Rural Marketing – Need & Best

Practices
Rural Marketing : Session 6
Rural marketing in the Indian context

Rural India in numbers

64% of India’s population

reside in rural areas 4.6 - 4.0 57 - 155
Rural vs Urban average Rural vs Urban mobile
household size (# of people) teledensity (connections per 100)

84% higher poverty rates

than urban areas

₹ 3,95,000 cr 1 : 2.1
Estimated size of rural FMCG Ratio of rural to urban
82% of farmers are small or
marginal
market in 2019 per capita income
Rural marketing in the Indian context

Critical differences with urban markets :

• Low availability of infrastructure like power, transportation & financial
services
• Low population density
• High travel distances for amenities
• Predominance of local language usage
• Low entertainment and leisure activity options
• Farming as primary occupation
Factors impacting rural markets

Rural to urban migrations driving

aspirations and social outlook

Deeper reach of telecom & media

content driving consumption demand

Rural youth moving to non-agricultural

professions changing priorities

Infrastructure development helping

increase opportunities & income levels

Increasing population changing rural

settlements into semi urban profile

Growth of agri-tech changing

agriculture sector ecosystem & lifestyles
Keys to success in rural marketing

1 Direct Outreach Essilor Eye Mitra HUL Project Shakti

Involve local talent to maximise reach &
availability

2 Participative Demonstration Mimi Moto Cookstove

Customers need to be educated on product use case
through demonstration

3 Real Life Problem Solutioning Mahindra Krishi Sammelan ITC e-Choupal

Brand needs to be part of customers’ daily life

4 Content & Technology Innovation HUL Kan Khajura Tesan Tata Tea Agni
Engaging content needs to be delivered in a simple,
cheap & easy to consume format

5 High Visibility Reminder Media Vodafone 3G Van Ceat Safety Banner

Brand recall needs to be built through OOH media