 Welcome everyone to the generation world's like this podcast by lowstriumindia. This is the episode 4 of the podcast and today we will be discussing media from the point of view of the Gen Z audiences. If you are new to the podcast and you like listening to this one, you can go back and listen to the previous one so I am also will be dropping a few more in the next few days so you can stay tuned for those ones. I am Kunlata and you will be hearing my voice through the podcast and as always I have with me Arlo sir, UMCEO, our strat guru, Aditya Mishra, hi Atee. Hi Kula, happy to be here and before we sort of get into the details of what we want to talk about today, I think it's a good idea to give a view to how we have actually done this whole Gen Z understanding. So we went, you know the approach we adopted sort of was very interesting, we looked at Gen Z insiders you know rather than doing it from an outside view, we thought let's understand it from inside. So getting in people who are Gen Z themselves to go and talk to their peers, understand from them through multiple methods, so there's a huge quant study at the back of it across the last two years, looking at also a qualitative understanding of what is it that they are doing to engage the behaviors, what's on their phone, you know what's on their devices and then exploring what is the kind of things that they engage with various brands, various categories so that we can draw out nuances which can help brands and marketers like us to see what is the way forward for the future. Yeah, perfectly summed up very well. Yeah, so we'll get on with today's discussion and the first point that actually it is not a very surprising one is a very expected observation about Gen Z that definitely they're very digital first since they are digital native generation. It is almost like a status quo for them. So they don't even realize that it is something that is unique or different about them. It's like they're something when we observe, like when we heard some of those things, they're used to we get surprised. OK, how comfortable they are. Yeah, it's probably people from other generations like you and me who sort of talk about digital separately. You know, digital is not something different from them. It's pervasive in their way of life. So they are digital first, not just in terms of how they look at digital as a medium, but probably how their lives are digital in a way. You know, so it's it's like a very interesting mix of what one typically would call a real and virtual world. And and there's like a seamless flow of how they experience things in the real world versus the virtual world and how each of those things sort of build off each other. So not only is it a convenient thing, a used to thing, but it's also how they explore and seek experiences where one builds off the other. Yeah. And while they use it for pretty much everything, but how they use one different platform differently, that was also somewhat interesting. Like one person was speaking to the person said that she uses, let's say for Twitter is primarily for news and Instagram specifically for motivational quotes that she goes to. And whenever she has any doubt, let's say she reaches out to her friends on various social platform and also goes to quota for those answers. So each of the platform has their specific new nuanced use. And they're very used to using all of those for those specific purposes. Like they're very segregated in that way. Yeah. So, you know, when we talk to people and when we did this study, some interesting and I would say, evolutionary trends also emerged. You know, let's look at a platform like Discord, for example. You know, that that was essentially for gamers. But if you look at the way it has now got adopted, people are using it also as a conversational platform. People are also using it as, you know, something to follow their passions or their interests. So there is this constant shift, I would say, you know, let's say if you look at Gen Z is a few years back, you know, Facebook was the platform where they would be first seen. And today's Gen Z would not be caught dead there. You know, they might have an account, but nobody's using that account. And Instagram, which started off as a photo sharing platform. Today, you know, there are many Gen Z that use the platform not necessarily for posting stuff, but basically as a kind of messaging platform. So they're actually doing calls. They're actually messaging each other on something like an Instagram. So it's also how the platforms are extending beyond what they have been created for in a way. And hence the constant evolution of technology and how these platforms are evolving in the way that they engage the audience. They keep the audience with them. Yeah, yeah. And we'll hear from Anushka now. She speaks about like how she gets very much updated and constantly social media, how that helps her in various aspects of her life. Yeah, so one media can be used horizontally and vertically both. So they look at social media just to get updated, connect two people, get to know them well, and obviously from bonding with different each other. So all of those things that now let's move over to the second one, which is with a higher usage of digital as well as different content that are available and the expansion of their ambit that has made them really more engaged with media at an overall level. So they are more connected. They are more informed and they're having more fun on all of these platforms. So they are constantly engaging with media and that is making them more hungry about I think overall media and content and information, I guess. Yeah, so I think the interesting thing that we saw and which