Communication Strategies for

Rural Markets

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Chapter 9

Understand the major challenges in rural communication

Outline the process of rural communication

Detail the process of developing effective rural communication

Highlight the need for distinct advertisements for rural audiences

Examine conventional and non-conventional media for reaching

rural audiences

Describe sales promotion, events and experiences for rural areas

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Learning Objectives

Heterogeneity and spread

Low literacy and varying comprehension abilities

Different media reach and habits

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Challenges in Rural
Communication

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

The Communication Process:

An Overview

Comprehension

of message a critical problem in

Indian rural markets

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Developing Effective Rural

Communication

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Developing Effective Rural

Communication

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Developing Effective Rural Communication

Rural Marketing, 2e

Main objective for rural advertising is creating awareness

Factors to be kept in mind:

Understand mind set through research
Pick up gems in terms of idioms and expressions
Gimmicky ads do not work in rural
Edutainment is a good path
Short ads do not work in rural
Bring in aspirational element

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Creating Advertisements for

Rural Audiences

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Rural Media

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Mass Media

Rural Marketing, 2e

Economical, easily customized, high audience-recall rate

Limitations
Lack of space
Quality of wall and painters
Problems of outsourcing

Rules for wall paintings:

Choose sites around haats, mandis and melas
Sites at eye level
Active monitoring

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Outdoor Media: Wall Paintings

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

POP Displays and

Demonstrations

Rural Marketing, 2e

Generally fitted with an audiovisual equipment and a large

LCD display

Space for samples, products for sale, banners and posters

Typical van cycle 26 days a month

Major role customer education, sampling and

demonstrations

Can be used at weekly markets

Limitation:

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Video Vans / Raths

Mobile super market of rural India

Large haat caters to 57 villages and attracts 12,000 visitors

on the haat day

Small haats cater to 21 villages and attract 5,000 visitors on

haat days

75% of rural folk visit haats regularly

Durables should concentrate on demonstrations and sales

promotion

FMCG products should have three tiered approach:

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Haats

25,000 melas annually of which 90% are one day

Corporates should target Top 100 melas and then move to

micro melas

Melas cater to a much larger population than haats

Haats concentrate on sales while melas have a festive

atmosphere

Haats get largely male visitors while melas are for the
family

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Melas

Great potential especially for large and medium farmers

Punjab has no haats

Suitable for marketers of tractors, fertilizers and durable

goods.

7,600 mandis suitable platform for rich farmers who are in a

mood to spend.

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Mandis

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Folk Media

Rural Marketing, 2e

Limitations
High costs due to variety of folk and training costs
Contingencies like weather, unruly crowds
Availability of right kind of troupe
Rural marketer rules:
Do not preach
Useful for new products
Free and relaxed atmosphere
Choice of venue, script and cast so as not to hurt the
sentiments
Tailor to local conditions

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Folk Media

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Sales Promotion

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Events and Experiences

Rural Marketing, 2e

1.

What is your assessment as a marketer of the

opportunities shared by Tata Steel especially when
looking at rural markets?

2.

What do you feel about the brand features? Is this

relevant to the context we are talking about?

3.

What do you propose as a strategy for Tata Steel?

Describe each step that you wish to take in detail?

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Rural Marketing Case:

Tata Shaktee GC Sheets

Experiential more than mood

building

Rural Marketing, 2e

Copyright 2012 Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Successful Mantra in Rural

Communication