MAM
Affluent Indians splurging to upgrade quality of life: Synovate
MUMBAI: Synovate has released data from the Pan Asia Pacific Cross Media Survey, which was conducted in order to give an insight into the lifestyle and spending habits of affluent Asians.
The survey showed a rise in wealth, product and service ownership and improvements in lifestyle across India’s affluent residents.
The agency tracked ownership and buying habits of the elite in order to help media organizations and agencies make savvy advertising and marketing decisions.
The Synovate PAX survey tracks media, prosperity and influence in eleven markets across the Asia Pacific region – India, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and Japan.
According to Synovate India director Amit Adarkar, the personal acquisition of big-ticket items to improve self-worth is seeing an upswing among affluent Indians. “In just the last few months, our constantly-updated tracking has enabled us to watch India’s elites’ overdrive into higher product ownership, increasing purchase intentions and improving lifestyle. The Synovate PAX results for 2005 show that the average monthly household income of India’s affluent residents now stands at a very comfortable $1634.”
Some of the other findings of the survey are as follows:
Over the twelve months to end June 2005, business travel has surged by 19 per cent and leisure travel by at least 71 per cent- over the same period last year.
The ownership of personal quality items in India has grown sometimes phenomenally. Desktop Computers at 32 per cent last year have increased to 39 per cent. Mobile phone penetration among PAX respondents has increased from 51 per cent to 54 per cent. Mobile phones with internet have grown from 42 per cent to 44 per cent. DVD Players have increased from 12 per cent to 25 per cent – a robust 110 per cent increase, over last year. Digital video camera ownership increased from six per cent to 12 per cent; a healthy 92 per cent increase year-on-year. Flat screen TV has grown from 11 per cent to 16 per cent among the top tier audience of India.
Personal ownership of credit cards has zoomed – from 22 per cent to 33 per cent – a good 51 per cent growth. Car ownership has increased marginally – from 43 per cent to 45 per cent.
Investing in property and life insurance has seen a decline as compared to the figures of last year.
Internet access has grown from 27 per cent to 35 per cent – an increase of 28 per cent, among PAX respondents.
Brand-consciousness has increased as patrons prefer to buy well-known brands. At the same time, the PAX elite are willing to experiment when it comes to new products and brands, and do not mind spending a few more bucks, for quality. The elite are constantly turning into product adopters, with India taking the top place when it came to the elite engaging in a race to be the first to buy a new product.
When Synovate quizzed PAX respondents on their future purchase intention, the results were encouraging:
The laundry list included a host of luxury products: Digital video cameras (six per cent), DVD Players (five per cent), Luxury watch- $500+ (two per cent), Laptop / Computer Notebook (four per cent), Designer leather products (three per cent, LCD/ Plasma TV (two per cent), Car (18 per cent), etc.
Overall, the results showed the increasing confidence and purchase intentions across luxury products and technology, indicating a successful year ahead for these items.
“With substantial household wealth, these Indians are rewarding themselves with purchases of quality technology products, consumer items and are bullish about dabbling in stocks/ bonds and funds,” Adarkar added.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
