Unlike other generation segment, this generation C is actually stand for “Content”. Content that they created and generated by them self,  adding billion-peta bytes of  text, images, audio and video on an ongoing basis.

So it is nothing to do with the age, although the age will naturally younger. If we want to use age as the reference, the generation C is mostly coming from “Y” generation who was born around 1982 – 1995, who are currently trying very hard to earn money from their blog and their little brother, Generation “Z”, who was born in 1995 up till now who updating their status in facebook and twitter like there is no other tomorrow. Their father is Generation “X” which currently working as company drones and become working class hero, and their grand daddy is baby boomer who now entering their retirement service.  Just kidding.. Just kidding..

Generation “C” though… is segment that “young” at heart, because they have different behaviour and attitude, it is very important for marketer to know it. No specific age can describe it fully.

If you wondering whether you are belong to this “young” segment, this  simple test here will give you a hint, which generation are you:

• Do you have facebook account? Do you update it regularly?
• Do you have twitter and updated regularly?
• Do you know what Digg or Reddit means? and do you use it?
• Do you have blogs?
• Do you trust online friends more than industry expert?
• Do you texting or updating statuses while driving?

If most of the answer above is yes, you most probably belongs to this segment. If you answer yes for the last question… Shame on you..! Stop it..! Don’t texting while driving, your generation or others are in danger because of you… Damned..!

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Call me Generation C. The Connected Collective.

I socialise. I share. I swarm.

Give me contact. Social media. Life sharing. Lifestreaming. Show me your Facebook. Google it. Myspace me.

Give me conversation. Something to talk about. Something to give my friends something to talk about. Give me social status.

Give me co-creation. Mix it. Mash it. Remix. Remash.

Give me content. Real, dynamic, not TV. Content that i can watch when i want. I want my own channel.

Give me constant change. Constantly. Spontaneously.

Give me collaboration. I trust my friends. I trust my peers. I trust DIGG. Do you trust me?

Give me loads of friends for my different personalities. I am a chameleon , not a creature of habit.

Give me creativity. I need a blank canvass. Let me create my own identities. Let me share my creations.

Give me customisation. I want my own. I want to make my own. I want to make myself.

Give me cyber, My life is virtually real. The world is on.

Give me celebrity. Now. And Again. Remember this Facebook.

I am not the same. I am different.

I am not like you. I am ME.

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Here is what I know who buying their business in Indonesia (and regional as well)

• Unilever bought entire personal care division for US$ 1.9 billion in cash. The strong brand in Indonesia is Sanex for liquid soap and deodorant, while other brand Radox is not really have presence in here.
• They also have “Sara Lee” brands for personal care which I think together with Switzal and Purol, will be part of the deal with Unilever.
• P&G bought their air freshener brand called Ambipur  for US$ 470 Million.
• But who is buying Kiwi, the true and tested shoe polish… ( I heard that kiwi is  also used to polish wooden craft somewhere in Central Java).  Can’t find the information anywhere else, if you know who is buying it, please put it in comment section.

I do not believe that Unilever will keep Sanex brands in Indonesia, they have many of their own brand already for liquid soap and deodorant. I am sure they will kill the brand or simply milk it.

while Switzal, purol and (especially) Ambipur may see a better future as the purchaser do not have the category, I expect there will be a heavy support on this brands. once the dust is settled down.

So… Good Bye Sara Lee…

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Indomie is a great brand in instant noodle, and so is Mie Sedaap, why not combine it together…? It will be easier for the consumers as most of them know these two brands right…?

To my disbelieve, someone else is actually thinking exactly the same, and they come up with this product…

look at the cue, The word “mie Goreng” its using Indomie font, the upper right is Indomie ribbon, at the bottom there is Mie Sedap word using Mie Sedaap font (small word kriyuk-kriyuk added). The actual brand is actually Spix and it is a snack noodle not instant noodle.

And who come up with the idea…? some one from PT. Siantar Top is…  but..  Shame on you Sir or Mam…!

1. because you stole my idea
2. Is that the best you can do..?
3. You should call it Indosedaap..!

just Kidding..

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Before you read further… I remind you that this is my personal views not in anyway trying to be a spoke person of Nielsen or anybody else.

I am such a lazy dog so I let someone else explain it to you about what is SES definition and how Nielsen , you can click it here : http://nofieiman.com/2005/04/ses-socio-economic-status/ which is quite good. The classification in his blog  is now obsolete though.

Why there is no other variables like suggested by gentlemen over here : http://researchexpert.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/menggugat-pengukuran-konsep-social-and-economic-status-ses/, some also suggest the quality or the size of house or lifestyle  as part of the variable, that would be awesome. Awesome Yes, practical No.

