Abstract:

As urban India continues to transform at a rapid pace, brands across categories seek to build relevance by positioning themselves on platforms linked to the new meanings and ways of being in a fast-changing society. A semiotic analysis of the multiple and evolving discourses that surround the urban Indian consumer - in conjunction with an understanding of the underlying cultural DNA that subconsciously shapes how we interpret the world - helps decode the new and emerging templates that are shaping consumer attitudes, aspirations and motivations. By mapping and interpreting change across a variety of discourses that define today's India, this paper illustrates the rich potential of semiotics to offer brands resonant platforms for positioning and creative development.