MAM
Marketers eye India’s burgeoning youth population
MUMBAI: India‘s burgeoning youth population is the core attraction of every marketer. And reshaping the marketing industry is the fact that 65 per cent of the Indian population is youth, which is expected to grow by more than 47 million by 2020.
Uninor (Unitech Wireless) corporate affairs executive vice president Rajiv Bawa affirmed that despite his company being the 13th in the Indian telecommunications market, it did well by targeting the Indian youth population.
Uninor‘s slogan of “ab mera number hai” was conceived for the youth.
“Since inception, we have used every marketing tool and strategy to attract the youth,” said Bawa, while speaking at the third Global Youth Marketing Forum.
Future Media CEO and Future Group president – customer strategy Sandip Tarkas agreed that youth would dominate the economic scene in India for a very long time. He asserted that the youth in India is westernised but still respects Indian values.
“Though Indians just like their Western counterparts want to be part of the sub-culture, they still respect their parents and aren‘t really rebellious,” he averred.
Tarkas also said that many retail shops are today built for the youth – at least most of them have a section for the young ones. Latest technologies, fashion and music are a part of this offering.
Speaking on youth revolution in the mobile handset industry, BYOND Mobiles marketing and sales vice president Shripal Gandhi said the power of youth population has encouraged them to create handsets meant for the young. He said that his company‘s handsets have features like high-battery life, games and music, which is most desired by the young.
Gandhi also emphasised the importance of North-eastern part of the country, which he referred to as a “virgin” market with lot of opportunities.
BBDO / Proximity India chief executive officer Ajai Jhala explained the country‘s youth in a very philosophical manner. Before Independence Indian youth had the ambition of gaining independence for the country. Post Independence due to Socialist-styled economy, that motive was transformed into fighting the corrupt system and red tape.
After liberalisation, this was changed forever, Jhala said. “Today‘s youth is now more self-centred and wants to know ‘what in it for me‘. Indian youth has become more practical and materialistic,” he elaborated.
Brands
JioStar pushes HD viewing as default for IPL with Watch on HD campaign
New campaign highlights how younger viewers are driving HD adoption at home
MUMBAI:JioStar is making a clear pitch to cricket fans: if you are watching the Indian Premier League, it might as well be in high definition. The media giant has rolled out its latest Watch on HD campaign, positioning HD viewing not as a luxury but as the new normal for IPL audiences on linear television.
At the heart of the campaign is a light, relatable film set in a typical Indian household. It flips the script on tech adoption, showing a young boy questioning his parents for watching a match in standard definition before switching it to Star Sports HD himself. The message is simple and sharp: even kids know HD is the way to go.
The campaign taps into a broader behavioural shift. Younger viewers are increasingly influencing how families consume content, from streaming habits to display quality. In this case, they are nudging households toward better picture clarity and a more immersive sports experience.
Built around the idea that “even children know the real IPL experience is on HD,” the campaign reflects how deeply HD has embedded itself into everyday viewing. For fans, especially during high-stakes matches, sharper visuals and finer details are no longer optional extras but part of the core experience.
A spokesperson from JioStar said the aim is to mirror how audiences already engage with content today, where HD is widely accessible and easy to adopt. The focus, they added, is on ensuring viewers do not miss the nuances of the game, from a perfectly timed cover drive to the emotion on a player’s face.
With IPL continuing to dominate as one of India’s biggest shared viewing events, JioStar’s campaign underlines a broader industry push: elevate the baseline experience. As HD penetration grows across markets, the company is betting that clearer screens will translate into stronger viewer loyalty and engagement.
In a tournament built on spectacle, JioStar is making its stance clear. For IPL fans, HD is no longer the upgrade. It is the expectation.