I think is a little different maybe for India, basically some of the other countries and we look at is even today there is, you know, probably some gaps in terms of what we would call a singular super app kind of an engagement. So while WhatsApp remains all pervasive and and with the introduction of payments, there was this big whole thought of, you know, would that become like a single super app which everybody is engaging in. But I think we're still not there yet. It's like it's like an evolution. And the other aspect, I think to consider is that how content and context is coming together for consumption. So what is unique for I think most digital platforms is that these two pieces sort of travel together. So unlike traditional media formats where, you know, content gets created and then it sort of is placed in case of digital. It's an interplay of both which sort of works well. So Gen Z has wider circles of reference where they are trying to do anything because it's pretty much information accessible very, very easily. So whether it's about, you know, finding something and this whole agility of engaging faster and that's, you know, therefore reflected when we start looking at time spent on media and time spent on digital media. There is a huge increase in terms of the overall time which is invested by Gen Z across multiple touch points, despite, you know, having very busy lives, but they are constantly there. So it's like, you know, whatever else you're doing, there is something which is in your hand, which is like keeping you connected all the time. And that's why, you know, it sort of, I think puts a bit of a responsibility back on marketers or on brands in terms of what is the way that we are looking at that data and the whole question of, you know, there's a lot of information coming back to us in terms of how a consumer is consuming your content, how often are they engaging with you? How well are you looking at and understanding that evolution? And hence, what are the policies that you have in place? Hence, you know, this whole discussion that is happening right now in India in terms of data and controlling consumer data. So these are some other nuances, I think, which are important for marketers and communicators to start thinking about as they look at this engagement and as they evaluate what is the right place for a brand to be. Yeah, certainly. And that's what we when we observed Gen Z versus the millennial. So Gen Z definitely have higher engagement and higher time spent on media compared to a millennial and definitely because of COVID also that has gone up. And yeah, you just didn't talk about that how they're spending much more time. And so so spending because time is you have 24 hours only. So you have to have if you're spending so much time on media, then you're less in terms of physical work and all that. But I think they are also recognizing that, recognizing the burnout. They are if not, they're actively trying to address it immediately. But there is those conversations that is also happening around that, that how can you how do you need to also have physical work and all those things as well? So yeah, so I'll play one clip from Meenika. She is from Jhakan. So she speaks about how digital media is like an indispensable part of our life. It becomes a special part of my life. I didn't realize that it did actually come to me as a movie. But I'd like to do something a hundred in my head and I can read it as many times as I can. I wish it was right. It has music, TV, that kind of impact. We have actually helped improve the quality of our entertainment industry today because the traditional typical, you know, of people who are going to ask to be parents of children, that's something that you see today on a very conventional level. The content has become so unconventional and so indulging that as you as the creators of the album, it's probably the best time to be alive, right? So there are a lot of the things that you just spoke about is that she kind of again said that. And also that she mentioned about this whole thing about how the quality of content has become so engaging and so good these days. So therefore that pushes them to consume more and more. Yeah, and also one thing that we'll probably now transition to the next point. And that is all about like how digital media is or overall as a media landscape is constantly evolving and constantly changing. And that has like kind of all of these better quality of content and people are always trying to get the audience to their side. So that urge to push the audience and urge to get the audience's eyeball is pushing media to evolve constantly. And that dynamism is which is like evident through these conversations that we had with them. So, see, I think it is obviously reflective. And like Merika said, you know, something in my hand, because also if you map it back to the stage of life, you know, Gen Z is a stage of evolution, you know, from a school to a college to maybe your first job. So there's lots happening in your life. And and therefore, somewhere there is this nuance of, you know, what I consume, what I see, what I watch, what I engage with, it's pretty much my business. I don't necessarily need my parents, my family, my teacher, my peer group, everybody to know. I have that privacy. So in a sense, you know, digital media, a lot of it is also extremely private. So so that is, I think, one nuance of why it's a very comfortable build. You know, earlier, I didn't have an option. If everybody is watching something, I also have to watch the same or I also have to read the same. Now, I don't necessarily need to. I choose when I want to watch with everyone versus I choose when I when I want to watch or