26 year Young Vs 16 year Old

TheThought

The generation gap, which used to stand at 20+ years has now come down to 10 years. 
A ten year elder person, is similarly confused and surprised with a 16 year youths wants and desire  as a parent used to be with the child.

What the implications of this is and how can you as a marketer/brand manager use this to your advantage?

Period. Agree that there are things, which a 26 year old cannot figure out about the 16 year old today.
If you see the comparison, what will strike most is the way the change has taken place.
During the year 2000, a 16 year old person, wished to be like a 26 year old person, who was considered financially free, and was one among the most respected and desired in the community.
Certain aspects which helped this 26 year old to be a brand used to be, gadgets, like walkman, Sports shoes which were although limited but were able to make a mark and leave impression. So for a 16 year, this freedom was an ultimate form of desires.

Consider now, a 16 year, has much more than what a 26 year old used to have, and that's why you will witness a 26 year old wondering, " how do they behave yaar?".
You will surely have a cousin or nephew/niece, who must be doing certain things in school, which you could have never dream of.
Consider this case, a close friend of mine narrated this about her nephew.
When in school, teacher taught this little kid, to write "A", letter, and then went on to ask to write this
"10 times", he gave a incredible answer.

" Wah! khud ek baar likhe ho, aur mujhsey 10 baar likhney keh rahe ho", as in " You have written it just once, and asking me to write 10 times".

The implications of these changes are plenty and as a marketer you have an advantage if you can understand it. Let me share few:

1. In the coming age idea of fun, can never be satisfied or limited. No longer games, game zone, etc are going to give them a pump. Only something huge, magnificent, something called a purple cow, is going to take their attention. So, if your business is not doing something remarkable, extremely outlandish, your efforts are useless.

2. Innovation is the only aspect which will provide the unfair advantage. If its not innovative, its non existent for me.

3. Wow, so Cool: the term used by a 26 year young,
    Wow, so Hot; is the term used by a 16 year old.
Choose whom you wish to woe.

4. Give them an Option to share it with friends, until you do that, you are never going to be able to reach the critical mass.

5. Involve, but do not forget to Evolve. ( much more on this coming in next post).


Happy getting attention.

Schools- Past, Present and Future

The Thought

How have the school education changed over time. What are the important aspects we need to know before we start looking for the change. 

Schools acts as a building block of an individual career. Two school of thoughts have been prominent when it comes to school education. One which says, Great schools, which have earned their reputation over decades of experience produce students which are highly competitive.
The other school of thought says, that no Nobel laureate has ever emerged from Top Schools of the country.
Keeeping these two varying thoughts in our mind, lets begin to look at things in a different way.

Why do we need schools?
Most say to educate a person, and if you ask why education is needed, they will say its required to earn money and spend a quality life. But ask them, Why education can be acquired only from a school, and you will find them gasping for air and looking here and there.
Let's concentrate ourselves to India.
Gurukul, the old system of education in india, in which Students used to spend their time living in "Asharams" of great teachers, and was given individual attention.
With around 20 students in each asharam, the time spent on each individual by a teacher was very high.
Why did this happened?
It happened because these students were future kings and top business professionals ( read vyapari's and/or darbari's).

So the amount of education and wisdom needed in these people was very high, thus the education system was such.
Then came britishers, and Lord maculey, who said
" We need loyal servants for British Empire",
and then came the Indian Education system, you study from 1st to 12th, then 3/4/5 ( BCom/B.E/Doctors) and then +2 for ( Masters) and +1 for PhD, which we still follow blindly.
Now let us look why this system came.
The industrial complex, where factories, and assembly lines were the requirement, the Industries needed people who can do a specific monotonous job. Since the profit was very high, so was the rise in pay thus increase in standard of living.
To satisfy the requirement of Industries, schools began shaping themselves in the same pattern.
Be disciplines, be in Line, walk from class in line, come to class in line, you are known from your Roll numbers ( as your factory/employee code in future), child was supposed to do a set of homework, solve a problem in particular steps, write specific things at specific place.
This went on to the extent that if you can recall a maths teacher, they insisted to make you write
" that is" before proving an equation, and ones mark was reduced if he/she missed these steps.
There were only one drawing period/week, that too till 5th class, one games period per week.
No doubt on our state in every Olympics.
Everything was supposed to kill creativity, to hinder dreaming.And this has continued till now.

But this is again the deflection point. Suddenly with the subprime crisis and the fall of the system,
being creative, and follwoing your dream is again in the cards.
Once again, "You can get whatever you want , whatever you dream if you follow it passionately " is the message. The only difference is, during the gurukul system, it was restricted to only Top class ( kings, big Businessmen etc), but now it has soaked deep into the society.

Hence, the schools are all set to change again, and to note it has all started.
We now have a restricted number of students in each class, and schools have started advertising their Teacher to student ratio ( teacher:student ).
In No time, we will again reach the same state as old times, when the student to teacher ratio will be as it used to be, but there exist a threat.
The threat is, no longer we have teachers/gurus as they used to exist.
How many Guru Drona can you find near you?
The statement, " When the ward is ready, the teacher arrives", holds mocking at the face.
There exist enormous amount of students who are seeking a teacher, adn please do not restrict your thoughts to beleive that students mean only in schools. It also means in corporates. How many talented young enthusiastic freshers get the right bosses who bring out the very best in them.

The system never concentrated on creating quality teachers/gurus/mentors, and thus we stand with lakhs of Cyber coolies doing monotonous job, getting high pay still unsatisfied with self.
Now is the time for every great teacher/mentor to rise, and no longer these lines will be true

" When they can't do, they become Teacher".

Now we need teacher who can do, and do it well enough.

Hope to find my mentor soon, and may god give you your mentor.
Happy Hunting.