Ten things to watch out for in 2007

India on its 60^th freedom anniversary year is truly in an upbeat mode. As India soar new height, ‘how the New Year will turn out to be,’ is one question everyone seems to be asking.

Here’s my take on ten things in 2007:

1. Lower middle class Indians will rise to a greater prominence. Their demand for better living standard, better education, better job prospect, and better lifestyle will rise significantly.
2. Retail will enter the tier II & III cities and towns. More kirana stores will adopt a modern store layout and allow consumers to browse products while innovative display units will be used for space constrained shops. More foreign brands will invade shelf-space on every imaginable category present and compete with Indian brands on price-point. (e.g. increase in the number of MyDollar Store, 9to99 Shoppe)
3. “Convenient-Everything” will become the norm. Words like ‘Readymade,’ ‘easy-to-use,’ ‘faster,’ ‘instant,’ ‘quicker’ will become the buzz word by popular demand.
4. Consumers will demand ‘Better-Service-Experience’ on everything. Mostly from the banking, telecom, electricity board, tax department, water board and other govt. offices.
5. Indians will save more and spend less but spend they will on more luxury and aspiration products & brands. Hence, the market will see a growth in more unisex products; probably households/couples will start buying only one product (e.g. Watch, bag, jacket, jeans etc.), which can be used by both, alternatively.
6. All things ‘healthy’ will be in demand mostly by urbanities, so usage of spa, gym, sugar-free, low carb, organic fresh food, green tea, canned & fresh fruit juices will see a tremendous growth.
7. Below-the-line communication will take precedence over ATL, use of new media will only increase, more ambient and guerilla campaigns can be seen. Also new design and packaging work will increase.
8. Women empowerment will reach a new level in this year. Women will become the new target audience for all product communications. In the previous year, communication (in general) was more family centric; this year communication will be more individualistic and self centered.
9. Indigenous Indian brands will grow in size, stature and status. Some Indian brands will become truly global. More regional/local players will join the ‘branded-wagon’ and expand nationally.
10. Lastly, India will lose in the coming ICC World Cup and Indians interest in Cricket will slowly wane out. (Hope I’m proved wrong, particularly in this case)

Now, that you have read the list, you must be wondering what’s new about it. Well nothing except a desire to see some more meaningful communication and betterment in the standard of Indian advertising.

I’ve to wait till the 31^st day of December to validate my take on this year; you in the meantime can send in your comments and predictions.