RURAL MARKETING

COMMUNICATION IN INDIA PROBLEMS AND STRATEGIES

Rural marketINTRODUCTION
is a fast growing market.
It is a market meant for the truly creative
marketer.
Many MNCs and Indian Companies are
preparing their rural marketing strategy to grab
a reasonable share of the rural markets.
There is a growing market for consumer goods
in rural markets now.
Rural markets in India are growing at twice the
rate of their Urban counterparts - NCAER
1

Issues In Rural Marketing

Distribution
Understanding the rural consumer
Communication
Poor infrastructure

Rural Consumers
Rural India buys.
Products more often.
Buys small packs, low unit price.
Distribution and pricing are the mantras to
success in rural India.

Rural Marketing Communication

(RMC)
Indiscriminate marketing strategy used in
urban areas will not work effectively with their
rural counterparts
An important tool to reach out to the rural
audience is through effective communication.
Mere translation of the advertisement in the
urban areas, into vernacular language and
bombarding the rural market with it would not
yield the desired result.
There are various conventional and nonconventional modes of communication used
by rural marketers.
4

Types of Media in Rural

Markets
Mass Media
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Television
Radio
Print
Cinema
Word of Mouth
Video on Wheels

Traditional
Media
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Puppetry
Folk Theatre
Demonstrations
Haats and Melas
Wall paintings
Post cards &
Posters
5

Problems of RMC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Low Literacy Rate

Language Barrier
Poor infrastructure Facilities
Low Disposable Income
Linguistic and Socio-cultural
Differences
Psychological Barriers
Culture & Traditions
Differences in Perceptions
Changing Attitudes and Behaviour
Rural Reach
Orthodox Views
Lack of Research Data

Strategies for Effective RMC

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Identify Target Audience

Flexible Communication Strategy
Choosing the right kind of Media
Appropriate Communication Mix
Regional Requirements
Appropriate Scheduling
Enhancing Awareness
Symbols and Logos
7

Communication Strategies of
Companies in RM
1. Chennai based Cavin Kare conducted live
demonstrations of its products.
2. Hero Honda has established mobile service centres
to take care of rural customers.
3. Wilkinson deputes salesman to villages wherever it
launches a new blade as seeding operation
4. Britannia with its low priced Tiger brand biscuitsRate at its wrapper.
5. LG Electronics uses local language advertising.
6. Private and Foreign banks are tying up with
nationalized banks to reach rural people.
8

Conclusion
Indian rural market is a huge market with lot of
potential in it.
It is for the rural marketer to face the challenge of
communicating their products and concepts through
innovative media design, sensitive approach to brand
names and use of simple and natural language.
Rural Marketers should study rural purchase pattern to
identify the spending class.
RMC should be further simplified for those rural
consumers who live in more remote areas.
Better RMC and promotional strategies targeted
towards the rural market are imperative and crucial for
the future success of any organization.
9