MUMBAI: The consumer landscape has gone through a complete change in recent times with people who are eager to explore newer avenues for spending and investing. In these changing times marketers are trying to woo customers through a variety of offerings. The key will be to get an in-depth understanding of these changing needs.

 
In order to address this, TNS India will be launching 'Money Marketing Insight' (MMI), wherein it has combined sector expertise with research capabilities to deliver this report. A study first-of-its-kind in India seeks to explain consumers' financial decisions and choices in a holistic manner, looking beyond the rational. The study has been conducted based on research among various 'money' related companies and is soon due to announce the findings.

 
 
TNS India senior vice president Shobha Subramanian said, "The common belief is that choice of investment products and brands is a rational decision based on a studied consideration of factors such as risk assessment, rate of return, liquidity and so on. And so, marketers of money instruments have used the approach of offering tangible benefits such as lower charges, security / guarantee and so on to grow their share. Unfortunately, these are no longer differentiators between brands within any money instrument as all providers offer similar features."

 
The objective of TNS India's MMI is to understand these consumer needs that drive choices in all money matters. The key questions that the study answers are:

What are consumers' needs that exist in the market?
What are the need segments? And what is the size of each segment?
Which brands service, which segments?
Are there any gaps/need segments not serviced currently?
What can a brand do to be more differentiated and distinctive?
All of these above questions are answered in the context of savings / investments and spending separately.

Findings will be available to the market in the second half of December 2005.