I am at the Microsoft Leadership Conclave in Dubai. Yesterday, we had a chance to listen to Prasoon Joshi, Executive Chairman, McCann Erickson, Asia Pacific. He presented his understanding of the current day Indian consumer interspersed with memorable ad campaigns created by his team. It was f***ing brilliant.

Here are his key insights and his explanations why:

1. Entertainment orientation – there used to be a time when listening to the news was a serious affair. All of us remember the – Shhh! Father is watching news – episodes from our childhood. Today news is entertainment. It is being presented as such. Discovery channel presents animal life by weaving them into stories complete with names etc (Monkey by name Tina is doing this or Tiger by name Pintoo is doing that etc). Gone are the days  when we could simply talk about the features of the product. Today the same features have to be packaged with entertainment mixed in.

2. Reality Orientation – our movies have always been escapist. Usually the same love triangle stories with the song/dance sequences as the spices. Today the Indian consumer is confident of facing reality. Movies like Black or Taare Zameen Par or Rang Der Basanti are released for the mainstream audience and are huge hits. If you compare Indian Idol and American Idol, Indian Idol shows a lot more about the background of the contestant. The stark reality seems to inspire and instill hope in the minds of the Indian consumer and it sells.

3. Upgrade orientation – in the past when we bought products it was all about how long it will last. I bought this watch 20 years ago etc. Today the consumer wants to change the cell phone every 18 months with the latest and greatest features. Clearly the consumer wants to make a statement.

4. Promos are not harmful – there is a general tendency to feel that promos harm the brand. That is not true. If the brand promise is strong, the promos actually enhance the brand. Shows several coke, mastercard promo ads to make the point.

5. Digital revolution – the internet is changing a lot of things. Eventhough the internet penetration is not that high. Consumer generated content can be a big tool. But for that to happen we need to create compelling content that the consumer will feel like playing
with. He shows the spoofs of Dove ads done by consumer and also his own chlormint (du bara math poocho) ad that was spoofed.

6. Real is Virtual – virtual is all that most people have seen. Most people have never been to a cricket match or an awards show in person. All they know is how it is seen on TV. We are headed towards an age when kids are asking “mom, how come you don’t look like the moms onTV?”

7. The “And” Consumer – Indian consumers are not satisfied with this or that, they want this and that. This maybe due to the increased confidence and buying power of the consumer.

Then he took some questions -
1. I asked him about whether entertainment orientation and reality orientation was conflicting? He said no. He said even reality has to be packaged with entertainment.

2. Someone asked – sprite always spoofs pepsi isnt that bad? Prasoon said – coke never retaliates directly but uses sprite to do that. Since sprite is positioned as an irreverent brand, the spoofs are part of its character.

Overall, Prasoon Joshi is a great example of the kind of world beating talent that India has today in many fields.