New rules of building GenAlpha brands

A new study by Hypercollective on Gen Alpha has some key insights for brands and marketers. According to the report, 86% of parents involve their children in family shopping decisions, implying that kids have already donned the hats of informal advisors on choices ranging from entertainment to consumer products. Much of this influence is shaped by digital exposure and platform-led discovery. Digital video platforms— YouTube in particular—have become key gateways for content discovery. Nearly 42.8% of children regularly use YouTube and other online platforms, looking at them as the default channels of brand awareness.

Industry estimates peg the Gen Alpha demographic at around 340-350 million, accounting for almost 25% of India’s population. The study finds that the boundaries between online and offline have largely collapsed for Gen Alpha, compounding the challenges that brands face in engaging with them.

“The most critical shift for brands is recognising the transition from ‘pester power’ to what we call ‘consultative influence.’ Kids aren’t just making impulsive requests, they are actively reasoning about why a specific brand needs to be in the shopping cart,” observes Sruthy Sara Mathew, head of strategy and planning at Hypercollective, who led the survey on Gen Alpha.

Mathew cautions advertisers against falling into a digital-only trap. “Since Gen Alpha remains deeply invested in physical and creative pursuits, the most effective conversations will be phygital,” she remarks.

India’s mini-influencers

Experts say advertisers must be sensitive to both their habits and age. Gen Alpha doesn’t watch commercials, but is scrolling, sharing and reacting, says Siddhartha Singh, co-founder of Black Cab. This is a generation that views brand loyalty a bit differently from previous ones. “Advertising to this consumer cohort is not about getting them to choose you once, it is about giving them reasons to not forget you. That can only happen when you feel like a part of their world. You cannot rely on one big campaign and expect it to stick. Brands need to keep showing up through content, creators and moments that feel natural to them,” Singh explains.

What’s also unique is that while this cohort has huge influence among family and peers, they cannot transact independently. Advertisers therefore need to design their messaging in such a way that not only interests children but also earn parental approval.

The fact that this consumer cohort is under 16 years of age also means that brands have to tread carefully in reaching out and engaging with them. The Digital Personal Data Protection rules prohibit brands from monitoring children’s behaviour online and from targeting them with advertising.

Ethical Red Lines

Keren Benjamin Dias, AVP, brand planning & lead, Capital Z by White Rivers Media, identifies certain red lines brands shouldn’t cross in reaching these young consumers. The first is manipulation disguised as engagement. When brands blur the line between content and advertising, or use behavioural triggers like urgency, Dias says that they are going beyond influencing choice and are shaping cognitive patterns.