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Rural Marketing
Module X
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Module X
Challenges in rural communication,
Communication process, Rural Media
Communication strategies
RURAL COMMUNICATION

Rural Communication has recently emerged as a key

concern for communicators of both profit-oriented
corporations exploring rural areas to expand marketing
their products, as also by those in social service
institutions trying to reach social (especially) health
related messages in rural, tribal and far-flung areas in
the countryside.

There are a number of factors that make rural

messages effective. edia is of t!o types "

ass edia

Traditional (non-conventional) edia

The utility of mass-media in rural communication is

enormous. #o!ever, traditional media is often seen to
be more effective among the rural audience.
THE COMMUNICATION
PROCESS MODEL

$s can be clearly seen from the mode, a sender sends (an

encoded) message, using a selected media, !hich the
receiver receives after having decoded it (so as to be
properly understood). The receiver (or the target audience
%responds& back to sender (of the messages), to !hom this
response also !orks as a feedback on his message'media.

(t is also apparent from the model that much of the message

could go !aste as %noise&. This could happen due to several
reasons. The messages having not been encoded properly)
inappropriate selection of media) improper messages)
messages not having been decoded properly. The net effect
is that the senders message do not reach, the target
audience, or having reached it may mean nothing, or atleast
not meaning !hat it is intended to have been
communicated.

The rural environment has a lot of influence on the

receiver and therefore he or she may not receive the
intended message for any of the follo!ing three
reasons "

Selective Attention * !here the consumer may not

notice the stimuli provided.

Selective Distortion * !here the message is t!isted to

hear !hat the consumer !ants to hear.

Selective Recall * !here the consumer permanently

retains only a small fraction of the messages that reach
him'her.
EFFECTIVE MESSAGES
$ ma+or challenge for rural communicator is ho! to
make the communicated messages effective. The
message must be meaningful to the rural consumer.
essage decisions need to take into account the
follo!ing aspects for their effectiveness

,anguages

-ictorial -resentation

essage .orm * The effective communication to rural

consumer should be " utilitarian, / narrative

0ource of the message * Credibility of the source is

critical for rural markets.

Context $ssociation * $ssociations create interest,

hold attention and provide meaning.
MEDIA
(t is important to understand the media that is being
adopted by the rural marketers. The forms of media
used are of t!o types "

Mass Media (Conventional Media) * (ncluding

television, radio, print, cinema'theatres, !ord of
mouth, video on !heels.

Traditional Media (Non-Conventional Media) *

(ncluding puppetry, folk theatres, demonstrations,
elas, !all paintings, post cards, posters, etc.
MEDIA VEHICLES AVAILABLE
MASS MEDIA

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R$5(3 - #(6# $75(14C1

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2(513-34-8#11,0

TRADITIONAL MEDIA

8$,, -$(4T(460

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$75(3-2(07$, 2$40

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MEDIA EFFECTIVENESS

1ffectiveness of the media to be used for rural

communication is important. .actors that affect media
effectiveness are "

$udience -rofile

edia -references

Channel and -rograms vie!ed

edia 2ie!ing / ,istening :ehavior

Rural communication is best applied !hen it follo!s a

participatory approach, involving participation of rural
audience.

AUDIENCE PROILE Rural audiences are exposed

to mass media, and can be easily reached, and young
male members are ma+ority vie!ers of television.

MEDIA PREERENCE Traditional media can be

more effective !ith rural audience. (nterpersonal
communication ((-C) !as ranked most effective,
follo!ed by T2'2CR, print media, and then radio.

C!ANNELS AND PRO"RAMMES #IE$ED

MEDIA #IE$IN" AND LISTENIN"

%E!A#IOUR Television programs in rural areas like
55-<, etc is very popular. Radio is a popular media in
rural markets, especially 2ividh :harti, etc. #ousehold
subscription to ne!spapers is lo!. :ut ne!spaper is
read at common gathering'meeting place, tea shop.
RURAL COMMUNICATION -
CHALLENGES

SPREAD AND DI#ERSIT& The large number of

consumers scattered across the country, many of
!hom are not tuned to mass media. Rural markets vary
by geography, demography, etc.

LO$ LITERAC& LE#ELS (ndicate that it !ould

be unrealistic to use print media.

POR INRASTRUCTURE ACILITIES 0uch a

lack of roads, telecom facilities, postal services, etc.
This undermines the utility of press and even T2
vie!ership is affected by lo! voltage and uncertain
supplies

UNI'UE MEDIA !A%ITS $ll the readership is

secondary.

LAC( O RESEARC! DATA 5ecisions on

message and media-mix are largely dependent on
feedback from sales net!orks.

LIN"UISTIC ) SOCIO-CULTURAL
DIERENCES

DIERENT LEISURE TIME ACTI#ITIES .or

people in rural areas, as agricultural activities have no
fixed timings, and often re=uiring !ork during nights
and in odd hours. The difficulty is to find the time slot
for the ads, as the leisure times are situation based.
RURAL COMMUNICATION -
STRATEGIES

MANA"IN" SPREAD AND DI#ERSIT&

,anguages " The message has to be understood.

(dentifying geographical locations !ith a larger

concentration of rural consumers.

,ocating potential consumers !ith a higher propensity to

spend.

USE O AUDIO-#IDEO MEDIUM ,iteracy rates

being less in rural areas, and T2 and Radio having
much more reach in rural masses compared to print
media, communication through electronic media must
be given priority over press.

APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATION MI* 4eeds

to be used giving priority to local promotional tools
over advertising, as advertising in rural areas is marked
by selective attention and retention. 7sually >?"@? is
recommended.

TAILOR-MADE COMMUNICATION $d
messages should be modified to suit to regional
re=uirements, in order to counter linguistic, social and
cultural differences.

USE O PU%LICIT& #ANS + ANIMALS

1specially in remote'tribal and hilly areas

USE O STALLS ) !AATS 1specially in village

festivals to spread messages and can also include
brand trials.

USE O CINEMA !ALLS AND #IDEO

PARLOURS 1specially in those states'regions having
maximum exposure to cinema.

USE O LO"OS AND S&M%OLS

OCUS ON OPINION LEADERS OR

REERENCE "ROUPS