This blog is based on the findings of the primary research conducted in 4 metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata) during the Covid19 lockdown (May 2020) by Inxise Datalabs. For more information on detailed research finding please contact the author
SUMIT SAXENA
“I have not met my extended family for a while, but the person I miss most is my maid”
“My husband does not know anything about cooking or cleaning”
Let us face it- urban, Indian households survive on maids. Or should we say- survived. With maids out of action during the lockdown, the dynamic in the household has changed. Prior to the lockdown, managing the household work was exclusively a woman’s job while most men assuaged their guilt of non-participation by being the ‘provider’ (financially) of domestic help. What has not changed is that the household work continues to be seen as the woman’s job, but with the maids out of action, the men have lost their guilt mitigator. This has forced men to take up a larger share in the household chores.
And this changed dynamic would show in how we buy household products. How? The broad attributes that the consumer looks for in any household product are efficiency, safety, comfort and indulgence. These attributes have not changed. What has changes is the order of their importance as men start to participate in household chores. Let’s watch this clip from the standup comic Munawar Faruqui to understand how:
This clip is taken from Munawar Faruqui’s video Dawood, Yamraaj and Aurat. Full video available here
While efficiency, safety and hygiene, and indulgence continue to be important, comfort is now a priority. Manifestations of these attributes during the lockdown have also seen a change. Let’s see how:
This clip is taken from Munawar Faruqui’s video Dawood, Yamraaj and Aurat. Full video available here
While efficiency, safety and hygiene, and indulgence continue to be important, comfort is now a priority. Manifestations of these attributes during the lockdown have also seen a change. Let’s see how:
COMFORT – How can I make the household jobs easier for me and other family members?
This clip is taken from Munawar Faruqui’s video Dawood, Yamraaj and Aurat. Full video available here
While efficiency, safety and hygiene, and indulgence continue to be important, comfort is now a priority. Manifestations of these attributes during the lockdown have also seen a change. Let’s see how:
A manifestation of the desire for COMFORT is The Magic Mop
The spin mop works its magic by being easier to clean and wring without bending or squatting . This is a good substitute for the humble “ponchha” which is seen as tedious and too much effort which men are not very good at and reluctant to try.
“My husband is ok with doing ponchha using the mop but cannot squat and do with the cloth, he has figured out how to wring it and clean it also- this helps in making my life easier” says a 36 year old housewife in Kolkata
Platforms such as Snapdeal and Shopclues have reported a 100% increase in the sale of magic mops post Covid19 and even celebrities such as Shoojit Sircar have posted about using these on Twitter!
SAFETY & HYGIENE – How can I make sure my family remains safe? How can I keep everything hygienic?
Vacuum Cleaner
a safe option that cleans dust and grime more effectively
Kids in the 90s will remember the “Eureka Forbes man” as a familiar sight – demonstrating usage of vacuum cleaners , a hitherto unknown commodity across homes. Even if people bought them , vacuum cleaners were relegated to the attics and forgotten, maybe making an appearance during the annual Diwali cleaning. Daily usage was not something that was considered.
However, in an effort to increase cleanliness and hygiene with lower effort, vacuum cleaners top the list of white goods that families would want to buy post lockdown. That it is high on comfort is a big plus.
“ I don’t know when I can call my maid back, I would rather have a good alternative to cleaning properly – maybe a smaller and simper one with less elements that everyone(even my husband) can use everyday, its almost an investment now – vacuum cleaner will be cleaner than us dusting everyday” says Amrita, a 30 year old mother of two in Mumbai.
Companies like Dyson have already started publicising their cordless and lightweight vacuum cleaners after having received 5-6 times more inquires on their products post Covid 19
EFFICIENCY – How can I manage time so that I finish household chores and still find time for my family and myself?
Dishwashers
are a new manifestation of the need for efficiency – washes in bulk, cleans effectively, uses less water , dries the dishes and can be operated by everyone Dishwashers as a category have not had much traction in Indian households , with the key complaint being that they do not clean the turmeric and oil stains properly and take up too much space. However, now the higher socio economic households are seriously considering it within the list of gadgets to buy, to make lives easier and more efficient. Oh, and more comfortable
“ A dishwasher will save so much time and energy – I feel like I am washing dishes all the time otherwise” – 40 year old Male Bangalore . With companies such as LG, IFB and Bosch promoting dishwashers as “for Indian dishes” along with saving water as an added advantage, sale of dishwashers will surely see an increase
On a smaller scale , the need for EFFICIENCY is manifested through desire for a garlic peeler. Peeling garlic is perhaps one of the most tedious jobs in the kitchen and given that it is an ingredient heavily used in Indian cuisine , most consumers ,when asked about what could make their lives much easier in the kitchen, mentioned a garlic press /peeler/cutter !
“On my wish list for the kitchen is a garlic peeler and cutter ! I never realised how much work my cook was doing everyday. It takes forever to do it. I have looked it up on Amazon already and will order as soon as they start delivering” 38 year old woman, Mumbai
“ A dishwasher will save so much time and energy – I feel like I am washing dishes all the time otherwise” – 40 year old Male Bangalore . With companies such as LG, IFB and Bosch promoting dishwashers as “for Indian dishes” along with saving water as an added advantage, sale of dishwashers will surely see an increase
INDULGENCE – Since I am working so much, what can I do for myself?
A visit to the beauty salon is a monthly indulgence for most women which has now been curtailed. Hence manifestations of the need for indulgence are also within the aegis of grooming. For women, threading and shaping eyebrows is a basic grooming need which is taken care of at the salon every month. It is very affordable and costs about Rs.25-30 in smaller towns and around Rs.50-70 in bigger cities in most middle end salons. The lack of this service has given rise to a number of memes on what women will look like at the end of the lockdown and a startling reduction in the number of selfies taken by women since they are feeling conscious about overgrown eyebrows!
“ I feel like my eyebrows make me look like a monkey so I am taking photos of food and my house and posting – no selfies !“ – 26 year old woman, Delhi.
In this situation, women have suddenly discovered Eyebrow trimmers which are painless and (of course) comfortable to use . Even post Covid, this is a product that women will definitely keep for emergencies , travel as well as regular grooming. It is all set to become a part of the female toilet kit.
What the consumer will seeks going forward is comfortable efficiency, comfortable safety and comfortable indulgence. COMFORT will be the key product feature. Hence, Products and communication would need to be designed prioritizing this. In doing so, the marketers would also be helping men participate in daily chores- a worthy cause.
This blog is based on the findings of the primary research conducted in 4 metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata) during the Covid19 lockdown (May 2020) by Inxise Datalabs. For more information on detailed research finding please click here email us