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India Today
20 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
From gifts to gratitude: India's new way of celebrating fathers
The Rise of Gifting for Dads: How Father's Day is Becoming a Major Gifting Occasion in India. For decades, Father's Day remained a relatively low-key celebration in India, often eclipsed by culturally rooted occasions like Raksha Bandhan or Mother's Day. But that's starting to change. As emotional expression gains acceptance amongst younger Indians, there's a clear shift in how fatherhood is perceived and Today spoke with Avi Kumar, Chief Marketing Officer, FNP, to understand how gifting is becoming a central part of this evolving Father's Day STRONG PROVIDERS TO EMOTIONAL ANCHORSIn Indian households, fathers were traditionally seen as providers—present, but often emotionally reserved. Now, a generational shift is bringing fathers into a more emotionally connected light. 'Father's Day gifting in India remained modest for years,' says Avi Kumar. 'But younger consumers are rewriting the script. Gifting is no longer just an obligation—it's becoming the language of emotional connection.'This redefined image of fatherhood—affectionate, involved, and emotionally available—is now finding its way into how families celebrate the PERSONAL TOUCH TAKES PRIORITYOne of the strongest trends in recent years is the move away from generic gifts like ties or toolkits. Today's consumers are seeking out gifts that carry personal meaning—customised keepsakes, memory-filled photo albums, hobby-based hampers, and even letters of heartening is not just the increase in gifting volume,' says Avi Kumar, 'but the intention behind it. People want to give something that reflects who their father is—not just what he does.'This indicates a deeper emotional investment in making Father's Day more than just symbolic—it's becoming 2 AND 3 TOWNS JOIN THE CELEBRATIONInterestingly, the momentum isn't restricted to big metros. Thanks to improved digital access and the influence of social media, smaller towns are embracing Father's Day with growing enthusiasm.'Digital access has democratised celebration culture,' notes Avi Kumar. 'We're seeing increased traction from Tier 2 and 3 towns. The emotional sentiment behind Father's Day is resonating widely, not just in urban India.'It's a sign that celebrating dads is becoming an all-India phenomenon, cutting across geographies and JUST A TREND—A CULTURAL TURNING POINTThe rise in Father's Day gifting isn't just a passing commercial uptick; it's a reflection of changing societal values. Emotional awareness, especially toward father figures, is no longer a taboo.'This isn't just a commercial trend—it's a cultural evolution,' affirms Avi Kumar. 'Gifting occasions grow when sentiment meets expression. Today's consumers are finally articulating what earlier generations often left unsaid.'WHAT PEOPLE ARE GIFTING DADS TODAYadvertisementFrom thoughtful gestures to grand expressions, here's what's trending in Father's Day gifting:Personalised gifts: From engraved pens to photo collages and custom accessoriesThemed hampers: Grooming kits, fitness boxes, or snack collections curated to match dad's interestsExperience-based gifting: Spa sessions, game tickets, subscriptions, or even short getawaysDigital expressions: Interactive videos, voice notes, and virtual surprise partiesThis shift highlights the growing desire to make Father's Day more meaningful, rather than just ticking a Day in India is no longer just another imported occasion—it's becoming a heartfelt celebration of connection and gratitude. Gifts today aren't just material—they're carriers of meaning, memory, and Avi Kumar aptly sums up, 'This is more than a market movement; it's an emotional awakening.'For a generation learning to express affection more openly, Father's Day is a moment to pause, reflect, and say what was once left unsaid: Dad matters—and he deserves to be celebrated, not just remembered.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Marketers map behavioral states for richer customer engagement
Today, consumers value personalized journeys that are interactive and immersive, strengthening emotional connections with brands . The goal for brands is to create seamless interactions across digital and physical touchpoints, ensuring every customer interaction feels related and cohesive. in collaboration with CleverTap , recently concluded 'The Big Leap Season 4' roadshow in Delhi. The event featured a panel discussion on the theme, 'Mastering Interactive, Immersive, and Inconspicuous Customer Engagement .' The discussion included industry leaders like Avi Kumar, CMO, FnP (Ferns N Petals); Neelu Amber, Chief Growth Officer, Airtel; Pooja Baid, CMO, Philips Domestic Appliances; Aabhinna Suresh Khare, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, Bajaj Capital and Anand Jain, Co-founder and Product Marketing Head, CleverTap. The session was moderated by Gautam Srinivasan, Consulting Editor. Today, customer interactions are a blend of digital and offline experiences, requiring brands to deliver on digital promises in the offline realm. A narrow gap between promise and reality signals authenticity. To remain authentic, brands must prioritize details, delivering consistent, genuine experiences that align with expectations without overpromising. Kumar (FNP) said, 'For starters, what the customer sees is what they should get. If they receive a communication with an offer or a coupon code, it should be applicable and work as expected. The image shown of the product should match the actual product you receive.' Effective communication depends on precise timing. Customers can be divided into two behavioral states: active and static. Static customers, such as those eating while watching a video, are preoccupied and less likely to respond to pop-up ads. In contrast, active customers are more receptive to engaging with prompts like pop-up ads. Airtel has taken a step forward by engaging with customers only during their active behavioral states. 'A significant shift we've made is engaging customers when they're active. For instance, watching a TV ad is a passive activity, whereas scrolling through social media is active and intentional. This means they can act immediately, whether to explore an offer or make a purchase without needing another device,' noted Amber. Customer engagement hinges not only on delivering an exceptional experience during the purchase but also on the customer experience post-sale. Many businesses prioritize a seamless, swift, and delightful pre-purchase experience but often neglect to maintain that same commitment during after-sales service . To ensure customers feel valued, Philips Domestic Appliances makes after-sales service a cornerstone of its customer engagement strategy. 'The after-sales cycle is less glamorous but incredibly impactful. We recognized that customers dread calling support, so we decided to solve this challenge. If you contact Philips customer care and your call drops or your issue remains unresolved, our system flags if you call back within 48 hours. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system acknowledges your recent call and reconnects you to the same executive, sparing the frustration of narrating the issue to another executive. Behind this is a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and a data engine tracking every interaction,' stated Baid. It is also important to understand the right communication approach for different contexts: while simple text messages get the job done in categories like grocery or quick-commerce, complex categories like financial services require richer media such as graphics, voice, or video to convey nuances and connect with customers effectively. Khare shared, 'We are experimenting with different mediums, such as voice notes styled like a celebrity's voice, as customers usually have an itch to open voice notes on WhatsApp. This instinctive action is helping us communicate more effectively and provide more information about insurance to our customers.' 'We're also experimenting with AI calls, making 30,000 calls using a small language model, achieving a 1% appointment rate for office visits across our 300 locations,' he added further. As marketing channels become saturated with promotional messages, customers often feel fatigued. Therefore, it is crucial for brands to continuously discover new channels to create a fully immersive and inclusive experience. 'Brands face the challenge of moving beyond saturated messaging channels to capture customer attention. With platforms like email and SMS often overwhelming users, innovative mediums offer fresh opportunities. For instance, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) for email enables real-time, interactive responses, enhancing engagement. Similarly, RCS (Rich Communication Services) provides a richer, more interactive format, with some brands reporting significantly higher response rates than traditional SMS or WhatsApp. The key is blending digital and offline touchpoints, such as in-app and real-world interactions, while experimenting with novel channels to create seamless, impactful experiences that resonate with customers and stand out in a crowded landscape,' explained Jain. Exceptional customer engagement hinges on being agile, adaptive, and authentic, while also showing empathy towards users. Brands are continuously innovating to determine the optimal timing for communication and experiment with richer media formats.
