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Author name: VrittiMedia

Rural Marketing: demands different approach for both rural and urban consumer

rural promotion / By

Rural market in India is a much bigger market. Indian Rural economy emerging as biggest contributor to economic growth of India, it is estimated that it will be around 45% of GDP by 2020. Yet, it is an unexplored (or relatively less explored) market. It is needless to say that such a big population cant be taken for granted. Since the demands of the rural and urban population are different, it is critically important to design separate marketing strategies for both. The consuming pattern in rural population is changing and that too with an enormous speed. Increasing income and readiness of spending for lifestyle products open new and exciting business avenues for entrepreneurs in rural markets. With the rapid economic growth and infrastructural development, rural areas are rapidly changing into a new, hybrid identity known as rurban (the urbanized rural areas). They are progressive villages that carry the good characteristics of both rural and urban areas. What are the significant demand differences? (i) The population of small towns or villages continues to stick to the traditional concepts. They believe in the continuity of occupation and dependency on land ownership restricts the movement. The same gets reflected in what they expect from products or services. Longevity and economy of use are the two fundamental requirements. Utility always prevails over luxury. (ii) Rural market has a distinctive local influence. It means that something applicable for a group of people in one area is not relevant in the other area. Demands about product design, service or packaging are heavily influenced by local preference. Hence, Corporates are supposed to put a lot of efforts while designing campaigns. (iii) Price is still a decisive factor in spite of economic growth and improvement in the financial status. Rural consumers want the best value for money. They dont want to spend big money at once. Instead, they prefer paying smaller amounts repetitively. It is quite obvious because of the dependency on harvesting. Since there are earning months and spending months distinctively marked, expenditure need to be managed better. As the country progresses, the rural market becomes further pivotal. Hence, Marketers need to spend more time in analysis and design of campaigns. It is the high time to come out of preconceived notions and look at it as a separate entity.

Fattack se Furr, GoodKnight Fast Card offers instant relief to the Warkaris

rural yatras and jatras / By

Good Knight Fast Card carries good reputation due to its incredible speed of repelling troublesome mosquitoes, responsible for Malaria and Dengue. Where other mosquito repellent products take some time, Good Knight Fast Card is pretty fast. The catchy and engaging punch line Fattack Se Furr (vanishes instantly) underlines the speed of the result. GoodKnight Fast Card uses the opportunity for creating a mass brand awareness program by offering an immediate resolution of the problems faced by pilgrims during the Pandharpur Wari. The objective is to resolve the issues with an incredible speed so that it justifies the tagline of the product, i.e. Fattack Se Furr. the majority of people, come from the rural areas where mosquito outbreak is a major issue during themonsoon season. Therefore, it makes more sense to create the brand awareness in the PandharpurWari. What is the entire brand awareness program? Since the pilgrimage continues for 21 odd days, the brand awareness program gets sufficient visibility. Aspecialized First Aid van is designed for maximum visibility during the event. The van is equipped withinstant relief and treatment of most commonly occurred ailments during the pilgrimage. The van runsalong with the Wari proceedings, and sufficient noise is created to make it as popular as possible. Since the van offers quick relief to people, people dont look at it from the brand promotion perspectiveonly. Pilgrims establish an emotional connection between the people who attend their problems. Why is GoodKnight Fast Card appropriate product? Since Fast Card is established in the market as one of the fastest mosquito repellents, pilgrims can relateit very well because the First aid treatment offered to them provides immediate relief. The van alsoeducates people about the dangers of mosquito bites and the easy methods of getting rid of mosquitooutbreak. Pandhapur Wari is an event that is equally popular across the geographical and social boundaries inMaharashtra. It is the event of everyone and not restricted to a particular class, caste or cluster of thesociety. It is one of its kind programs organized during one of the mega events in the state. Using thepilgrimage to establish a brand is a smart move indeed.

Pandharpur Wari becomes an ideal occasion to reiterate pain-relieving capabilities of Iodex

