet revolution has been impressive by any standard. But we still pass it off as an urban phenomena. The middle of the pyramid phenomena. I though get a feeling that it is already a bottom of pyramid phenomena. And if phones get as cheap as Rs 300 or Rs 500, the revolution will be complete.
That to me is what our marketers are scared of. We still look at digital at best as a middle of the pyramid phenomena. We still have TV ads followed by digital activation. Why is no one testing the waters with a bottom of the pyramid digital campaign?
India I know is not very strong on upto date numbers and statistics. But has anyone done an analysis of the type of data plans offered by players like Idea or Telenor which are the equivalent of sachets in FMCG categories? And what are the subscriber numbers associated with these plans. Is it that the planners themselves are too top of the pyramid or middle of the pyramid and therefore ignore bottom of the pyramid?
The more I spend my time in small cities, the more I am convinced that brands are losing out on a great opportunity. The digital divide between haves and have nots is now a myth which is begging to be broken. I know my sample size is too small, but it is a trend I have been noticing and the data plans offered provide a rich insight into the way the bottom of the pyramid are being lured into the digital medium.
Are the marketing and media experts being lazy? Should TV continue to be the holy grail? Has someone experimented and failed?
Or is it truly a case of “hamara ch…..banaya jaa raha hai?”
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