Do they collect information on the job, ownership (car, electronics etc), size of household, lifestyle, credit card..? the answer is yes, yes, yes and yes, they asking a lot of things too. But for “practicality” and “usability” reason, they only use expenditure as the only variable.

Simply put, Nielsen try to split the population into 6 group SES, A and B class (with around 20-25% of the population), C1 and C2 ( around 50-60% population) and the rest is D, E class. Yes you are right, it is a normal curve distribution..!!! Can you imagine adding one more variable like credit card ownership, the curve will looks strange isn’t it?

Mind you that they did the study in 9 Cities, use the classification in Rural are, you may find 50% of DE class, use the same classification in Jakarta only, you will see the population skew to upper SES.

My suggestion is, do not blindly use or follow the SES classification, it made for everyone with “practicality” and “usability” in mind  (but nothing in the world can satisfy everyone). The classification may not be suitable for you or your intended target segment. Use it wisely, it will be powerful tool of segmentation. Talk to Nielsen if you think it is not suitable for you. Otherwise you will potentially taking a wrong decision.

Consider yourself warned… here is the 2010 SES Clasification from Nielsen Indonesia

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Unless it draw very negative feeling among the potential consumers, I will suggest that some “un-realistic” component in the ad can be a good thing. I’d rather focus on whether the ad can communicate the brand clearly, or is the message can be understood, or is the ad unique and not to be confused with other brands.

Make the ad “rational” will potentially make it losing  its wow factor, become plain and easily forgettable. An ad should tell the story, an enjoyable story telling that is, especially if we want to talk about the image to create emotional appeal.

Consumers will understand, it only an Ad,  they want to be entertained and most of their purchase is not based on rational anyway. So if your ad is too rational, it does not make sense even to the eyes of consumers.

One of good example of ad is Gulaku, I love the way they tell story about the humble sugar… very magical… can’t imagine if they are using rational approach… here is the ad.. enjoy..

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Few months a go I talked to a start up company that boasting the way our company operated and collecting the data is so last century compare to what they do. Without hesitation I agree, but will it sell?.

Most of our customer are lag further behind, so the “old method” is still work best for them, they familiar with it, and they use it day and night. But I agree, if we do not prepare for the advanced method, we will stuck behind and die. We just have to be inline with the customers needs or wants, in the end of the day, they are the one who paying our salary. Right..?

I genuinely think that their business model is good, so I offer to help them if there is any potential clients.

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Is it mean that cleanness and variety of the product no longer relevant for the consumers..? Far from it, it now become the hygiene factor to all modern retailer. Something that they expect all modern retailer have. If the modern retailer do not have this aspect, the consumers will feel uncomfortable and most probably will leave the store immediately. However, this hygiene factor will not make the consumer excited about the product or services.

What can make the consumer excited about our product and services? That is called motivational factor. in our case above are discount rate and freshness. If these factor presence in a retailer, it will likely to motivate the consumers to come.

So if a retailer having less visitor, it can be from both factor, however if the consumer come but not really excited about the retailer, it most probably lack of motivational factor. As an analogy : If a modern retailer advertise how clean their stores are… it’s like you are telling your date that you take bath everyday to impress him or her.. not gonna work… and if you not taking a bath at least once a day, she will run a way, I guarantee…

Every product category or services has its own hygiene factor, checking the hygiene factor is recommended every two years or so… Qualitative study will give you the information on what is the Hygiene factor for your product or services and what is the motivational factor.

Think about your company (or company where your are working) now… are they lack of hygiene factor or motivational factor.. or just perfect as it is now… what is the hygiene factor and what is the motivational.

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Where is it coming from?
The name “brand” it self is originating from the cowboy era… those boys were branding (marking) their cows / cattle by printing some kind of logo using a hot iron. If it mixed with another herd, they still know which one is theirs… we talking about hundreds of cows and thousand acre of grass field here…

The evolution
Back then the meaning of “brand” is so simple, just to differentiate the product (or cows). Still the same now, but more than that… the brand now is so important as it will be the ambassador of the manufacturer talking to the consumers.

A brand is no longer just a name, its also about the color, the logo, the pack, the quality and many thing else… the brand now is actually anything that consumer have in their mind about the product. If I say a name of product like Google, Coca-Cola, TVRI or Nike, you have set of perception about the brand either bad or good. Some brands have a very strong association to the product category, and can not easily extended to other product category. Imagine if a bubble gum named Durex, or a beverage called Baygon, you will think many times before you consume it.. .

Last but not least, our name is a brand too, and everyone is the brand manager for them self. So how are we going to market our name for future employer, for friends or even for future mother in law..? those are our consumers.

Good luck in marketing the brand “you”

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