rural marketing, rural yatras and jatras / By

Gyanba Tukaram and Mauli Mauli are perhaps the most uttered words in Maharashtra during the Wari period. The famous 250 kilometers walk that crosses the length and breadth of Maharashtra isnt just a religious procession, but a huge social event. It shows the great respect and intense belief in Vitthal, the most beloved deity in the state. People dont leave any opportunity of being part of this highly praised event. The 21 days procession of Pandharpur Wari becomes one of the best ways of establishing brands and products. Marketing brains come out with innovative and interesting ways of establishing products and services without hampering the religious and cultural setup of the prestigious event. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, one of the leading healthcare companies, brought a highly creative idea of Iodex Massage Van last year. The concept was greatly appreciated by everyone because of its utility and direct mapping with the event. The history repeats itself The overwhelming success of the campaign last year was so encouraging that the team wants to acquire further heights of success this year. The biggest cultural and religious event in Maharashtra will be used as the platform for customer activation in a contextual manner. Since the pilgrims cover approximately 250 kilometers distance in 21 days, it is a tough task indeed. Since Iodex is already an established brand for quick relief from all kinds of pains, the catch line is just perfect in the context of Pandharpur Wari. Badan Dard ka Expert, Sirf Iodex is the punch line which means Iodex is the best remedy for every kind of body ache. When people walk almost 12 to 15 kilometers every day, it is very obvious that the majority of them face back pain, pain in the calf muscles or headache. What does the Iodex brand campaign do? The campaign offers 12 branded vans that accompany the Pandharpur Wari from the first day to the day procession gets over. The well-equipped and well-branded vans offer instant relief from pain and discomfort to the pilgrims. The procession that claims attendance of more than two million devotees every year is the biggest and brightest opportunity to showcase Iodex, the best pain reliever brand in India. Other than vans, massage tents offer free massage to the pilgrims. These well-branded tents serve pilgrims during the breaks or night to rejuvenate and make them ready for the next day. Pandharpur Wari is an event of international stature where brand establishment brings an incredible identity.

Five little changes that make big difference to rural marketing

Advertising in Rural & Urban, advertising in rural india, rural advertising, rural marketing, rural promotion / By

Rural India shows a promising future for companies who want to make a distinguished position in the marketplace. It is a huge market with an immense potential. However, it is equally true that using the same age-old marketing gimmicks will not bring any good results. Here are five little changes that will make a big difference. Explore the potential of female consumers Unlike the past, women consumers have started playing a significant role in the rural market. They are ore empowered now, and the paying capacity has also increased a lot. With the increase in the paying capacity and enhanced awareness, they are major contributors to the economy. When a company wants to explore the potential of rural marketplace up to the fullest extent, women consumers need a separate focus. Speak their language Is your product communication is a generic one? Then you shouldnt wonder about the lukewarm response from the rural markets. Experts say that it is a common mistake committed by marketing gurus. Promoting the products in the local language establishes a better communication. People relate to the product better. They feel that the product is for them. Studies substantiate that campaigns designed in tune with the understanding of rural consumers did miracles. Product design according to the market segmentation Experts say that a little tweaking in the product specifications to suit rural condition makes it a great hit. There is a big difference in the lifestyle and mentality between rural and urban segments. For example, a refrigerator in the rural India is considered a way of keeping cooked food and milk fresh. Also, it should not only save electricity but also sustain long power cuts. A brand that offers the aforementioned qualities would be the hot cake. Strengthening the distribution channel A brand that taps the local channels of distribution makes wonders in the rural market of India. Coca-Cola and Lays or Uncle Chips are the success stories. They tapped the local grocery stores, pan shops, and roadside hotels and dhabas to keep their products. Today, these companies have the largest penetration in the rural India. In case of expensive products or consumer goods, it is the best thing to tap the most favorite shops in the town. Adding a pinch of patriotism Making a direct or indirect reference with the spirit of India gives a great boost to the appeal in the rural markets. There have been case studies where products showed a remarkable performance after associating with the patriotic feeling.

Marketing strategies for corporate to succeed in rural India

rural marketing / By

Rural market of India is quite enormous than people think. Statistics says that it contributes to almost half of the GDP, and the per capita income there shows faster growth than the urban sector. People are ready to spend for lifestyle products, electronic items, and entertainment. It is needless to say that a corporate house cant give impressive results unless it uses effective strategies to attract this huge marketplace. It is the success mantra of the 21st Century. So many studies have been conducted so far to understand why and how companies did miracles, and they revealed that only those could succeed who overcome the hurdles and explored the opportunities. Three secrets of success Studies also revealed that entrepreneurs who performed exceptionally well in the rural market had three things common. (i) They reached to as many consumers as possible. (ii) They acquired as many customers as possible. (iii) They retained the customers for as long as possible. It looks quite a simple thing to achieve, but there are practical difficulties in it. Inadequate distribution network, delayed payments, and frail marketing channels are the biggest roadblocks. Companies that manage these issues can only mark effective presence in the marketplace. Also, the marketing brains should think from a different perspective while designing marketing campaigns and promotions for the rural India. The mindset, thinking patterns and ideologies are quite different there. Two measures of performance in the rural India for a company If we think about measuring the success of a company in the high-potential rural market, then there are two performance measures. Firstly, it is checked on up to what extent the company finds rural market strategically important as far as the long-term or short-term goals are concerned. The more is the importance; higher is the performance. Secondly, it is checked on the percentage of rural contribution to the top lines and bottom lines of the balance sheet. When we talk about rural segment, product innovation, effective market penetration, and controlling expenses are the effective ways of keeping top and bottom lines under control. Since the rural market is expanding with great speed, companies need to focus on the sales and distribution channel. It is critically important to improve the top line without disturbing the bottom one so that profitability gets enhanced. When urban demand indicates sluggishness because of saturation, it is the time to look at another fertile field; the rural market!