Rediffusion and the University of Lucknow have collaborated to establish 'The Bharat Lab,' India's first consumer insights think tank dedicated to providing cultural and consumer insights on the people of Bharat.

The Bharat Lab will understand Bharat as a Tier 2 and Tier 3 town in India and know its hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Moreover, Bharat can be all over India beyond the 5 Metros and the 23 large cities. It will uncover its motivations, its challenges, and its outlook by bringing its story into the mainstream of India’s culture, commerce, and conversations. In the next five years, Bharat will be home to 50 smart cities.

“Bharat is the driver of India’s tomorrow. It is home to two-thirds, or more, of India’s population. The growth economy of the future is anchored in the heartland of India. And that is the Bharat we wish to study in-depth”, says Prof. Alok Kumar Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Lucknow. 

Rai will also be the Chief Mentor of The Bharat Lab.

By exploring these previously undiscovered aspects of life in Bharat, the Bharat Lab will gain new understanding and practical insights.

Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Managing Director of Rediffusion and co-Chair of The Bharat Lab commented, “Our ambition is to go deeper than just surveys and numbers at ‘The Bharat Lab’. For us, Bharat is not just a consumption statistic, it is a formative cultural force of the nation. Interestingly, Bharat is as much a devoted watcher of Ramayan as it is of Masterchef - Bharat is also a fan of both Mann Ki Baat and Shark Tank.” 

Prof. Sangeeta Sahu, Head of the Department of Business Management, University of Lucknow who will be also co-Chair of the Lab elaborates, “We want to answer the most fundamental questions and curiosities about Bharat. What does Bharat eat, drink, and watch? Where does Bharat travel? How does Bharat spend its free time? How has the family dynamic evolved in Bharat and how does it impact the consumer behaviour of Bharat? What relationship do residents of Bharat have with technology and the internet? Who are the heroes and role models of the people of Bharat? There is so much to study”.

The University of Lucknow will serve as the Bharat Lab. The Lab will be supported by Rediffusion's 50 years of brand knowledge and industry outreach. It will give collaboration possibilities for University staff and students to exchange knowledge with industry. Seminars, workshops, research projects, internships, field studies, and other similar efforts will be part of the Lab. The data collected by the Lab will be used to provide better-informed customer insights into brand decision-making.