Insights for brands to leverage shifting attitudes of Indian consumers

New Delhi: Ipsos has unveiled Ipsos Global Trends 2024 for businesses and brands, marking its 10th anniversary – one of the largest public surveys with 50,000 interviews in 50 markets, covering 74% of the world’s population and 90% of the world’s GDP. 

This broad coverage provides an understanding of people’s shifting attitudes and values and how India Inc could capitalise on these opportunities. The India fieldwork was conducted on the Ipsos IndiaBus platform, covering both urban masses (via face-to-face interviews) and digital Indians (via online interviews) to provide a holistic picture of India. 

Amit Adarkar, CEO of Ipsos India, shared insights from the global trends report, explaining, "For this extensive survey, which involved 50,000 interviews across 50 countries and thorough data analysis, Ipsos used the theory of change, focusing on three key pillars. The first is 'macro forces'—factors around us like demographics. For instance, the world is ageing; China has raised its retirement age, and India is expected to reach that point later this century. While some Indian states have started plateauing in growth, 33% of the country's future growth will come from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Urbanization is also accelerating, and in the next 10 years, urban areas will account for nearly 40% of India’s population. Climate change, another macro force, is affecting everyone, along with the rise of Gen AI. 

 The second pillar, 'shifts,' refers to insights gathered from various stakeholders—citizens and consumers alike—giving us a deeper understanding of societal, market, and category-level changes. Lastly, 'signals' represent trends emerging from social media, fashion, and upcoming movements. For example, several European cities imposed tourist taxes this summer, possibly in response to climate change or local xenophobia, as seen in Venice. 

By examining these macro forces, shifts, and signals, we gain a comprehensive view of change. From our 50,000 interviews and social data, we identified 23 values, which we combined into nine global trends that will shape the future. Each trend has important implications for businesses, brands, and categories."

Adarkar spoke about the Ipsos global trends and how marketers should read them: "Global trend of globalisation fractures shows that, globalisation instead of bringing people together as one large community, shows a lot of fracturing and conflicts. While there are big wars going on, there is this also vs. China versus the rest of the world kind of vibe. There are more fissures and fractures within countries, leading to the next trend of splintered societies. Around the time of so many elections around the globe, we see a lot of friction. Social media tends to amplify the good and bad of society adding more fuel to splintering. Marketers talking to splintered societies, the communication could be loved by one set of people, while there would be those who would hate it and people holding a grudge. A lot of brands have faced this situation. The fallout of good-hearted communication is being pushed out and this trend will continue. Further, the trend of Conscientious Health shows people getting a lot more conscious about their health. Like global citizens were seen to worry more about mental health, than cancer or cardiac disease. Which was not the case 10 years ago."  About India, some of the relevant trends were further explained by Adarkar: " For Indians the trend of escape to individualism was rather interesting. There was a strong need to make things work out for oneself and technology was seen as an enabler and a close ally, especially for elevating one’s status, and the curiosity to learn. More reflected in millennials and Gen Z and was seen as a positive trend. Another positive trend emerging was nouveau nihilism, which meant people wanting to live in the present. With a strong need to enjoy and take care of oneself. Like spending on non-discretionary items beyond the typical, tendency towards premiumisation, tendency towards experiencing etc. The worrying trend was a reversal in sensitivity towards climate change among Indians vis-à-vis global citizens. Especially when climate change is impacting everyone. There was this feeling that there was no immediate danger; it was something to worry about in the future. And the fourth trend was of retreat to the old system, when life was simpler and there is a strong sense of nostalgia."  

Krishnendu Dutta, Group Service Line Leader, Innovation, Market Strategy and Understanding (MSU) and Strategy3, Ipsos India, shared some of the key findings emerging, “Urban Masses display despair and despondency. Considered the moral backbone of the nation, this cohort shows a deep decline in its pride for the nation. What is alarming is, from being aspirational and hopeful last year, this cohort was seen to be disillusioned, perhaps due to the job losses and high cost of living. Only 55% of urban masses said they were proud of their country, with a -22% dip from last year – explained by the despair around meeting expenses for daily needs and healthcare costs. Notably, nostalgia for simpler, safer and more financially secure future has surged for urban Indians. 65% will like India to be the way it used to be. And 61% would have preferred growing up at the time when their parents were children. Their focus was more on earning and living their lives, seeming a little distant from larger social issues. Interestingly, they were seen to exhibit greater faith in business leaders than in political leadership. There was a growing reliance on the internet, with online shopping providing better deals during financially stressful times. 47% of them not imagining life without the internet and 49% finding better deals in online shopping vis-à-vis traditional stores. Urban Masses find the path to a better life inaccessible, due to the lack of well-paying jobs, affordable education and healthcare and rising cost of living.  With business leaders and digital inclusion being the beacons of hope for this cohort, there was a strong need for govt and businesses to approach the urban masses with a great deal of empathy and understanding,” stated Dutta.   

 “Digital Indians on the other hand show a stability and reinforcement of trends. Digital fatigue and the need to return to a simpler life continued; 40% said they would like India to be the way it used to be, displaying a strong need for nostalgia. 36% were willing to shell out extra for a brand with an image appealing to them. Digital Indians show deepening cultural anxiety and hardening around gender roles. 43% (-5%) believe transgender men and women should be free to live their lives. Showing a dip. And 38% (+5%) believe the main role of women in society is to be good mothers and wives. Women were seen to be facing greater mental pressures, and demonstrating a greater resonance with nostalgia and simplicity - 43% women (+8% vs men) would have preferred growing up at the time when their parents were children; 49% women (+7% vs men) said they need to take care of their mental wellbeing; while 43% (+7% vs men) wished they could slow down the pace of their life. There is a strong need amongst this cohort to spend on brands and experiences that are authentic and reflect one’s identity,” added Dutta.  

Urban masses and digital Indians were seen to unite around health. 46% (+4%) of digital Indians would like more control on decisions about their health. 57% urban masses expressed similar views. 45% digital Indians (+7%) and 55% urban Indians said they need to do more to take care of their mental wellbeing. 

Dutta explained what implications these trends would mean for businesses and brands: “There are unique opportunities for brands in a highly fragmented market and precise targeting will be important. Premiumizing content for digital Indians, leveraging nostalgia, social impact will be important. While urban masses need to be addressed with simpler, more relatable narratives, escapism and humour.”  

“Differentiated products, services, opportunities should be leveraged for both cohorts. For digital Indians, premium, niche and targeted. Mental and wellness products and packages. Food and lifestyle-related exclusive destinations and experiences, premium food options, new shopping experiences. More premium and exclusive learning and education opportunities. Urban masses will be driven more by value. Accessible health packages, affordable entertainment options, e-commerce have a great opportunity to fulfil their needs. 

Brands should understand the desires and despairs of both cohorts; and build greater trust and transparency, greater ethics and fair play. Influencers should be used strategically, enable influencers to establish community dialogues,” said Dutta.

Ben Page, Global CEO of Ipsos, highlighted the top 3 tensions emerging over the last decade in Ipsos Global Trends. 

He said, “Tension 01 is that we are more global and introspective – global brands and global culture is more widespread than a decade ago; tension 02, focus on self – rising interest of focusing on the self, almost a retreat; tension 03, environmental – citizens are more concerned about the environment, yet fatalistic. Ipsos global trends, produced by Ipsos, will provide insights for decision making – providing a new consensus from tension to intention.”