do something different. So that choice and a choice is just private is there. So that's that's one big factor. The other thing which you interestingly said, you know, what am I watching? And and therefore, what is the kind of feedback that gives to to brands and to platforms and and here we see this duality, which is emerging, because you have so many things to do while you're spending more time. But but you also have so many things that you want to pack in. And and therefore, this growth of what we call short form content, you know, three seconds, six seconds, memes, very, very quick, very easy to consume and at the same time, huge long form. So something which is of interest, which is of passion, I will spend that time. But otherwise, most of the pieces is short form and and pressure on brands. Therefore, in terms of how do you capture their attention? If I have to tell my story in a two second or a three second thing, how do I capture that attention? So so need to innovate, need to really have good insights in terms of what is your brand or product bringing to the table and how do you translate that in a communication? How do you tell your brand story versus just a look and buy kind of a format? So those are some of the challenges which brands and marketers have to straddle as as they go along, you know, engaging GenC. Yeah, certainly. And the fact that everything is becoming so fragmented and then there's so many platforms to choose like for a marketer or for a brand. Now it is for them to decide, like, do I do a particular thing this way or that way? Or where do I target them? And see, when we look, so there's the few charts that we worked on. And when we map their influences across various categories, so and across various platform, what they're engaging in. So there were three notices that the across various categories, the influence is very fragmented. It's not like something I've OK, in one particular category, this is the person that I follow or this is the brand that I follow. It's not like that is it's like like list and list of brands that as much as we spoke to them, the newer names are coming from everywhere. So that is that means that that many fragmentation is happening. And also across various platforms for different platforms, different aspects are looked at, like, for example, short form video that you spoke of, like beauty is like a big category that that is using short form videos to let's share some content and quick content versus, let's say, tech is is, let's say, on YouTube and a little bit long form, long detailed reviews and detailed discussion around tech. So technically, it's very much strong there. So this is just an example that came to my mind. And but so each of the platform is very fragmented and has no specific use. So the brands have to be very careful and very thought through in where to use what and how to leverage that. Absolutely. Absolutely. So, you know, somewhere, I think it's an interesting mix of what we say, slow and fast thinking. You know, there are there things that I have to buy. And therefore, how pretty much everything is becoming shoppable. Everything is becoming engagement led. But at the same time, there are places that I want to tell brand stories and and whether it's content that I create as a brand myself. Do I partner with other people like influencers or experts who can who can create content and and what's the right balance? So those are some of the questions that brands need to answer. And, you know, there's no one way that the interesting part is as fragmentation happens, it also opens up a world of opportunity. Yes. You know, so for the same category, you may have different parts that you take and and all may work equally well, depending on, you know, how they resonate with your brand story. Yeah, yeah, yeah, certainly. So now we'll listen to Asta. So she speaks about how she she herself is an entrepreneur and how she is using digital media to grow her business. And that's what she speaks about like if I made a page and I started advertising on Instagram, Facebook, all these posts over there, I've started sharing my website on Instagram and Facebook. So people are getting to know that there is a website where you're all sharing the page. And I've started doing digital payments like online payments to work. We don't see even cash on delivery. So I've started making online payments. So see a girl, she's 17 year old. She's starting her own business and such such the power of dynamic world that she lives in that she's going to start up her own business. Now she's thinking about how to grow it digitally and that's what she's investing in. So that's what she is doing so many things, starting a page or she should invest in Instagram ads or how should she get her payments and etc. So all of those details that she's constantly thinking and working towards. So that's how the evolution with the evolution that she's also evolving. Yeah, so I think what digital platforms allow consumers to do or marketeers to do and she's an interesting mix of being a marketeer and a consumer is it has redefined what would be the entry barriers for a brand to come in and meet people or to talk to them. There were a lot of entry barriers in terms of what kind of investment was required, what kind of effort was required. Now with this opportunity to reach out a very large base through very limited actual effort in terms of building say a retail space or building those kind of things. There is a quick try or a test and learn model that people can experiment with because entry is not difficult. You can try out, you can keep refining and reforming your model and you can continue to engage with cohorts or with particular groups of people who