The Challenge

As the platform expanded its footprint in India, it faced a unique opportunity: to connect with young adults not just through entertainment, but through inspiration, discovery, and the joy of knowing.

But how does curiosity show up in today’s youth? What content themes spark exploration—and what signals feel dated, school-like, or preachy?

Our Approach

We led a deep semiotic and discourse analysis to decode how young Indians today express, perform, and pursue curiosity across platforms. The work combined:

• A scan of memes, reels, docuseries, and creator content

• Analysis of curiosity postures—from knowledge flex to wonder-seeking

• Mapping of cultural codes across science, mystery, history, and human stories

What made it distinct:

• Went beyond genre preferences to decode emotional tones and curiosity styles

• Positioned curiosity as both identity statement and escape valve

• Highlighted the tension between authentic exploration vs performative smarts

The Impact

The research helped uncover the many shapes of curiosity—from dark fascination to emotional uplift, from solo deep dives to social shareability. These insights are now guiding how the platform curates, positions, and localizes content—inspiring a generation that doesn’t just want answers, but wants to feel moved, challenged, and seen.