There is an increasing tendency in today’s youth that companies that aim to market their products need to take note of. That the consumer profile of today is different from what it was a decade or so earlier is a given. The question is how different it is and how to cater to the new demands of a consumer who is constantly on the lookout for an identity that he would be comfortable with. And the traditional definitions of bonding, relations and identity are changing fast.

The CyberGen Consumer: For the new generation consumer, the internet is his asylum. With online existence taking on a new role, the reality that rules in the minds of the new generation youth is different. To him, social networking is a basic necessity, not something that Maslow would have given a serious thought towards as he framed his famed “Need Hierarchy” Model, which formed the basis for all research on Consumer Behaviour.

An extended living in terms of Texting and Tweeting means lesser bonding with the traditional centres of Religion, Politics and the Family. The bad shape of politics, the perceived helplessness of religions to solving the problems of the world and a family with both parents getting busy with their work life means a search of new identity for the new generation kid who is fast becoming a powerful consumer to deal with.

The Branding Opportunity: It is this tendency, the search for an identity, which brands could capitalize on. Brands have the freedom and liberty to grow larger than life and to capture the imagination of young consumers. “Cool” brands such as Apple iPhone and broadband service providers have a spectacular chance to connect with the consumer in a new way and to create a brand that provides them just what they are looking for – and these brands have the ability to turn into cult figures and become the hub that would attract the youth to them.

What the baby boomers had through Volkswagen and Harley Davidson stands the chance of getting multiplied manifold in today’s young minds. The CyberGen does pose a challenge to the traditional marketer – but then, there is an enormous opportunity lurking out there for those who wish to tap into it and break into the consumer’s mind.