are of a similar interest or who are seeking a particular solution. So that opportunity is something which has suddenly changed the landscape and hence the growth of the D2C categories that we see whether it's in traditional areas or whether it is in completely unexpected fields wherein suddenly you have an opportunity to try and to see whether you can scale up. Yeah, certainly. And in fact you speak about how because of the barrier to entry is so less. So not just from the marketer's point of view but also from the point of view of the content creators. So that's actually we are leading into the four point which is all about how because of so much of proliferation of content creation that has led to I guess a little bit of reduction or of a celebrity hood. People looking up to somebody like so larger to life and also the fact that these celebrities you can see you can get much more information about them and you can see them for who they are not just as a demigods. So that you can see you can get much more closer to them. So that has kind of reduced the earlier that demigods stature of all those Bollywood stars and all that as well. And I guess that was multiplied by all these influx of YouTubers that has come and also with the short form video content and all that where people are mastering that art as well like how to tell the story in a short way. So I think two things and we've spoken a bit about that when we spoke about what's the no-ancing in terms of Gen C versus Millennials and how do they look at things? I think one thing which came up very strongly was around authenticity and reality because people are informed it's very easy to access information. So when we talk about celebrity hood celebrity hood is really one aspect of a human being when they are great at something but eventually all are human beings. So there are a lot of other things about a person which earlier because it was a very uni-dimensional whatever stories you would maybe read in print or see some person on television or see them performing somewhere depending on the field that they are in. That's the only aspect that you would see but with this proliferation suddenly you know a lot more. You see the holistic picture and therefore your appreciation of something especially Gen C when they start looking at it in a way make very informed choices. So that is the reason why there is this growth of what we would call micro-influences which is people I know, people I can trust. It's not just a known name which is important but it is also about the authenticity of the information. Is it real life? Is it something which is packaged by a brand but does it really hold in all scenarios? So that's a balance and I think what we are seeing more and more when we start talking about brands which engage with Gen C's is that there has to be a healthy mix. So while celebs are great for capturing attention they get you interested but to keep you interested and to keep you engaged with the brand there is an emerging role of micro-influences or even converting your consumers into ambassadors and influencers. So there is this whole cycle which is emerged right now. Yeah, certainly. And you spoke about authenticity in fact when you spoke about one platform which is Discord the most common thing that came out was a sense of community. Authenticity leading up to a belongingness is the community. Like if you see any YouTuber so there'll be those super chat commenting regularly on those kind of like knowing each other also and commenting on each other's comment as well. So there's a lot of interesting thing that happens around that. And also from a short attention span to like long form content everywhere there is those specialization that are emerging with every new evolution that is happening. Yeah, that is actually very interesting to see now and Shreyaan's kind of sums it up very well. Where he- What stars follow? I guess people go for that thing but thing is I don't think. I guess celebrity hold is actually reducing. People are going for quality things. What the way initially if Amutha Bachchan used to say this Namkeen is the perfect and everybody used to follow that thing this Namkeen is perfect Amutha Bachchan saying that way. I guess that was the whole school. Now people are going for the quality. Now people are going for the quality. I think when he means quality he means all of this reliability and all of these things as well. Reliability trust and how expertise matter and not just one person saying that it is true. You'll also go for verification of that fact. You'll try to get this thing from information from multiple sources and all that. So these are the four points that we wanted to quickly discuss about the media behavior and how Gen Z's view media and so any final thoughts? No so I think it is what I would say a little earlier also I said that it's a great opportunity. It opens up a lot of things that brands can do. As marketers it's important for us to be choiceful because there is only so much. Resources continue to be limited for all of us. So we need to be choiceful about why we are choosing a particular platform. Just because we are choosing digital doesn't mean it's right. So what kind of digital? What is the experience that we really want consumers to have? What is the end action that we are seeking? And are we able to deliver this in a very authentic and real way? So that's I think the sort of tick marks that anything needs to have for a brand to be successful in this space. Yeah, great final words. So if you like listening to this one and you wanna listen to more of such podcasts so you can subscribe on Generation Z, guys. And thanks for listening. Thank you. Bye bye. Have a nice day. Bye bye.