NUFgen Marketing
K.V. KANNAN

“As the networked society spreads its reach,
As the global brands seek local customers,
As the recession intensifies,
As the personal income growth slopes off”

The NUF is emerging as the real microsm of the market place.

Mr. Marketer doesn’t aim at Mr. Customer (the man or a woman or a child).  The real target – real customer – is the family.  To be precise, the New Indian Family.  Or, the New (Upwardly Mobile) Urban Family.  NUF drives from the principle of Traditional Family Life Cycle.

Traditional Family Life Cycle (FLC)

The traditional family life cycle is a progression of stages through which many families pass.  Starting with bachelorhood, moving on to marriage (and the creation of the basic family unit), then to family growth (with the birth of children), to family contraction (as grown children leave the household), and ending with the dissolution of the basic unit (due to the death of one spouse).

Although different researchers have expressed various preferences in terms of the number of FLC stages, the traditional models proposed over the years can be synthesized into just five basic stages as follows:

Stage I: Bachelorhood: Young single adult living apart from parents
Stage II: Honeymooners: Young married couple
Stage III: Parenthood: Married couple with at least one child living at home
Stage IV: Postparenthood: An older married couple with no children living at home
Stage V: Dissolution: One surviving spouse

NUFgen Marketing

NUFgen is the new (Upwardly Mobile) Urban Family generation of customer.  Despite the individualism of its members, NUFgen chooses, buys, and uses its products together.  The consumption behaviour of each of its constituents – the man/husband/father/, the woman/wife/mother, and the son/daughter/child/companion – is being redefined in the context of his/her relationships with the other members of the family.

Ms. NUFFY: The NUF Woman/Mother/Wife

She prefers to listen to her music on FM radio, and thriller late night movies.  As a consumer, she is willing to pay a premium as long as the marketer can justify that the product helps to manage her family’s health.

Mr. NUFFY: The NUF Man/Husband/Father

He is not the only earner of a NUFgen family.  Hence, he shares authority with other members as like earnings.  He shares the most important concerns of a woman.

MASTER or MISS. NUFFY: The NUF Child/Son/Daughter/Friend

The NUF child watches television in between 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Irrespective of gender - 52 percent of children watch cartoon.  After cartoons, boys prefer sports followed by movies and girls prefer music followed by family serials.

Computer and internet usage are on the increase among children.  52 percent of the NUF childrens have used computer in the last three months and eight percent has used the internet.

A seven-year old, at this moment is helping his parents to decide on what brand to buy, what features to look out for and what colour to choose.  Here, the family is not shopping for breakfast cereal or even a music system but a car or mobile phone.  Kids in India are starting to influence family in all kinds of categories.  That’s one of the key findings of cartoon network’s latest survey of Indian kids.

The Transition of the NUF
 

Irrespective of the individual profile and/or irrespective of the personal usage the NUFgen family decides and purchases products for its members.  NUF WOMAN plays an important role in selection of clothes and garments for her husband and child, NUF MAN plays an important role in selecting household appliances for his wife and NUF CHILD plays an important role in purchasing mobile for his father or car for a family.

Advice for Mr. MARKETER:

Companies that are proactive have already started targeting NUFgen family than an individual.

Examples:

CITIBANK targets NUFgen family by explaining that all the family needs can be sought out if consumers go for its credit car.

Kinetic Marvel –  attracts the child with its design/style for the Master/Miss. Nuffy Safety for the Mrs. Nuffy Economy price and easy travelling for Mr. Nuffy

Maggi Noodles – Easy/Quick cook for Mrs. Nuffy Delicious and tasty for Master/Miss. Nuffy and Mr. Nuffy Note: Maggi Noodle has out placed Kellog Corn Flakes for morning breakfast.

Hamam – Family Pack (Natural Care for Your family)

TESTIMONIALS FROM CORPORATES:

Conclusion

Whether you are a corporate or local is no matter – you will be able to survive only if you concentrate on NUFgen family instead of individuals in the family.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Consumer Behaviour – Leon G. Schiffman
2. Business Today
3. The Economic Times (Brand Equity)

---------------------------------------------------------

K.V. KANNAN M.B.A., M.F.T.,
kvkannan_1999@yahoo.com
LECTURER,
DEPARTMENT OF MBA,
K.S.R. COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCE,
TIRUCHENGODE - 637 209. INDIA.

Back